On August 15, 2022, the Supreme Court of California reversed the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, in Guardianship of Saul H., 13 Cal. 5th 827, 514 P.3d 871 (2022). The practice pointer provides a summary of the Supreme Court opinion and provides some practice tips for SIJS cases going forward.
"When we started with the Guardianship of Saul H., he was just turning 18. By the time his case was decided (and denied), a writ was filed, and the appeal made it up to the California Supreme Court, he had already turned 20 and was close to aging out of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status eligibility," says Yliana Johansen-Méndez, Legal Services Director at Immigrant Defenders Law Center. "This case was a huge success for our client on a personal level, but also provides important guidance for California attorneys working on SIJS cases as a regular part of their practice. This is a MUST READ for SIJS practitioners!"
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Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) is a next-generation social justice law firm that defends our immigrant communities against injustices in the legal system. We envision a future where no immigrant will be forced to face an unjust immigration court alone. Our programs are a first step towards the long-term goal of providing universal representation to all immigrants facing deportation. ImmDef is now the largest non‐profit, pro bono provider of deportation defense in California with offices in Los Angeles, Adelanto, Riverside, Santa Ana, and San Diego.