A caseworker contacts you, interviews the people involved, sometimes including your children, and then decides whether the allegation is founded or unfounded. That decision carries real consequences, so treat the process seriously from the first call. Speak with a CPS defense attorney before giving any detailed statement, because what you say early is what the file remembers.

In most situations, no, you can decline entry unless the caseworker has a court order or law enforcement has a separate legal basis to enter. Be respectful, ask for identification and paperwork, and say you want to speak with your attorney first. Declining calmly is not an admission of anything. Then call a CPS defense firm in Seattle right away so the next contact happens on better footing.

No. Even an innocent explanation can be misread, written into the file, and used to support a finding against you. You can be cooperative without being unprotected. Tell the caseworker you are willing to communicate through your attorney, then contact View Ridge Law so we can manage that communication for you.

Yes. A founded finding is not automatically final, and Washington law gives you the right to challenge it. The deadlines to request review are short, so start the moment the finding arrives. We handle these appeals as part of our CPS defense practice in Seattle, from the records request through the hearing.

Cost depends on the stage of your case and how contested it is, which is exactly what a case evaluation sorts out. In that first meeting we review where your CPS matter stands, explain how View Ridge Law would handle it, and give you a clear picture of the work involved before you commit to anything.