County Legal

The County Law Department employs several attorneys and support staff that represent and advise DSS on all legal issues. The Law Department is responsible for appearing in Court and providing advice to the Commissioner and all Divisions within Department and Social Services, providing legal assistance with:

• Defending against challenges by persons seeking to have their State Central Registry records sealed, records which indicate their maltreatment of children and which the Registry makes available to employers engaged in the childcare field
• Obtaining orders to compel parents and/or children to attend services, counseling, etc., for the purpose of remediating the conditions requiring the department's intervention on the family
• Prosecuting child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights proceedings
• Prosecuting civil and administrative proceedings to recover fraudulent Medicaid and Public Assistance payments
• Prosecuting Juvenile Delinquency (JD) and Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) proceedings
• Seeking child support against non-custodial parents whose children are in foster care, or who are receiving public assistance or Medicaid
• Seeking guardianship or other appropriate orders to protect vulnerably and incapacitated adults and seniors