Juvenile Law

Representation in Juvenile Court and Child Protective Services Litigation

Whether you are seeking to adopt a child already in your care such as a grandchild, relative or stepchild, or need to establish a guardianship or legal means by which you can care for a child in your physical custody, NRG can help.

NRG has represented many families in litigating both private and State dependency actions. We have a solid track record of successfully defending against wrongful allegations of abuse and neglect and in demanding that mandated reunification efforts be adhered to.

In a dependency proceeding, each parent is entitled to and will receive court appointed counsel. While both parents may have identical legal interests, the potential for conflict of interest is always present. As a result, the courts routinely assign independant attorneys to avoid these problems down the road. Unless indigent, parents will be responsible for paying the fees of court appointed counsel. Many parents faced with wrongful allegations of abuse or neglect opt for private counsel -- for a variety of good reasons (i.e., their attorneys are accountable to the client for the results ultimately obtained, their attorneys are not state employed and thus are more likely to be more experienced and more results oriented.)

The primary role of the parents'' attorneys is to advocate for their clients in court. A good parents attorney, however, will perform many non-litigation functions to assist the parent in navigating the case-plan process. Thus, a good parents attorney will help the parent understand the child protection process and negotiate visitation; advocate for appropriate services for the parent; advise the parent on the choices that will most likely result in return of the child; and assist the parents to carry out their case-plan tasks.