Pittsburgh Dependency Lawyers

We Fight to Help Preserve Your Parental Rights

Juvenile dependency cases revolve around the issue of whether a parent is fit to keep a child. These matters generally stem from a report from someone, whether a social worker, the other parent, a teacher, doctor, or even a neighbor, that your child is being neglected or harmed due to your parental incompetence. These issues are highly sensitive, divisive, and emotional and can take a huge psychological toll on parents, children, and other family members.

If you need legal help regarding a juvenile dependency matter in the greater Pittsburgh area, look no further than Blaine Jones Law, LLC. Our firm is well-versed in civil law and issues that are decided in the local civil courts. Our nationally recognized legal team has spent decades investigating, researching, and preparing cases as well as conducting trials before judges and juries. We understand what is at stake when you are involved in any dependency issue, whether you are fighting it as the aggrieved parent or attempting to protect a child from harm. Our passion is to protect your legal rights and ensure the child’s best interests.

Need legal counsel regarding a dependency issue? Phone Blaine Jones Law, LLC at (412) 475-0062 or email us your request for a free consultation online. 

Juvenile Dependency Cases in Pennsylvania

If Child Protective Services has entered your life and you are facing the prospect of losing your child, you need to act as soon as possible. These cases generally stem from some type of evidence that a child is not being cared for properly.

Examples of evidence that leads to dependency cases can include:

• Reports that the child has been neglected or abused
• Instances of domestic violence occurring in the home
• A parent having a history of alcohol or drug abuse
• A consistent record of the child running away from home
• A record of the child failing to attend school
• Unsanitary or dangerous living conditions in the home
• Reports that the child has been abandoned
• Criminal activity committed by the child

In such cases, the court will intervene to begin the dependency process to determine who should oversee caring for the child. Courts generally operate on the principle of keeping the family unit intact. However, its responsibility is to ensure that every dependent child receives proper care and protection; this goal supersedes the desires of a parent.

After dependency hearings, if the court decides that a parent is unfit, it may allow the child to remain with the parent under supervision by the court. It also may decide to remove the child from parental care and give temporary legal custody to someone else. This custody could go to the other parent if the parents are separated or divorced, or to a relative, such as a grandparent. Other care alternatives could include a foster home or some other type of children’s home.

If you have been reported as a negligent parent, an investigation concerning the matter can take place very quickly. You may be given minimal notice that your child will be taken from your home. You have a right to legal representation at any future court hearing regarding this issue and should immediately contact our firm to protect your parental rights.

Talk to a Pittsburgh dependency attorney about your case in a complimentary consultation at (412) 475-0062 today.