When you speak, I guarantee you will be heard
Zacarese & Zalewski P.C.
CPS Defense Lawyer Who Protects Parents — Suffolk County
Call now: 516-660-4354
"He didn't just win my case. He gave me back my future, my peace of mind, and my ability to breathe again."
From the very first conversation, he changed everything. He didn't just see a case, he saw me, and treated me like family. His knowledge of the law was unmatched, but what truly set him apart was his humanity. If you are looking for a lawyer, stop searching right now.
When CPS shows up at your door, everything changes. The fear hits immediately. You start second-guessing every decision you've ever made as a parent. And almost everyone's first instinct is to cooperate fully, answer every question, and hope it all goes away. That instinct can get you into serious trouble.
CPS is not on your side. They are there to investigate, and anything you say, anything they observe, and anything your child says at school without you present can be used to build a case against you in Suffolk County Family Court. That is not a scare tactic. That is how it works.
Steven Zalewski, Esq. has spent his entire career in Suffolk County Family Court. He knows how CPS operates, how the Suffolk County Department of Social Services presents its cases, and what it actually takes to protect a parent's rights when the government comes after your family. If CPS is involved in your life right now, the most important call you can make is to Steve.
Your Rights as a Parent During a CPS Investigation
This is where most parents make their biggest mistakes, and it happens before they ever set foot in a courtroom.
You have rights. Use them.
- You are not required to let CPS into your home without a court order. Politely declining is not the same as having something to hide.
- You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say to a caseworker can and will be used against you in Family Court.
- Your child has rights during interviews, and you have the right to have a lawyer involved before those interviews happen.
- Cooperating "strategically" with a lawyer present is very different from cooperating alone out of panic.
Common mistakes parents make at this stage include letting caseworkers in without an attorney present, over-explaining situations in a way that raises more questions, making statements that are taken out of context in the written report, and assuming the investigation will just go away if they're friendly and helpful enough.
Getting a lawyer involved before the investigation escalates is the single most important thing you can do. Once the petition is filed, the damage from early mistakes is already done.
When a CPS Investigation Becomes a Family Court Case
Not every CPS investigation ends up in court. But when CPS decides the situation warrants it, they refer the case to Suffolk County Family Court. Depending on where your case is assigned, you may be in Central Islip or Riverhead. These are not interchangeable environments, and knowing how each courthouse operates matters.
What an Article 10 Proceeding Looks Like
When CPS files a neglect or abuse petition, it becomes what is known as an Article 10 proceeding under the New York Family Court Act. This is a full Family Court case. There are court dates, attorneys on both sides, judges, and potentially fact-finding hearings that function like trials.
At this stage, the stakes are serious:
- A finding of neglect or abuse can result in court-ordered supervision in your home
- Your children can be placed in foster care, either temporarily or longer-term
- An indicated finding can appear on the State Central Register, affecting your employment, professional licensing, and any future proceedings involving your children
Emergency Removals
In situations where CPS believes a child is in immediate danger, they can seek an emergency removal order. This can happen fast, sometimes without you being present. If your child has been removed or you believe removal is imminent, you need a lawyer on the phone today, not tomorrow.
What a CPS Defense Lawyer Does for You
Hiring a lawyer after a petition is filed is better than not hiring one at all. But hiring one during the investigation, before anything is filed, gives you the best possible position. Steve gets involved early because that is where the real work happens.
Early Intervention
- Advising you on what to say and what not to say during the investigation
- Being present or available when CPS makes contact
- Reviewing any written notices, safety plans, or requests from the caseworker before you sign anything
- Pushing back on investigative overreach before it becomes a court case
Fighting the Case in Court
Once a petition is filed, Steve goes to work on the legal side. That means reviewing the petition and the caseworker's findings, challenging the evidence presented by DSS, cross-examining witnesses including CPS caseworkers, and presenting your side of the story with documentation, witnesses, and a real defense strategy.
Steve does not just show up and negotiate from a position of weakness. He tries cases. If DSS wants to fight, he fights back.
Challenging Indicated Findings
If CPS has already issued an indicated finding, that is not the end of the road. There is an administrative review process, and those findings can be challenged. Steve handles these challenges and understands what it takes to get an indicated finding overturned or amended.
The Stakes: What You Could Lose Without Proper Defense
People sometimes ask whether they really need a lawyer if they "didn't do anything wrong." The answer is yes, and here is why.
The Family Court system in New York is adversarial. DSS has attorneys. They have caseworkers who write reports. They have experience presenting these cases in front of judges who see them regularly. When you walk in without a lawyer, or with a lawyer who does not know Suffolk County Family Court, you are at a serious disadvantage from the moment you walk through the door.
What is actually on the line:
- Physical custody of your children, either temporarily or long-term
- Your visitation rights if custody is removed
- An indicated finding on the State Central Register that can affect jobs in healthcare, education, childcare, and other licensed fields
- Court-ordered services, supervision, or programs that disrupt your family's daily life
- Your credibility in any future Family Court matter, including custody disputes
A CPS case handled poorly does not just hurt you now. It can affect your family for years.
How Steve Defends Parents: The Real-World Approach
Steve's approach starts with one simple commitment: you will be heard.
A lot of parents who come to him have already felt dismissed. By the caseworker. By the system. Sometimes by a previous attorney who did not really listen. Steve listens. He takes the time to understand what actually happened, what the caseworker got wrong, and what your family's situation actually looks like from the inside.
From there, the work begins:
- A detailed review of the CPS report and any documents filed with the court
- A conversation about what evidence exists in your favor and how to gather more of it
- Identifying character witnesses, documentation, and other support that builds your credibility with the judge
- A clear strategy for how to approach hearings, what to argue, and where to push back
When it comes time to stand in front of a judge in Suffolk County Family Court, Steve does not hedge. He advocates. He cross-examines. He argues. He is a trial lawyer, and that is exactly what CPS defense requires.
Your Family Deserves a Fighter
A CPS case does not mean your family is broken. It does not mean you are a bad parent. It means the government has gotten involved in your life, and right now, they have more resources and more experience navigating this system than you do. That gap is exactly what Steve closes.
The parents who make it through CPS cases with their families intact are the ones who get the right representation early. They have someone in their corner who knows what DSS is going to argue, who can challenge the caseworker's findings, and who is not afraid to go to a fact-finding hearing and fight when fighting is the right call.
Call Steve Before CPS Controls the Narrative
Every day that passes without a lawyer is a day the other side is documenting, building, and preparing. CPS cases move, and waiting to get legal help is one of the most common and most costly mistakes parents make.
Steve offers flat fees so you know exactly what this will cost. Payment plans are available so cost does not stand between you and proper defense. And he picks up the phone because he understands that when your family is on the line, you cannot wait three days for a callback.
Call Steve today. Tell him what is happening. He will tell you where you stand and what to do next.
📧 steve@zandzfamilylawyers.com
📍 1601 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite 500, Islandia, NY 11749
i guarantee you will be heard
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At Zacarese & Zalewski P.C., when something isn’t right, say something—and we’ll do something about it with you.
Our flat-fee structure is clear: one flat fee for pre-trial work, and a trial fee only if your case goes to trial or a hearing. Call now and a professional will return your call quickly; if we miss you, we'll call back the same day.
