OCY & Dependency Cases .

When the Office of Children & Youth (OCY) is attempting to remove your child from the home, our goal is to help parents retain physical custody of their children, work toward reunification, and preserve their parental rights.

Helping Parents Preserve Their Parental Rights.

Page Law’s services are designed to provide compassionate and efficient legal support during difficult times. We understand the complexities and sensitivities that come with OCY investigations and Dependency cases.

WHAT WE DO

Topics We Cover.

Whether you’ve just been notified of an OCY investigation or if your child has already been removed from the home, you need competent representation to advocate on your behalf to ensure that your rights as a parent are protected. At Page Law we strive to skillfully navigate the legal landscape for our clients while keeping the best interests of the child at the forefront.

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    Shelter Care Hearings

    The Shelter Care Heaing is often the very first chance a parent has to prove to a judge or hearin officer that your child should remain in the home. Great Representation at this stae can make all the difference as your case moves forward.

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    Adjudication Hearings

    The adjudication hearing is when the judge or hearing officer will decide whether OCY has proven that your child is dependent and that child welfare services need to intervene.

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    Disposition Hearings

    If OCY meets its burden of proof and your child is adjudicated dependent, the Disposition Hearing will likely be held immediately to determine what services or treatment plan will be offered to foster the best interests of the child.

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    Permanency Review Hearings

    Permanency Review Hearings are essentially status coferences where you and your lawyer have an opportunity to provide evidence and updates to the court in order to establish that you are compliant with th court ordered treatment plan so that you can be reunited with your child, or have the case closed.

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    Involuntary Termination Hearing

    IVT hearings take place when OCY seeks to involuntarily terminate your parental rights so that your child can be adopted out to another family. This is a most critical stage where the stakes are as high as they could possibly be. You need a knowledgable, skilled and exprienced attorney to advocate for you.

OUR RESULTS

Dependency Case Victories.

Page Law has successfully represented clients in a variety of OCY cases, securing favorable outcomes and providing much-needed support during challenging times. Our track record of success showcases our dedication, expertise, and commitment to achieving positive outcomes for our clients.

  • Handled a difficult case where I represented a woman whose own sister was attempting to terminate her rights to her daughter. After an emotional bench trial, the court ruled that my client's rights would NOT be terminated.

  • Represented a young mother whose child had accidentally eaten and overdosed on K2. After the child was removed from the home, I was able to advocate for the mother and usher her through the process of until she was reunified with her child.

  • Represented a young father at an Emergency Shelter Care Hearing and was able to persuade the court to allow the child to be placed with dad instead of in foster care when mom had a mental health episode.

  • Through our diligent legal work, we helped a family navigate the adoption process smoothly, culminating in the successful adoption of a child into a loving home.

  • Our attorneys obtained vital protection orders for clients facing domestic violence situations, delivering swift and effective legal protection.

Start Strong.

If your family becomes the subject of an OCY investigation you need to start strong. It is to your advantage to have representation from the outset instead of waiting until they’ve had weeks and months to build a case or paint a picture. You need a competent attorney to advocate for you from the beginning.

HOW IT WORKS

Our Process.

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STEP #1-CONSULTATION

Schedule your virtual consultation so that we can fully discuss the specific facts of your case and determine how Page Law can help. Be prepared to provide specific information including names, dates, etc.

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STEP #2-RETAINER

If we decide to work together, you will receive a fee agreement/engagement letter detailing the scope of representation and the required fee. Sign and return the agreement and submit the agreed upon fee to officially retain our services.

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STEP #3: COLLABORATION

Once Page Law is retained we’ll collaborate together to create a winning strategy. This may include contacting case workers, submitting motions, gathering additional documentation, or seeking out additional services so that we can persuade the court.

Frequently Asked Questions.

  • I specialize in the practice of criminal defense, inclusing preliminary hearings, pre-trial hearings and trials. Likewise, I represent jeveniles facing adjudication for criminal allegations in the juvenile system. I also handle post-conviction litigation such as PCRA petitions and direct appeals. Additionally, I represent parents with pending OCY investigations and removal proceedings

  • I have alomost 20 years of experience as I have been practicing law since 2006. My experience includes being a former Assistant District Attorney in New York City (Bronx County), a senior prosecutor in the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board where I investigated and prosecuted NYPD officers who engaged in misconduct, and insuance defense as in house counsel for Allstate Insurance Company. Most recently I've practiced criminal defense throughout Erie County

  • The first step in the process is to schedule your virtual consultation s that I can learn the details of your specific situation and determine if/how I can assist you. If we decide to work together the next step is to official retain me by submitting the fee and and signing the fee agreement. The final step in the onboarding process is to log in to your on-line case portal where you can fill out your personal information form and stay up to date on the most recent events in your case.

  • Since the facts of every case are different and my representation of you would be tailored to the specific details of your situation, I cannot give an estimate for your case before speaking with you. However, I can tell you that in general, due to the amount of work required, misdemeanor cases are less than felony cases and state criminal cases are less than federal cases. Additionally, juvenile adjudications are less than adult criminal cases and OCY matters are less than criminal matters. Schedule your consultation for a specific quote for your case.

  • Since the facts of each case are different and there are numerous variables from case to case that affect how long it will take to resolve each case, I cannot give a generalized answer to this question. However, in general felony cases take longer to resolve than misdemeanor cases and fedweral cases take longer to resolve that state cases. Due to the special rules regarding juveniles, juvenile adjudications can be resolved quickly but the court can maintain jurisdiction of the case for an extended period of time while the juvenile is being supervised by the court. Likewise, OCY cases can talke many months and sometimes years to resolve as every effort is made to allow time for the posibility of family reunification before parental rights are terminated.

  • There is no way to determine whether a case will go to trial prior to reviewing discovery and holding pre-trial hearings. But you should know that you have a constitutional right to a trial (but the overwhelming majority of cases are resolved by plea). When deciding whether or not to proceed to trial or accept a plea you should consider the weight of the evidence likely to be admitted against you (including video, DNA, or recorded phone calls). You should also weigh your prior record score and how much jail time you would be exposed to if convicted after trial as opposed to what is being offered in the plea. Every situation is different and we would work together to decide what is in your best interest, but the final decision on whether to take your chances at trial will be yours.

  • The possible outcomes are different for each case and each person who may be involved in a case. A case can be disposed of by plea at the preliminary hearing or bound over to the Court of Common Pleas. After being bound over, a case may be dismissed after the filing of a pre-trial motion or habeas petition. You may decide to waive a preliminary hearing in exchange for a favorable plea agreement. You may go to trial and win. If convicted a person could be sentenced to fines, community service, restitution, house arrest, probation, a county jail sentence, or a significant state prison sentence depending on the nature of the charges and your criminal history. If charges are filed while you are already on probation or parole, there is a possibility that you would be detained for the duration of the case. There are many moving parts to every case which is why you need an experienced professional to provide expertise and counsel in these matters.

    If you are involved inan OCY matter the most serious negative outcome would be the termination of parental rights. However, with determination and competant counsel you can also work your way to family reunification or another acceptable arrangement such as kinship care if that is in the child's best interests.

  • I routinely communicate with my privately retained clients via cell phone and text message. Additionally, once Page Law is officially retained to represent you, you will be able to set up your own account where you can log into your portal and check on the status of you case. You can also send me direct messages through your case portal.

READY TO BEGIN?

Talk To Nicci.

Contact Page Law today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards resolving your legal matter.