Hi everyone — I’m Jacob.
I’m building a Juvenile Dependency Court Wizard to help parents navigate CPS/DCYF cases from the very first face-to-face contact with a social worker all the way through removal and the entire court process.
This idea came from representing myself in a real dependency case, where I realized how little clear guidance exists — especially in those early moments where a parent can unknowingly waive important rights.
The tool walks users step-by-step through:
Initial CPS contact & home visits
Safety plans and removal
Shelter care, fact-finding, and review hearings
It also flags red flags, common traps, and rights issues in plain language.
Goal: give parents clarity and structure in one of the most overwhelming legal processes there is.
Would love to connect with anyone into legal tech, workflow tools, or building systems that guide people through complex situations.
Startup / Pitch Style Version (More polished & impactful)
Hi everyone — I’m Jacob, and I’m building a legal-tech tool called the Juvenile Dependency Court Wizard.
It’s designed to guide parents through CPS/DCYF cases from the first in-person contact with a social worker through removal and the full dependency court process.
This comes from lived experience. While representing myself in a dependency case, I saw a major gap:
there’s no structured, accessible system that helps parents understand what’s happening — especially early on, where critical rights can be unknowingly waived.
The wizard provides:
Step-by-step guidance through each stage of a dependency case
Real-time explanations in plain language
Identification of legal risks, red flags, and decision points
Tools to organize timelines, documents, and case strategy
The mission is simple:
make the process understandable, navigable, and less one-sided for parents.
Currently building in Python, with plans for a mobile-first app.
Always open to feedback, collaboration, or ideas from others building in legal tech or user-guided systems