Legal Question in Family Law in Kentucky

Re: family law

There are two answers to this question. First, Cabinet social workers have less authority than they portray in some ways. You do not have to do what they say. However, they have more authority than one might think in that they can file a petition with the court if you refuse to cooperate. They often say the refusal to cooperate is neglect.

Many judges give Cabinet workers great deference (do what they want). So, while it is really the court that has the authority to tell your what to do, if the judge goes along with the Cabinet most of the time, the end result is that failing to cooperate gets you court ordered.

If what a Cabinet worker is requesting seems unreasonable, insist on talking to their supervisor or on up the line, call the Ombudsman's office (you can find this number on the Governor's website), and insist on talking to a lawyer before complying (at that point you have to find and pay for your own lawyer).