Article 10 Proceeding

What it means

A civil case in Family Court where a child protection agency claims a parent abused or neglected a child. It is not a criminal case — no jail comes out of Article 10 itself — but the consequences are serious: the child can be removed from the home. The agency has to prove the claim before a judge, with no jury. Parents have the right to a free lawyer. In an emergency, the agency can remove a child from the home before filing, but they have to bring the case to Family Court quickly afterward. The parent can fight the removal and the claim at every step. If the judge finds against the parent, the case moves to a separate stage where the court decides what services, supervision, or placement should follow.

When you might hear this

You hear this when Child Protective Services or a similar agency files in Family Court claiming a parent neglected or abused a child. Outside New York City the agency is usually called CPS. In New York City it is called ACS.

What to ask