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SANTO MEHAS A Professional Law Corporation SANTO MEHAS A Professional Law Corporation
A Team of Compassionate Legal Advocates 805-222-7818
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Guardianship Guiding You Through Difficult Times

Guardianship Lawyers in Ventura

File for Guardianship in CA

There are a myriad of reasons why a child may need a guardian.

Sometimes parents have a difficult time taking care of their child due to:

  • Drug addiction
  • Physical illness
  • Mental illness
  • History of abuse
  • Unable to provide for the child
  • Parent faces jail time
  • Deployment overseas

What Is Guardianship?

In California, guardianship is defined as a court proceeding where a judge grants an individual who is not the child’s parent custody of the child, the authority to manage the child’s estate, or both.

How Is Guardianship Different Than Adoption?

Guardianship is not the same as adoption. In a guardianship, individuals may be supervised by the court. Additionally, the court can terminate the guardianship if the individual can no longer care for the child.

Guardians have the following rights:

  • Parental rights
  • Contact with the child

Adoptive parents are not supervised by the court and have the following rights:

  • Parental rights will be terminated
  • Legal relationship with the adopting parents is permanent and treated as if the adopting parents were the child’s actual birth parents

The courts will always uphold the best interests of the child standard to ensure that he/she is raised in a safe, stable, and loving environment. A legal guardian is a great option for a child when his/her parents are not available to provide this.

How to Get Guardianship in California

To obtain guardianship in California, you will need to fill out the mandatory paperwork and complete the following steps before going to court:

  • Fill out and file your forms with the court clerk
  • Give notice to the child’s parents, relatives, and any adoption agency involved – if applicable
  • Complete and file the proof of services forms
  • Get everyone who agrees to the guardianship to sign a consent and waiver of notice
  • Have a court investigator speak with you and prepare his/her investigation report
  • Attend your court hearing where the judge will either award or deny guardianship
  • File your court order with the court clerk

Our Ventura Guardianship Attorneys Care About You and the Child You Love

If a child you know or love needs a legal guardian, you are going to want an experienced attorney you can trust to help you protect that child. Our attorneys have 70+ years of combined legal experience and the compassion you would expect to handle your guardianship matter. We care about you and the child you love.

For additional information about our guardianship services, contact us online or call us at (805) 222-7818.

An Emphasis on Strong Family Values

Our firm places a strong emphasis on the importance of family values. The balance between maintaining these family values and generating a better future for you and your family is one we strive to achieve with each case. Our values consist of:
  • Holistic Approach

    We aim to resolve conflict so you and your family can move on peacefully. We approach all aspects of a case, including the emotional, financial, and mental components, and advocate with you throughout.

  • Collaboration

    Collaborative divorce can be a great option for spouses looking to share joint custody of their child/children and the court looks favorably on this decision. When possible, we strive to come to a resolution that will benefit both spouses.

  • Children Come First

    We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.

  • Compassionate Legal Services

    We respect the fact that our clients trust us with important life-decisions. We strive to be as understanding and empathetic as we can with you and treat you like we would treat a close family member.

Our Satisfied Clients

Real Stories from Real People
  • “I appreciated her absolute professionalism & integrity throughout the divorce process.”

    I have had the pleasure of retaining Donna Santo as my divorce attorney. Obviously, no one wants to retain a divorce attorney but sometimes life leads you to things you thought you'd never have to do. Donna came highly recommended by contacts, friends, and colleagues. She has been practicing law for over 40 years. I appreciated her absolute professionalism & integrity throughout the divorce process - something that was not mirrored from opposing counsel. I wanted as little drama as possible with the negotiations and proceedings and that is the way she conducted herself and my case. Her staff was truly wonderful to work with. I'm happy to speak with or provide a professional reference for her.

    - Jennifer C.
  • “You two are a true blessing”
    Where do I begin? Donna Santo and Michael Mehas are a phenomenal team. From my initial phone call with Michael to my Victory with Donna. Everything from beginning to end was immaculate. I was handling my case on my own, and I gradually started to feel defeated and wanted to just give up, it was too much weight to carry. Then I was referred to SantoMehas PROFESSIONAL Law Corporation, and yes they are very professional. Mr. Mehas promised me they (he and Donna) would fight for me and they put up a big, huge fight ending in a victory. Donna picked up where I left off, when I was representing myself. I made a huge mess and Mrs. Santo cleaned it up effortlessly. She enters into the courtroom with confidence and knowledge. She indeed knows her stuff. I was unable to appear from time to time, so she represented me and called me right after the hearing to inform me of next steps and outcomes. I am happy with the outcome of my year-long custodial battle, of which was not looking good for me until Donna and Michael started representing me. I am truly grateful for them, without them, who knows how my life would have turned out, but with them it turned out exactly the way I wanted it. If you’re second guessing about having SantoMehas represent you, DON’T they’re literally there to fight for you, and the battle will not end until you win, thank you so much Michael Mehas and Donna Santo, you two are a true blessing.
    - Kwameisha T.
  • “I highly recommend them!”
    “The attorneys and staff were professional and helped guide me through a difficult process. The fees were very reasonable and the entire process took much less time than I anticipated. I highly recommend them!”
    - Michael S.
  • “Donna did a great job on my divorce.”
    “They kept the case on track, knew which options were optimal, and responded well to my preferences for proceeding.They kept legal bills to a minimum as they worked expertly on my behalf.”
    - David
  • “She and her staff are professional with decades of experience.”

    I recommend Donna Santo and her staff. She and her staff are professional with decades of experience. They understand the law and how family law cases are heard in the courts. I had an extremely complex custody case with dozens of health professionals, collateral contacts, and opinions floating around. There were so many accusations, crisis, and charges; and every one of them felt extremely important to me. My concerns were serious, and the innumerable quantity along with counter accusations overwhelmed the courts. Donna's office was able to sift through and make sense of things to help get things on track. Donna's office took the time to relate this to the courts in a logical digestible manner for the best possible outcome. It took time. I needed to trust. She knows her stuff, and is strong at the right times.

    - Jason
  • “Michael Mehas showed true professionalism”
    “Michael Mehas showed true professionalism”
    - Mary H.
  • “Donna guided me through at a comfortable pace on both a personal and professional level.”

    I was going through a difficult divorce, one which was stressful to both my wife and myself, so I needed to find solutions which would be fair and just and to relieve the tension. I was living in the Bay Area at the time and did much of the work on the phone, on my computer and at the Santo Mehas office in Ventura. I had heard of the reputation of the Santo Mehas law firm and trusted Donna as a person of integrity and sensitivity which is who I needed to get through this difficult process. I was not looking forward to working with the personal sensitive issues or the introspection necessary to get through this difficult process. Donna guided me through at a comfortable pace on both a personal and professional level. The case ended in a fair and respectable settlement for both parties and my ex and I are still friends years later. I am much happier for knowing that this is from a previous life and I have moved on. I still keep in contact with the family law lawyers at Santo Mehas as well as my ex.

    - Phillip M.
  • “They are definitely five stars in their legal experience”
    “They are definitely five stars in their legal experience”
    - Bryan