Name:

In Pro Per,

Address:

 

 

Phone:

 

 

 
 


SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA

JUVENILE DIVISION

 

 

Name:                       , In Pro Per

Defendant,

And

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, DEPENDENCY DIVISION, SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Real Party at Interest,

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Childrens Name, Case #, DOB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOTION AND

ORDER TO DISMISS                                                                          PURSUANT TO W&I SECT. 300

 

 

 

 

 

I

 

     I ____________________ am the defendant in this matter and the mother of the above named minor.  I hear by move the court to dismiss the above entitled matter based on the following:

 

II

 

FAILURE OF THE PETITIONER AND THE COURT TO RECOGNIZE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED TO DETENTION WERE ALREADY MITIGATED AND ALLEVIATED

 

At the time the minor _____________ was detained on an emergency petition by DFCS Social Worker, ______________, Ms. ___________ submitted “A Declaration of Reasonable efforts Detention Report” (sc 1554).  In this report in Section 3, under Efforts to Prevent Removal, “None due to the Emergency   of the referral “.  The petitioner clearly failed to recognize her efforts as well as the Defendants.  In fact, at the time ___________ was detained, all circumstances which led to the removal. The question here is a matter of fact and law.  At the time the aforementioned minor was detained, the petitioner based her allegations on W&I 300 sec (b), (d), and (j) which in fact had no base or foundation at the time of detention. 

     Because of the aforementioned and the fact that all circumstances that led to the detention of _____________were mitigated prior and up to the time of detention, it is clearly shown that the petitioner in this matter did not and continues not to meet the mandated requirements of the Manual of Policy and Procedures pursuant to Title 22 Division 31 CCR 31-084 Manual of Policies and Procedures (CDSS MPP) et Seq. and the DHHS (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) “Social Workers Hand Book” under “Child Welfare Services Investigation & Assessments”, W&I section 300 (b), (d),and (j),  361 et Seq. 42 U.S.C. 622 et Seq and 625. Further, these State Plan Mandates “Provides that the plan shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State and, if administered by them, be mandatory upon them” see Suter v. Artist M., 503 U.S. 347 (1992), U.S. Supreme Court.

     Based on the aforementioned and the evidence so produced, to detain ________________ at the aforementioned detention hearing is seriously questionable.  The petitioner has not met the evidence standard of “clear and convincing”.  Therefore, based upon the forgoing, the matter of _____________ should be dismissed based upon the failure to meet the requirements (b), (d) and (j).

 

III

CONCLUSIONS

 

     The juvenile court’s findings at detention were based upon the petitions W&I Code 300 (b), (d) and (j).  Subdivision (b) provides for jurisdiction where “[t]he minor has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the minor will suffer, serious physical harm or illness, as a result of the failure or inability of his or her parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the minor, or the willful or negligent failure of the minor’s parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the minor from the conduct of the custodian with whom the minor has been left, or by the willful or negligent failure of the parent or guardian to provide the minor with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment, or by the inability of the parent or guardian to provide regular care for the minor due to the parent’s or guardian’s mental illness, developmental disability, or substance abuse.”  Therefore, because of the aforementioned, the petitioner in this matter should have reasonability known the circumstances that brought the detention of said minor’s 3 half siblings were mitigated and this situation in fact did NOT exist as  the three older minors were not residing in the home at the time of _____________’s detention.

     The difficultly with the evidence adduced in support of the detention/jurisdiction is apparent when we return, as we must, to the words of the statute.  “Subdivision (b) means what it says.  Before courts and agencies can exert detention/jurisdiction under section 300, subdivision (b), there must be evidence indicating that the child is exposed to a substantial risk of serious physical harm or illness.”  (Emphasis in orig.} (In re Rocco M. (1991) 1 Cal. App. 4th 814, 823.)  Moreover, although evidence of past conduct may be “probative of current condition,” the primary issue is whether “circumstances at the time of the hearing subject the minor to the defined risk of harm” (Emphasis in Orig.) (Id. At p;. 824.).

     There is no evidence that said minor ever suffered any physical harm in the defendant’s custody and there is no evidence that the defendant put said minor at substantial risk of suffering serious physical or emotional harm. 

     The only conclusion the evidence now present and present at detention is insufficient to support a finding of detention based on the clear and convincing standard or even at jurisdiction under the preponderance standard under subdivision b of section 300.

     Pursuant to W&I Section 300 (d) :“The minor has been sexually abused, or there is a substantial risk, that the minor will be sexually abused, as defined in section 11165.1 of the Penal Code, by his or her parent or guardian or a member of his or her household, or the parent of guardian has failed to adequately protect the minor from sexual abuse when the parent or guardian knew or reasonably should have know that the minor was in danger of sexual abuse.”  Here again the aforementioned medical reports show that the minor _________________ was clearly not sexually abused, nor was she abused in any other way. 

IV

REQUEST FOR ORDER

     Based on the foregoing I, ____________ hereby moves the above entitled court to order a dismissal in the matter of ________________ and that the court order DFCS to return this said minor to the care, custody and control of the defendant and this be ordered forthwith.

 

V

 

DECLARATION

 

  I, __________ am the defendant in the above entitled matter, I am over the age of twenty one, I am a citizen of the United States and that the foregoing is true and correct to my own belief and  knowledge.

 Executed on this ________ day of _____________, 20___.  Executed in the state of California, County of _____________.

                                           

                                                                     __________________________________________

                                                                      Name: _________________, Defendant

                                                                                        In Pro Per