Skip to Content
SANTO MEHAS A Professional Law Corporation SANTO MEHAS A Professional Law Corporation
A Team of Compassionate Legal Advocates 805-222-7818
Top
Guardianship Guiding You Through Difficult Times

Guardianship Lawyers in Ventura

File for Guardianship in CA

There are a myriad of reasons why a child may need a guardian.

Sometimes parents have a difficult time taking care of their child due to:

  • Drug addiction
  • Physical illness
  • Mental illness
  • History of abuse
  • Unable to provide for the child
  • Parent faces jail time
  • Deployment overseas

What Is Guardianship?

In California, guardianship is defined as a court proceeding where a judge grants an individual who is not the child’s parent custody of the child, the authority to manage the child’s estate, or both.

How Is Guardianship Different Than Adoption?

Guardianship is not the same as adoption. In a guardianship, individuals may be supervised by the court. Additionally, the court can terminate the guardianship if the individual can no longer care for the child.

Guardians have the following rights:

  • Parental rights
  • Contact with the child

Adoptive parents are not supervised by the court and have the following rights:

  • Parental rights will be terminated
  • Legal relationship with the adopting parents is permanent and treated as if the adopting parents were the child’s actual birth parents

The courts will always uphold the best interests of the child standard to ensure that he/she is raised in a safe, stable, and loving environment. A legal guardian is a great option for a child when his/her parents are not available to provide this.

How to Get Guardianship in California

To obtain guardianship in California, you will need to fill out the mandatory paperwork and complete the following steps before going to court:

  • Fill out and file your forms with the court clerk
  • Give notice to the child’s parents, relatives, and any adoption agency involved – if applicable
  • Complete and file the proof of services forms
  • Get everyone who agrees to the guardianship to sign a consent and waiver of notice
  • Have a court investigator speak with you and prepare his/her investigation report
  • Attend your court hearing where the judge will either award or deny guardianship
  • File your court order with the court clerk

Our Ventura Guardianship Attorneys Care About You and the Child You Love

If a child you know or love needs a legal guardian, you are going to want an experienced attorney you can trust to help you protect that child. Our attorneys have 70+ years of combined legal experience and the compassion you would expect to handle your guardianship matter. We care about you and the child you love.

For additional information about our guardianship services, contact us online or call us at (805) 222-7818.

An Emphasis on Strong Family Values

Our firm places a strong emphasis on the importance of family values. The balance between maintaining these family values and generating a better future for you and your family is one we strive to achieve with each case. Our values consist of:
  • Holistic Approach

    We aim to resolve conflict so you and your family can move on peacefully. We approach all aspects of a case, including the emotional, financial, and mental components, and advocate with you throughout.

  • Collaboration

    Collaborative divorce can be a great option for spouses looking to share joint custody of their child/children and the court looks favorably on this decision. When possible, we strive to come to a resolution that will benefit both spouses.

  • Children Come First

    We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.

  • Compassionate Legal Services

    We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.

Our Satisfied Clients

Real Stories from Real People
  • “Professional, Experienced, Real!”

    Deciding to file for divorce was by far one the most difficult decisions I have had to make. Having no idea where to start, who to believe, where to go, Donna was recommended by a friend. Upon calling her office, I was able to make an appointment right away. When I met with her, she listened to me attentively, asked questions and she explained the process from beginning to end. She did not sugar coat anything, she clearly explained all the different scenarios that I was facing, specific to my divorce and child custody matters. Donna helped me during the most overwhelming and stressful time in my life. I am grateful for her support and guidance throughout the entire process, I could not have do ne it on my own.

    - Tiffany
  • “Donna Santo is a very professional lawyer”

    Donna Santo is a very professional lawyer, along with a very professional staff. I was searching for a lawyer familiar with military law, and Donna was the top of the search!! I needed a divorce attorney, and she has amazing military knowledge. She kept me up to date on everything and if I did not understand something she was very patient and explained in detail, until I completely understood the situation. When it came down to spousal support, a lump sum was not satisfactory, and Donna "fought" for me until I was awarded a lump sum and full monthly spousal support (we did not have children) and now I am able to live comfortably without worrying if I am going to make ends meet. If you need a professional lawyer, whether or not you need military law, consider Donna Santo, you will definitely NOT be disappointed!!

    - Kathy
  • “I highly recommend Donna Santo and the Mehas law firm”
    “I highly recommend Donna Santo and the Mehas law firm.”
    - Revis J.
  • “We are forever grateful to Mr. Mehas”
    Hiring Santo Mehas Professional Law Firm, specifically Michael Mehas has been a tremendous blessing. Divorce and child custody is a very stressful, unpleasant and unpredictable experience and Mr. Mehas has been our sword and shield throughout the process. Without the support and guidance of his expertise, I’m not sure where my family would be. We are forever grateful to Mr. Mehas for fighting for us and we are very happy with the outcome of our case.
    - Lupe V.
  • “Donna did a great job on my divorce.”
    “They kept the case on track, knew which options were optimal, and responded well to my preferences for proceeding.They kept legal bills to a minimum as they worked expertly on my behalf.”
    - David
  • “5 stars is not enough.”
    5 stars is not enough. Mr. Mehas and Ms. Santo are the A team of attorneys. They are comprehensive, strategic, one step ahead, and a powerful team! When you hire the Santo Mehas firm to manage your case, you have hired a team of legal advocates who care, who will keep you informed, who will fight for you, and be the voice you need to represent you. Without the help of the entire firm, I know that I would not have had the successful outcomes I have had. They took on an extremely difficult case and encountered issues that no one expected and few had ever seen. They worked tirelessly to make sure that the truth was told and presented it perfectly. They stood by every one of my requests and guided me through the entire lengthy process. Though there were challenges, they strategically and diligently with compassion met them head on and never faltered. Their expertise and thoroughness provided us the pathway we needed to rise to victory. I am proud to be a client and will continue to retain them for all legal matters that may arise as I know I am in the best hands.
    - Christy B.
  • “I highly recommend them!”
    “The attorneys and staff were professional and helped guide me through a difficult process. The fees were very reasonable and the entire process took much less time than I anticipated. I highly recommend them!”
    - Michael S.
  • “I recommend them”
    Never fun needing to hire a lawyer but Michael and Donna were great to work with and helped to make the process go smoothly. They were both easy to reach, offered clear advice, and were honest in all of their interactions. I recommend them if you find yourself in need of solid legal help.
    - Brian L.