Are You at Risk for Losing Your Parental Rights?
If the state has removed your child from your custody, it is extremely important that you work with an experienced lawyer as early as possible to reunite your family as quickly as possible. I defend parents in child dependency actions. Whether you are at the point of a shelter hearing, dependency trial, case plan review or termination of parental rights action, I will fight for your right to be reunited with your children.
I am attorney Gary Urso. I have more than 27 years of experience handling child dependency cases. I have represented the state of Florida as a senior attorney with the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (now known as Children and Families or DCF), as a prosecutor, as an assistant state attorney, and I now represent parents who are facing the loss of custody of their children. I have experience with shelter hearings, adjudicatory hearings, case plans, judicial reviews and termination of parental rights trials. To make an appointment, please call 727-597-4291 or send me an e-mail. Your initial phone consultation is free.
You Can Fight for Your Children
When your children are removed from your home, you need to take immediate action to avoid long-term or permanent loss of your parental rights. Under child dependency laws, you are entitled to shelter review within 48 hours. Typically, a hearing is held the day after removal. At that time, the judge will determine whether there is probable cause to suspect abuse, abandonment or neglect.
I may recommend that a client challenge the removal. In other cases, I will work closely with the client, case workers, guardians ad litem and therapists involved in the removal hearing to craft voluntary placement agreements where the children stay in their home or are placed with relatives. If your child is removed by the state of Florida, parents may be given a case plan to help them regain custody of their children.
If after nine months the child has not been returned to the custody of the parent or parents because of non-compliance with the case plan, the court will determine a permanent plan with a goal of long-term placement with a relative, termination of parental rights, or an extension of the case plan.
Don't Delay
Please call my New Port Richey office at 727-597-4291 today.
