California · Family Code
FAM §7893: (a) If the court, by order or judgment, declares a child free from the custody and control of both parents under this part, or one parent if the other no longer has custody and control, the court shal
What this law says, in plain English
A court may issue an order or judgment removing a child from parental custody and control when conditions in this statute are met.
Read the full statutory text
(a) If the court, by order or judgment, declares a child free from the custody and control of both parents under this part, or one parent if the other no longer has custody and control, the court shall at the same time take one of the following actions: (1) Appoint a guardian for the child. (2) At the request of the State Department of Social Services or a licensed adoption agency, or where the court finds it is in the child’s best interest, refer the child to a licensed adoption agency for adoptive placement by the agency. (b) When the court refers the child to a licensed adoption agency for adoptive placement by the agency: (1) The agency is responsible for the care of the child and is entitled to the exclusive custody and control of the child at all times until a petition for adoption has been granted. (2) After the referral, no petition for guardianship may be filed without the consent of the agency. (3) No petition for adoption may be heard until the appellate rights of the natural parents have been exhausted.
Verify at the official source: California legislative text
Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.
MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.