Child removed or detention hearing within 72 hours? Call now: 949-209-5033
Child removed or detention hearing within 72 hours? Call now: 949-209-5033
One courthouse. A county where having an attorney, especially during a CPS investigation, makes a straightforward difference.
The decisions you make at the beginning of a CPS investigation can have a lasting impact on your family. Before you speak with SSA, speak with an attorney.
Orange County has one courthouse dedicated to juvenile dependency: the Lamoreaux Justice Center in the city of Orange. Unlike Los Angeles County's four courthouses, all SSA dependency cases run through one location. That makes the system easier to navigate once you know it, though the courthouse itself can be a challenge to find the first time you go.
Because there are fewer courtrooms here than at Edelman, there are fewer judges. Judges and attorneys tend to know each other. That familiarity raises the standard. Judges in Orange County expect attorneys to show up prepared from the very first appearance, not the second or third.
After Los Angeles County, no court do we appear in more regularly than Lamoreaux Justice Center. We know the dependency courtrooms here. We know the judges and what each one expects on the first appearance. We know which county counsel will work with us in good faith and which require a sharper edge. We know the rhythm of how a contested case progresses through this courthouse.
If your case is in Orange County, you are not getting outside counsel here. You are getting attorneys who practice here.
Orange County welcomes attorney involvement during CPS investigations.
SSA investigators are familiar and comfortable with parents being represented during an investigation. Hiring an attorney does not create friction here. It is a normal part of how the process works. There is no hostile dynamic. If a social worker from SSA has contacted you, retaining an attorney early is one of the clearest, most practical steps you can take.
Orange County has a culture of getting clients through their hearing dates efficiently. For routine hearings, the court moves on schedule and keeps things orderly. If your case is heading toward a contested hearing or trial, the timeline changes. Contested matters in Orange County tend to move slowly. Trials get postponed. What looks like a straightforward schedule can stretch significantly once both sides are preparing for a fight.
What stays consistent: judges expect attorneys to be prepared on day one. Walking in underprepared is noticed, and remembered. Our firm knows the rhythm of this courthouse and appears here regularly.
Keshia and Janve's team is exactly what you want in a dependency/CPS case: knowledgeable, organized, strategic, and compassionate. They walked me through what to expect in court, gave me clear next steps, and advocated for my family with urgency. Communication was strong, I didn't feel left in the dark. After switching from prior counsel, I immediately noticed a difference: more urgency, better communication, and stronger advocacy. After I retained them, I saw meaningful movement in my case and felt like I finally had a team that was truly fighting for my children and doing the work. I highly recommend Keshia and her team to anyone navigating a dependency case.
These reviews reflect the experience of individual clients. Every CPS and juvenile dependency case turns on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any other case.
If your question is not here, call us at 949-209-5033.
In California, social workers can only remove a child without a prior court order in narrow emergency circumstances where they believe there is an immediate threat to the child's safety. SSA in Orange County must then file a petition and appear in court within 48 court hours (Welfare and Institutions Code § 313). If your child has been removed, contact an attorney immediately.
You are not legally required to answer an SSA social worker's questions without an attorney present. You have the right to have legal representation before any formal interview. Anything you say to a social worker can be documented and used in a juvenile dependency petition.
A detention hearing is the first court hearing after SSA removes a child or files a WIC § 300 petition. It must occur within 48 court hours of removal. At the hearing, the judge decides whether the child stays in SSA custody or returns home pending further proceedings. In Orange County, detention hearings are heard at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange.
All Orange County juvenile dependency cases are heard at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in the city of Orange. Unlike Los Angeles County, which has four dependency courthouses, Orange County has one location for all SSA cases.
Yes. KALI CPS Lawyer appears at the Lamoreaux Justice Center, which handles dependency cases for families anywhere in Orange County, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Irvine, Huntington Beach, and all other OC cities.
Yes. All Orange County dependency cases, from Mission Viejo to Laguna Hills to San Clemente, are heard at the Lamoreaux Justice Center. KALI CPS Lawyer appears regularly at Lamoreaux on behalf of families across the entire county.
Schedule a CPS Investigation Strategy Session to discuss your situation and develop a plan for moving forward. When you call, we answer.
949-209-5033A California family defense practice for parents in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties.
K. Adeniyi Law, APC
Orange County Office18650 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 300
Irvine, CA 92612
5800 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 500
Commerce, CA 90040