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Legal Guardianships & Adoptions

Secure your family’s future by using guardianship as a shield against the permanent loss of your parental rights

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Counter Final Adoption Mandates

with Strategic Legal Guardianship

The state’s drive toward adoption is a final, irreversible process that threatens to permanently extinguish your parental rights and break up your family.

Johnson Criminal Law Group intervenes to halt the system’s momentum, utilizing legal guardianship as a structural override. We provide the elite tactical oversight necessary to secure your child’s stability while aggressively defending your parental standing.

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Block Parental Rights Termination in Orange County
with an Authoritative & Aggressive Defense

Preempt Permanent Adoption with Strategic Guardianship

Secure long-term stability for the child while preventing the irreversible termination of your parental rights

Preserve Standing at the 6-Month Review

Demonstrate case plan compliance during the 6-month status review to reset the narrative and rebuild your family

Navigate Orange County Dependency Court Effectively

Safeguard against the threat of a final adoption decree through every stage of the permanency planning process

Fierce Representation for Urgent Situations

Leverage statutory mandates for relative placement solutions that align with your goals for reconciliation
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Legal Guardianships & Adoptions Case Results

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Hear From Our Clients

Refreshing & Life-Changing Experience

I really appreciate everything she has done for me; I cannot thank her enough! Ms. Johnson-Norris did an absolutely thorough job by answering any and all questions that I had. She called me with updates and preferences on how I should be handling the case, which made the whole process very reassuring. The staff was very up to date with all of the follow-up information that was involved with my case that was also extremely beneficial. Ms. Johnson-Norris had a very reassuring aspect about her that made it very easy to let her handle the case. If anything were to go wrong with anyone I am associated with, she will be the lawyer of choice. I really appreciate everything that she has done for me, I can not thank her enough!

Mr. D., a criminal defense client

Ms. Johnson-Norris was recommended to me by many sources. She was the perfect fit, financially and professionally. I did what she told me to do to get the best possible resolution and it definitely paid off. I would recommend Lauren Johnson-Norris to anyone and am truly grateful for her services. She gave me peace of mind in some bad times. Thanks, Ms. Johnson-Norris!

A client charged with an alcohol-related misdemeanor

Thank you so much for all your help with our case. It was a pleasure meeting you and I appreciate all you’ve done for my family. You are the best attorney that we could have and we are so grateful that we met you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A juvenile delinquency client’s parent

Ms. Johnson-Norris always made me feel comfortable and confident. I was able to trust her and feel at ease very quickly. I felt like she was always on top of things and she left no questions unanswered and made that stressful time much easier for me.

E.K.

Ms. Johnson-Norris is the absolute definition of an attorney. She not only helped me with my petty theft case, but she also gave me peace of mind during these difficult times. The reason I would recommend Ms. Johnson-Norris is much more than just ‘she gets the job done.’ Rather, she works for you and gets results by taking the burden off you! I want to thank her for her time and encourage anyone who needs help to look to her for answers.

Nicole

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Legal Guardianships & Adoptions FAQs

How do you defend against parental rights termination during adoption proceedings?
As Orange County adoption attorneys, our role is to intervene when the state attempts to permanently sever family ties. We identify and argue for specific “Exceptions to Adoption,” such as the preservation of the parent-child bond or sibling connections. We execute a defense designed to show that adoption is not in the child’s best interest when a less restrictive option, like guardianship, is available.
Yes. In many cases, a parent may recognize they need a temporary override of their responsibilities due to external crises. By voluntarily agreeing to a guardianship, we can keep the child within a trusted circle — often with a relative — while avoiding the aggressive and adversarial nature of a contested adoption. This preserves the parent’s standing and right to visitation.
The 6-month status review is a critical tactical milestone. The court evaluates the parent’s progress on their case plan and determines if the child can return home or if the case should move toward a more permanent plan. Our firm uses this hearing to command the narrative, ensuring the court recognizes every effort made toward reunification to halt the momentum toward termination.
A legal guardianship in California serves as a vital structural alternative to adoption. It establishes a legal relationship where a guardian assumes care and decision-making for the child without terminating the biological parent’s rights. This is a strategic “middle ground” that ensures the child’s stability while preserving the possibility of future parental restoration.
The primary difference is finality. Adoption legally severs the relationship between the child and biological parents, resulting in a new birth certificate. Guardianship, while providing long-term stability, keeps the parental legal connection intact. At Johnson Criminal Law Group, we treat guardianship as a defensive shield to protect your parental rights from being permanently extinguished by the state.

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