California statute
Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 656
Current through 2025–2026 Regular Session (leginfo weekly dump, 2026-07-12)
Part of Article 16: Wards—Commencement of Proceedings, California Welfare and Institutions Code.
Full text of Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 656
Statutory text current through the 2025–2026 Regular Session (leginfo weekly dump, 2026-07-12). This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of California.
A petition to commence proceedings in the juvenile court to declare a minor a ward of the court shall be verified and shall contain all of the following: (a) The name of the court to which it is addressed. (b) The title of the proceeding. (c) The code section and subdivision under which the proceedings are instituted. (d) The name, age, and address, if any, of the minor upon whose behalf the petition is brought. (e) The names and residence addresses, if known to the petitioner, of both of the parents and any guardian of the minor. If there is no parent or guardian residing within the state, or if his or her place of residence is not known to the petitioner, the petition shall also contain the name and residence address, if known, of any adult relative residing within the county, or, if there are none, the adult relative residing nearest to the location of the court. (f) A concise statement of facts, separately stated, to support the conclusion that the minor upon whose behalf the petition is being brought is a person within the definition of each of the sections and subdivisions under which the proceedings are being instituted. (g) The fact that the minor upon whose behalf the petition is brought is detained in custody or is not detained in custody, and if he or she is detained in custody, the date and the precise time the minor was taken into custody. (h) In a proceeding alleging that the minor comes within Section 601, notice to the parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the minor that failure to comply with the compulsory school attendance laws is an infraction, which may be charged and prosecuted before the juvenile court judge sitting as a superior court judge. In those cases, the petition shall also include notice that the parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the minor has the right to a hearing on the infraction before a judge different than the judge who has heard or is to hear the proceeding pursuant to Section 601. The notice shall explain the provisions of Section 170.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (i) If a proceeding is pending against a minor child for a violation of Section 594.2, 640.5, 640.6, or 640.7 of the Penal Code, a notice to the parent or legal guardian of the minor that if the minor is found to have violated either or both of these provisions that (1) any community service that may be required of the minor may be performed in the presence, and under the direct supervision, of the parent or legal guardian pursuant to either or both of these provisions, and (2) if the minor is personally unable to pay any fine levied for the violation of either or both of these provisions, that the parent or legal guardian of the minor shall be liable for payment of the fine pursuant to those sections. (j) A notice to the parent or guardian of the minor that if the minor is ordered to make restitution to the victim pursuant to Section 729.6, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, Section 731.1, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, or Section 730.6, or to pay fines or penalty assessments, the parent or guardian may be liable for the payment of restitution, fines, or penalty assessments.
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