Fill and Sign the How Does the Juvenile Court Decide If I Am a De Facto Parent Form

How d oes t h e ju ven ile c o urt d ecid e if I a m a de f a cto p are n t?D e F acto P are n t P am phle tO nly t h e j u ven ile c o urt c an d ecid e i f y ou a re a d e f a cto pa re n t. T he j u dge w ill a p ply c ase l a w a n d r u le 1 401 ( a )(8 ). He o r s h e w ill c o nsid er t h e c a re y ou g av e t h e c h ild a n d h o w long y ou d id i t. A ls o , t h e j u dge w ill d ecid e i f y ou c an h elp th e c o urt u nders ta n d w hat i s b est f o r t h e c h ild -th e c h ild 's be st i n te re sts . I f y ou h av e h arm ed t h e c h ild o r p ut t h e c h ild at r is k , t h e j u dge w ill l ik ely d ecid e t h at y ou a re n ot a d e facto p are n t.You have been taking care of a child who has been declared a dependent of the juvenile court. You want to be more involved in the child's court case and are considering becoming a de facto parent.This p am phle t d esc rib es:• W hat y our r ig hts a re i f t h e j u ven ile c o urt d ecid esy ou a re a d e f a cto p are n tIf t h e j u dge d ec id es y ou a re n ot a d e f a cto p are n t, y ou m ay still t e ll t h e j u d ge w hat y ou f e el o r k now a b out t h e c h ild b y filin g J V -2 90, t h e C are g iv er I n fo rm atio n F orm , o r, i f y ou are n ot t h e c u rre n t c are g iv er, b y s e n din g a l e tte r t o t h e court.• What is a de facto parent• H ow t o a p ply t o t h e j u ven il e c o urt t o s e e i f y ou a re ad e f a cto p are n t a n d• H ow t h e j u ven ile c o urt d ecid es i f y ou a re a d e f a ctop are n t.I f y ou w an t a d ditio nal i n fo rm atio n o r h av e s p ecif ic qu estio ns, y ou m ay w an t t o c o nsu lt w ith a n a tto rn ey . Call y o ur l o ca l B ar A sso cia tio n t o a sk f o r a r e fe rra l.What are my rights as a de facto parent?You h av e t h e f o llo w in g r ig hts i f a j u ven ile c o urt j u dgefin ds t h at y ou a re a d e f a cto p are n t:• T o b e p re se n t a t d ep en den cy p ro ceed in gs ( N ote : a s a c a re g iv er y ou c an g o t o a ll d ep en den cy r e v ie w an d p erm an en cy h earin gs e v en i f y ou a re n ot ad e f a cto p are n t.)• T o b e r e p re se n te d b y a l a w yer, i f y ou h ir e o ne. (In s o m e c ase s t h e c o urt m ay a p poin t a l a w yer a t n oco st t o y ou i f t h e j u dge t h in ks i t i s n ecessa ry .)Ju dic ia l C oun cil o f C alif o rn ia Revised January 1, 2007, O ptio nal F orm Ca l. R ule s o f C ourt, r u le 5 .5 34(e )JV-2994 • To present evidence and cross-examineHow d o I a p ply f o r d e f a cto p are n t s ta tu s?w itn esse s a n d• To participate as a party in the dispositionTo a p p ly , f ill o ut t h e f o llo w in g f o rm s: J V -2 95 a n d JV -2 96.hearin g a n d a n y h earin g a fte r t h at.Y ou c an l e arn m ore a b out t h ese r ig hts b y r e ad in g r u le 14 12(e ) o f t h e C alif o rn ia R ule s o f C ourt ( a v aila b le o n t h e Calif o rn ia C ourts W eb s ite : w ww.L aw CA .c o m Rem em ber: A d e f a cto p are n t i s n ot t h e s a m e a s a p are n t. Yo u d o n ot h av e t h e r ig ht t o :F orm J V -2 95 a sk s f o r y ou r n am e, a d dress, a n d p hon enum ber. O n t h e f o rm , y ou t e ll t h e j u dge t h at y ou o r• Reunification servicesso m eo ne e ls e w an ts t o b e t h e c h ild 's d e f a cto p are n t. I f y ou are a sk in g f o r s o m eo ne e ls e , y ou n eed t o w rite t h at p ers o n's in fo rm atio n o n t h e f o rm . T hen y ou s ig n a n d d ate t h e f o rm . If y ou h av e a n a tto rn ey , h e o r s h e w ill s ig n t h e f o rm t o o.• A tto rn ey f e es ( B ut i n s o m e c ase s t h e j u dge m ay giv e y ou a n a tto rn ey , a n d t h e c o urt w ill p ay t h efe es.)• Rehearing (You cannot ask for another hearing ifyou d on't a g re e w ith t h e j u dge's d eci s i o n, b ut y oum ay h av e a r ig ht t o a n a p pea l.)O n f o rm J V -2 96, y ou s a y w hy y ou t h in k t h e j u dge s h ould de cid e t h at y ou o r t h e o th er p ers o n n am ed o n J V -2 95 a re a de f a cto p are n t. L is t i m porta n t t h in gs y ou d id f o r t h e c h ild an d h ow o fte n y ou d id t h em . T his i s s o t h e j u dge h as a ll t h e info rm atio n h e o r s h e n eed s t o m ak e a d ecis io n. G iv eWhat is a ''de facto parent''?in fo rm atio n l ik e:Y ou m ay b e a d e f a cto p are n t i f :• T he c h ild i s a d ep en den t o f t h e j u ven ile c o urt. • Y ou a re o r h av e b een t a k in g c are o f t h e c h ild• How long you have cared for the child • What you do with the child • What you do for the child• How much you care for the childev ery d ay .• You have been acting as the child's parent.• What you know about the child's special needs,• You are meeting (or have met) the child's needsdesir e s, h opes• How you can meet the child's needs.fo r f o od, s h elte r, a n d c lo th in g. Y ou h av e a ls o m etth e c h ild 's n eed s f o r c are a n d a ffe ctio n.N o l a w s a y s e x actly w hat a '' d e f a cto p are n t'' n eed s t o b e. Ju dges m ak e t h is d ecis io n b ase d o n o th er c o urt c ase s a n d on r u le 1 401(a )(8 ) o f t h e C alif o rn ia R ule s o f C ourt. Y ou can r e ad t h e r u le o n t h e C alif o rn ia C ourts W eb s ite : ww w.L aw CA .c o mY ou c an a ls o a tta ch l e tte rs f ro m o th ers w ho k now y ou and t h e c h ild . F or e x am ple : t e ach ers , t h era p is ts , pe d ia tr ic ia n s, s p ir itu al a d vis o rs , e tc .23[J V -2 99]