Juvenile dependency court hears cases involving children who have allegedly been abused, neglected, or inadequately cared for. The laws governing dependency court can be found within the California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC § 300 et seq.).

Unlike delinquency or status offender proceedings (where the principal focus is on the conduct of the minor), dependency court proceedings are to ensure the safety and well-being of children. The law states that dependency court has an obligation to protect minors within its jurisdiction.

All juvenile matters are confidential pursuant to WIC § 827. Therefore, no information can be released over the phone because photo identification cannot be verified. This would include acknowledging there is a juvenile case matter or file on record.