Dependency

December 28, 2011

Who Should Raise Your Child

As a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney I am always reading articles that relate to family law issues in the Jacksonville and surrounding areas. I recently stumbled upon a Tampa Bay Times article titled, “Is a child always better off with relatives, even after bonding with a foster family?”. This article describes the turmoil that can develop in a Termination of Parental Rights/Dependency case. Whether you find yourself having your parental rights terminated or are just interested in the issue I encourage you to read the article.

Contact a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney today for a consultation for any family law related issues.

November 30, 2011

Obese Children and Parental Rights

by David M. Goldman

The debate over parental rights and obese children has reared its head again. CBS News is reporting an 8-year-old Ohio boy was recently placed in foster care because his parents medically neglected him. Reports are suggesting the boy weighs more than 200 pounds, whereas, government growth charts suggests most 8-year-old boys weigh approximately 60 pounds.

County case workers allege they had been working with the mother for 20 months without any noticeable improvement in the child’s health.

This case begs the question of when should the state step in and intrude on parental rights.

November 9, 2011

Texas Judge Beating Disabled Daughter Caught on Tape.

by David M. Goldman

The other day I stumbled upon a disturbing article titled, “Revenge of the disabled daughter: Video of ‘family law judge brutally beating girl’ sweeps web after she posts it on YouTube”.

Apparently, 23 year old Hilary Adams recently posted a video on YouTube which showed her father and mother ruthlessly beating her with a belt when she was 16 years old. The beating was prompted when Ms. Adams was caught downloading music onto her computer. Evidently, beatings like this must have occurred previously as Ms. Adams intentionally set her webcam up in order to catch the abuse.

Sound bad enough? Regrettably, not only does Ms. Adams suffer from cerebral palsy, her father is the Honorable William Adams of Aransas County, Texas. A Family Law JUDGE!!!

October 12, 2011

Termination of Parental Rights

by David M. Goldman

You may have heard the sad but interesting story about a Jacksonville woman, Jessica Rivera, who has been charged with the death of her 13-year-old daughter after the young girl was found malnourished and covered with lice back in June. The girl was originally found unresponsive. Coroners stated the cause of her death was due to organ failure, caused by a massive infection.

Unfortunately, Ms. Rivera had three other children. The good news is that all three of her children were removed from their deplorable condition and are now under the state’s custody.

One interesting aspect of Ms. Rivera’s case is how the state has the ability to remove her children from the home. Ms. Rivera’s case is extreme and it appears the state was within reason when it removed her children, but that’s not always the case. Generally, courts will terminate parental rights only in extreme situations where the bets interest of the child is not in his or her parental home. There is usually a hearing involved, but court proceedings can be confusing and overwhelming, especially in such harrowing circumstances. If you are wrongfully facing the loss of your parental rights, contact a Florida Family Law Attorney to discuss your options.

September 24, 2011

What Should You Wear if You Have to go to Court?

by David M. Goldman

Hiring a good Florida Family Law Attorney is one of the more important decisions you can make in your family law issue. A good attorney will use the most persuasive means to advocate your cause.

Sometimes, however, people overlook a very important aspect of persuasion: your attire. As the client, you want to give the court the best impression you can. This means you need to dress conservatively. The court may not say anything if you show up in jeans and a cut-off shirt; however, the court definitely does notice it. You want to make a good impression, so wear something you might wear to church or to a nice restaurant.

Most of all, you want to convey respect to the court. Look presentable. The court might not notice if you got a new haircut, but it will definitely notice if you just rolled out of bed. Being presentable to the court will help your Florida Family Law Attorney persuade the court to your side. Contact an attorney to discuss any family law issues you may have.

August 26, 2011

Florida Woman Accused of Trying to Sell Her Own Son

by David M. Goldman

St. Petersburg Times reported on Sunday, August 21, 2011, that a Pinellas County woman was arrested on charges of sale of parental rights and violation of probation for grand theft.

According to reports, sometime last week, Jessica Marie Beers, 28, offered to sell her son to James Gardner and his wife to feed her drug habit. Since the arrest the minor child has been in custody of child protective services.

Should you find yourself having legal issues regarding your parental rights contact a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney for further assistance.

August 4, 2011

Florida Child Dependency

by David M. Goldman

As a Jacksonville, Florida Dependency lawyer, I have been made aware that one parent may have been accused of abusing one child, but not any of the others. In these instances, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), can step in to remove the children from the family. There is certain evidence that DCF must prove, but it is possible that the Department can take away all of the parent’s children as a result of one allegation of abuse on one child. However, it may be harder for DCF to prove that evidence if you have a Jacksonville Dependency Attorney who can stand up to protect the dependency of your children. If you have been accused of a matter such as this, please contact a Jacksonville Dependency Attorney to set up your free consultation.

April 7, 2011

Adoption In Florida: Know What Or Who You’re Getting!

by David M. Goldman

As a Florida Adoption Lawyer, I can tell you that adoption is one of the most rewarding areas of law in which Jacksonville family law attorneys practice. It is the one area where everyone is happy and people feel as though something very good is being done. However, there are some horror stories regarding adoption in Florida. In my role as a Jacksonville adoption lawyer, I have seen some cases where the adoption agency has not fully revealed the child’s abuse background and as such, the parents are adopting children with far more issues than relayed to them. Many times, these parents are not equipped to give these children the proper psychological counseling or medical care that the children need. As such, the children can and have ended up back in the foster care system with a failed adoption in Florida. It is imperative to utilize a Florida adoption attorney when choosing the adopt a child or children in Florida.

March 28, 2011

Adoption And Termination Of Parental Rights In Florida: You Now Have A Say!

by David M. Goldman

As a Florida adoption attorney, I represent parents who are in the process of having their parental rights terminated by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Many times, these parents do not have a say in where their child ends up or with whom. Often these children are left in the foster care system. Florida now has a new adoption statute that a Jacksonville adoption lawyer can review with you if you are a parent whose parental rights are being terminated. Under the new statute, parents facing termination of their parental rights are allowed to designate that their children be adopted into a permanent home rather than being placed in State Foster Care. Contact a Jacksonville adoption lawyer or Jacksonville dependency lawyer today for immediate assistance.

February 24, 2011

Parental Rights and Child Custody

by David M. Goldman

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon be hearing a case involving parental rights and allegations of child abuse.

The Court will be hearing a 2003 case involving a caseworker that interviewed a child regarding allegations of sexual abuse by her father, while, allegedly, refusing to allow the mother of the child to be present at the interview and subsequent sexual abuse medical examination.

The Mother alleged her Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights her violated. However, once the case made its way to the Ninth District Court of Appeals the court ruled partially in favor of the caseworker; ruling he had quasi-judicial immunity.