CALIFORNIA FAMILY LAW
...Custody and Visitation
......Guardianship
9 Cards On This Topic:
  • Order terminating guardianship reversed as truncated hearing deprived guardian of meaningful opportunity to object, and kept the court from fully considering whether termination was in Cs' best interests.
  • Trial ct. erred in determining GPs did not qualify for guardianship under "stable placement" of FC 3041(c) because Cs were not abandoned to them; rebuttable presumption established to be argued on remand.
  • Abuse of discretion to order filing of W&IC 300 petition without considering whether it was necessary to protect C, and error to deny mother's motion akin to a demurrer challenging petition where C was in stable guardianship.
  • Juvenile ct. not required to refer case to county child welfare agency prior to issuing GPs’ guardianship order where parents stipulated to the guardianship after participating in mediation.
  • Mother's interest in appointed counsel to oppose guardianship petition did not outweigh the presumption that due process guarantees appointed counsel only where loss of liberty is threatened.
  • Results of a CPS investigation were adequately reported to court investigator and included in his report to prob. court—PC 1513(c) doesn't require written report from CPS to court.
  • Probate court should have referred case to CPS where guardian's allegations about potential F's parenting deficiencies amounted to a charge that he was an unfit parent.
  • Petitioner seeking guardian of octuplets' estates lacked standing; petition dismissed where he did not make showing of financial misconduct by mother, nor alleged information warranting court intervention in family's finances.
  • Once court found granting custody to F would be detrimental and granting custody to nonparents would be in C's best interest, it should have granted guardianship petition.