Follow all court orders to the letter

10. Follow all court orders to the letter. Many court orders given you in a CPS case will seem completely unjust. Many of these orders are, in fact, unjust, and, worse, many are often contrary to the well being and safety of you and your child. But you must follow these orders to the letter, even as you fight to do everything you can to get these orders changed.

There's nothing that upsets the court more than someone who breaks a court order. Even child abuse doesn't seem to upset officials as much as what they view as contempt for their court orders. So read and know what's written in the court order and obey it to the letter. The last thing you want is for the system to retaliate against you and take your child just because you failed to comply with a court order to attend this or that program. So keep in mind that it can happen just as easily as that. And obey all court orders to the letter.

Another all too common occurrence you should watch out for is this. A CPS worker may tell you verbally that you don't have to do this or that part of what's written in the service plan which has been approved by the judge. Whatever you do, do not take the social worker at his or her word. Before you even think of changing any aspect of your compliance with the court orders or written service plans, insist that the social worker put any and all changes in writing! And that the social worker sign and date the statement. And that you have at least one copy of that signed statement in your hands. If the social worker fails to put the change in writing, continue to comply with the order and service plan as it is written.

And if a social worker, or any other member of the CPS system, tells you to do one thing that's different from what's in the written order, you should write up a dated, signed note of your own. Address it to the judge or the head of social services. Explain briefly that your social worker told you to do x, but that you know you are obligated to follow the written order until such time as that order is changed in writing.

Remember, what's written in black and white is what counts. It's worth repeating. Don't get fooled or misled by something a social worker says verbally one day, and then forgets they ever said it the next. Don't let abusers, evaluators, mediators, or anyone else influence you verbally into going against what's written in black and white. Even something as seemingly minor as altering a visitation schedule can and likely will be held against you in court. Get it in writing! Get it in writing! Get it in writing!

Obey all written court orders as they are written!