CHILDREN AND THE LAW
...Dependency Petitions
......Dispositional Hearing
.........Reunification & Visitation
............Permissible Reunification Orders
 17 Cards On This Topic:
  • Juvenile ct. may make any reasonable orders to facilitate reunification.
  • Parent must participate in counseling or other treatment services when ordered, unless court deems participation inappropriate or potentially detrimental to child.
  • Sufficient evidence supported finding by clear and convincing evidence that reunification, as opposed to reunification services, was in the best interest of C per W&IC 361.5(c).
  • No error in limiting mother's visitation to twice a year; no finding of detriment to C required and limitation appropriate in circumstances.
  • Juvenile court had power to order monitored visits in a therapeutic setting and then to suspend visits where it implicitly found visits put Cs at risk of physical harm and was harmful to their emotional well-being.
  • If juvenile court finds it in C's best interests to maintain legal guardianship with SSA providing reunification services to legal guardian and/or C, court has authority under W&IC 366.3(b) to order SSA to provide them.
  • Juvenile court properly apprised of implications of F's deafness where court aware his demeanor could be misunderstood b/c of deafness and nothing suggested court had any misperceptions concerning said demeanor.
  • Sufficient evidence supported implicit finding that DSS provided reasonable reunification services, merely requiring mother be free of drugs and alcohol before she visited Cs, as reunification plan required.
  • Ordering F to engage in drug counseling and testing did not require him to choose between his legal right to use medical marijuana and his ability to reunite with Cs—paramount purpose of dependency is Cs' protection.
  • As F did not object to order directing him to participate in counseling sessions point forfeited on appeal; on merits, F was responsible for Cs' safety and should have opposed harsh and unsuitable corporal punishment by mother.
  • No abuse of discretion in ordering mother to complete in-patient drug program as part of disposition case plan-it was not involuntary incarceration nor did it interfere with visitation.
  • Juvenile court may not require non-offending parent in W&IC §300 proceeding to attend parenting class where no substantial evidence parent or minor would benefit from it.
  • Mother's unsworn and unconfirmed allegation that father abused drugs was insufficient to justify drug testing order for father.
  • Court did not abuse discretion by ordering drug/alcohol testing; ordering reasonable visitation while F incarcerated not unlawful delegation of power to DSS.
  • Conditions justified court’s order of psychological evaluation of parent for purposes of reunification planning.
  • Stepfather found to have molested stepdaughter may be ordered into therapy as condition of reunification.
  • Father cannot refuse, due to pending criminal trial, to undergo psychological evaluation under reunification plan; admissions in juvenile court immune from use in criminal trial.


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