COLUMBIA COUNTY, NY
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DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
Legal Department
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Legal Department
The Legal Department of the Columbia County Department of Social Services employs several attorneys and support staff that represent and advise the DSS on all legal issues.  The Legal Department is responsible for appearing in Court and providing advice to the Commissioner and all Units within DSS, providing legal assistance with:
  • Prosecuting child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights proceedings.
  • Obtaining orders to compel parents and/or children to attend services, counseling, etc., for the purpose of remediating the conditions requiring the department's intervention on the family.
  • Prosecuting civil and administrative proceedings relating to challenges of Medicaid eligibility determinations.
  • Seeking guardianship or other appropriate orders to protect vulnerable and incapacitated adults and seniors.  These legal proceedings are more commonly known as "Article 81" proceedings.  (referring to the New York State Mental Hygiene Law)
  • Defending against challenges by persons seeking to have their State Central Registry records sealed, records which indicate their maltreatment of children and which the Registry makes available to employers engaged in the childcare field, so called "expungement hearings".​
​
  • Home
  • Your Government
    • Board of Supervisors
    • Calendar
    • Corporate Compliance
    • Committees
    • County Financials & Reports
    • CTASC
    • Departments A-Z >
      • Department Contact Information
      • Accounts Payable
      • Board of Elections
      • Board of Ethics
      • Board of Supervisors
      • Central Services
      • Civil Service
      • Controller / Auditor
      • Coroner
      • County Attorney
      • County Clerk / DMV
      • Department of Social Services
      • District Attorney
      • Emergency Services >
        • County 911 / Communications
        • Emergency Management
        • EMS Coordinator
        • FireCoordinator
      • Engineering
      • Facilities
      • Fair Housing
      • Health Department
      • Highway Department
      • Historian
      • Human Resources & Payroll
      • Human Services / Mental Health Center
      • Managed Information Systems
      • Office for the Aging
      • Planning >
        • Environmental Management Council
        • Columbia County Climate Smart
      • Probation
      • Public Defender
      • Real Property Tax Service Agency
      • Sheriffs Office
      • Soil & Water
      • Solid Waste
      • Stop DWI
      • Treasurer
      • Tourism
      • Veterans
      • Weights & Measures
      • Youth Bureau
    • Election Results
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Hours & Holiday Closings
  • County Services
    • Agriculture & Farmland Protection Board
    • Columbia Economic Development Corporation
    • Cornell Cooperative Extension
    • Emergency Medical Services
  • Our Community
    • New York Municipal Guide
    • Assessment Records
    • Chamber of Commerce
    • Columbia County Climate Smart
    • Colleges
    • Columbia Greene Habitat For Humanity
    • Columbia Greene Workforce Investment Board
    • Community Events
    • Courts
    • Current Weather
    • Environmental Management Council
    • History
    • Law Enforcement
    • License Plates
    • Libraries
    • Local News
    • Outside Agencies
    • Public Records
    • Register to Vote
    • Schools
    • School Closings and Delays
    • State Agencies
    • Tourism
    • Town Links >
      • ANCRAM
      • AUSTERLITZ
      • CANAAN
      • CHATHAM >
        • Town of Chatham
        • Village of Chatham
      • CLAVERACK >
        • Village of Philmont
      • CLERMONT
      • COPAKE
      • GALLATIN
      • GERMANTOWN
      • GHENT
      • GREENPORT
      • HILLSDALE
      • CITY OF HUDSON
      • KINDERHOOK >
        • Village of Kinderhook
        • Village of Valatie
      • LIVINGSTON
      • NEW LEBANON
      • STOCKPORT
      • STUYVESANT
      • TAGHKANIC
  • Public Notices & Request for Proposals (RFP)
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Public Transportation
  • Translate Website