How will a dependency court judge decide if I get custody or visitation with my child?

A judge makes a decision on whether or not you get custody or visitation based upon what is in the best interests of the child, including most importantly if permitting the child to live with our visit you will be safe for the child. Your criminal record could prevent you from reuniting with your child in juvenile dependency court if the judge finds that because of you are not able to provide for the child or that it is not in the child’s best interest for you to provide for the child.[2448]

  1. 2448

    See Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 300. (A child will be declared a dependency of the court if “The child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm inflicted nonaccidentally upon the child by the child's parent or guardian.) ↑