Los Angeles County Department of Children & Family Services v. Superior Court

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), petitions for an extraordinary writ of mandate directing the trial court to vacate its order that a minor, Jaime M., be transported to MacLaren Children’s Center. DCFS asserts that MacLaren is a nonsecure facility designed to house children detained pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, and is not appropriate for Jaime M. due to her status as a minor alleged to fall within the description of section 602. Because children alleged to fall within the provisions of section 602 are statutorily required to be segregated from children detained under section 300, we grant the petition. However, we approve of the larger purpose behind the trial court’s order of finding a more appropriate placement for Jaime M. than juvenile hall. We further order that a determination of Jaime M.’s status before the juvenile court and her placement be settled directly, as is more specifically set forth below.

Facts and Procedural History

Jaime M. was bom with PCP in her system and has suffered a lifetime of self-destructive and violent tendencies. She was declared a dependent of the juvenile court under…