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
-
“Donna peacefully found ways to resolve these issues without remorse.”
- J.T.Donna and her staff are highly experienced/knowledgeable with family law. My case was complicated by child custody and divorce issues. For several years, my ex sought to always try and bring me back to court for mundane issues. Donna peacefully found ways to resolve these issues without remorse. I highly recommend Donna to anybody needing a qualified legal professional with a heart.
-
“There is no other choice than Michael and Donna!”
“There is no other choice than Michael and Donna!”- Gina G. -
“I highly recommend them.”
I knew from the moment I walked into Santos Mehas that I was in good hands. My case was a little unique as we had to get a lot of things done very quickly and that is exactly what Michael and Donna did. PS: Don't let Donnas small stature fool you. She is a force to be reckoned with in the court room. I highly recommend them.- Wayne W. -
“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 -
“Michael and Donna are amazing!”
Michael and Donna are amazing! Very supportive, quick with responses and they made my proceedings go so smoothly, providing all information and options I needed to decide what was best for me, and are there if I'm in need of any other information. Highly recommended!- Kristin N. -
“I appreciated her absolute professionalism & integrity throughout the divorce process.”
- Jennifer C.I have had the pleasure of retaining Donna Santo as my divorce attorney. Obviously, no one wants to retain a divorce attorney but sometimes life leads you to things you thought you'd never have to do. Donna came highly recommended by contacts, friends, and colleagues. She has been practicing law for over 40 years. I appreciated her absolute professionalism & integrity throughout the divorce process - something that was not mirrored from opposing counsel. I wanted as little drama as possible with the negotiations and proceedings and that is the way she conducted herself and my case. Her staff was truly wonderful to work with. I'm happy to speak with or provide a professional reference for her.
-
“Thank you, Michael, you're a true professional and a very good attorney.”
- Judy M.We had a real legal emergency at our business and Michael Mehas was there to immediately respond to the other side, allowing us to resolve our matter favorably. Thank you, Michael, you're a true professional and a very good attorney, and I would recommend you for any business or other legal matter.
-
“I highly recommend Donna Santo and the Mehas law firm”
“I highly recommend Donna Santo and the Mehas law firm.”- Revis J.
