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Service Area · Los Angeles County

Pacific Palisades attorney for the moments that threaten your family

A coastal community of bluffs, canyons, and close-knit families between Santa Monica and Malibu. A child-welfare investigation, a criminal charge, or a serious accident rarely stays contained to a single courtroom — and the consequences reach custody, reputation, and livelihood. We serve Pacific Palisades and Los Angeles County from our Beverly Hills office.

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Where Pacific Palisades cases are heard

Los Angeles County has its own agency and courts

Child-welfare matters in Pacific Palisades are handled by the county Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) — not the agency you may know from another county. Juvenile dependency cases are heard at the Edmund D. Edelman Children's Court in Monterey Park. Knowing how DCFS builds a detention report, and how the County Counsel who represents it argues a case, is specific to Los Angeles County practice, and it matters from the first contact.

Criminal matters arising in Pacific Palisades are prosecuted through the Los Angeles County District Attorney in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Coordinating a criminal defense with any parallel DCFS matter is often what protects a parent's custody, not just their record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who investigates child abuse or neglect allegations in Pacific Palisades?

In Pacific Palisades and throughout Los Angeles County, investigations are handled by the county Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) — the agency names differ by county (DCFS in Los Angeles, SSA in Orange County, DPSS in Riverside, CFS in San Bernardino), and the local procedures differ with them. DCFS social workers prepare the reports that carry significant weight in court, so speaking with an attorney before an interview protects your family.

Where will a Los Angeles County dependency case be heard?

Juvenile dependency cases for Pacific Palisades are heard at the Edmund D. Edelman Children's Court in Monterey Park. All dependency matters proceed under California Welfare & Institutions Code § 300, through detention, jurisdiction, disposition, and review hearings.

Do you represent clients throughout Los Angeles County?

Yes. We serve Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, and surrounding communities, and appear in the Los Angeles County courts — while basing the relationship out of our Beverly Hills office for discretion and continuity.

Nearby communities we serve: Malibu · Santa Monica · Brentwood

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Every consultation is confidential and free of charge.

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