The California Child Abuse Central Index, or CACI, is a database of persons with substantiated or inconclusive claims of child abuse: a person who has been charged with child abuse or has been the subject of a child abuse investigation may be placed on CACI.

You can be placed CACI list even if the prosecutor never filed child abuse charges against you, you plead guilty to a lesser crime, or you are found not guilty of child abuse at trial.

Placement on this list may significantly affect your employment opportunities, especially if you plan to work around children.  It may also impact your chances of adopting a child and saddle you with the stigma of being a child abuser, even if you never committed child abuse.

If you have been given written notice that your name is on CACI, you must request a grievance hearing within 30 days of that receiving notice.  This time requirement is strict, and failure to meet this deadline will result in you losing the right to a grievance hearing.

Before the grievance hearing, contact a Southern California family law attorney, who can review the police or social worker reports and interview potential witnesses.  You may have an attorney represent you at the hearing, but since CACI is not a criminal proceeding, you will not be appointed an attorney if you cannot afford one.  However, if you retain an attorney, the chances of your success increase substantially.

If you are unsure whether you are on CACI, send a notarized letter to the California Department of Justice with your name, all names you have used in the past, date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, and address.

If you are already on the list but the child abuse claim against you has been deemed unsubstantiated, you must contact the agency that reported the abuse, who will then request the Department of Justice to remove your name from CACI.

If you have received notice that you are on CACI, call an experienced Southern California family law attorney as soon as possible.  Because of the strict time requirement and the consequences of having your name on CACI, you do not want to risk losing your right to a grievance hearing and it is important to act quickly so an attorney can begin reviewing your case right away.  The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years experience in family law.  Call us today at (888) 749-7428. We will be there when you call.