Prove your character.
Get Affidavidits of Character from your friends, co-workers, and clergy.
You can take them to the Clerk's office and request that they be attached
to your file.  Once they are attached to your file the judge is mandated
BY LAW to read them.  The Affadavidits of Character can not be "thrown out
of court" nor do they have to be entered into court as "evidence".  You
can take these steps without the assistance of your attorney.  Another
advantage to this is that it allows yours friends and co-worker to
"testify" for you without having to be subjected to a cross-examination
by the prosecution.  It is strictly a one-sided view, in YOUR favor!
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Stack the deck!
Right now you probably have at least two attorney's fighting against your
one attorney.  In most cases the attorney for the child will side with CPS
as long as they look like they are on the winning side.  Keep in mind that
your childs attorney is getting one-sided information.  They are not
talking to you.  They are not asking you what you think is best for your
child.  Chances are, they aren't doing much talking to your child either.
How can that attorney possibly know what is best for your child if he/she
only spends an hour or two with your child?  They can't.  They rely on the
information from the therapists (usually paid for and set up by the county)
and the information from the social workers.
You need ALL the help you can get.  Two or more attorneys in your corner
will certainly increase your chances of success.  If there is a step-parent
involved in the child's upbringing, have the step-parent declared a
"defacto parent" (this entitles them to have an attorney, one may not be
appointed for them, but at least the step-partent can legal representation
and this is another "ace up your sleeve").  If there is a grandparent that
plays a very significant role in the child's life (i.e. grandma provides
day care while parents work), they MAY be granted "defacto" status as well.
If there are any ex-spouses (childs natural parent) in the picture, try to
get him/her to have counsel appointed for them (or hire an attorney) with
the understanding that all of you are WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE
CHILD.   It doesn't matter if the natural parents hate each other, the
child is all that matters and those negative feelings MUST be put aside.
CPS uses the strategy of divide and conquer.  You must provide a UNITED
front in order to defeat their efforts.
Even if there are only two natural parents involved, you can still stack
the deck in your favor.  Make certain you have TWO seperate attorneys and
that they are willing to work together.  Their is a great advantage to this.
Chances are, one attorney has been on the case since close to the very
beginning.  The second attorney often comes in much later.  The first
attorney will already know more about your character, your efforts and so
forth.  What one attorney misses during the questioning of witnesses
(including yourself), the other attorney can cover.  They can pretty much
"clean up" after each other and bring out points that one attorney alone
might not be able to do or perhaps even overlook.  Double your chances of
winning, get another attorney!
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Paranoid???
Think again.  They REALLY are out to get you.  Make copies of EVERYTHING
relating to your case.  If you have a friend or relative that lives out of
state (that CPS is not aware of), send copies of everything to that person
for safekeeping.  Do NOT rely on the safety of a safety deposit box.  The
state can get a warrent to open the box and confiscate your "evidence"
against them.  Ideally, keep one copy at home and one copy close by, and
at least one copy out of state.
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