A) All Petitions for Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse shall be filed in accordance with FCRPP 20. Prior to filing the petition with the clerk, the Petitioner shall submit the petition to the County Attorney. The County Attorney shall review the Petition and determine if it is supported by sufficient cause. In the event that the County Attorney finds that the petition is supported by sufficient cause he or she shall file the Petition with the Court and refer the matter to the Cabinet for Families and Children for investigation if the Cabinet is not already involved in the case.

B) If the County Attorney rejects the petition, the Petitioner may file the petition with the Court as a private petition, and the clerk shall set the matter for the next available court date. The Court will review the petition for sufficient cause. A petition that fails to state sufficient cause pursuant to KRS 620 et seq. shall be dismissed, sua sponte.

C) All Petitions shall name both the biological mother and father of the child(ren) unless the parent's rights have been terminated by a valid court order. A putative father shall be named if he has been identified as the putative father pursuant to KRS 625.065(1), or if he has been identified as the putative father by the child's mother upon questioning. It is the Petitioner's obligation to make a diligent effort to locate the child's parents.

D) All Petitions shall state the applicable statute and detailed factual allegations relied upon in asserting the Court's jurisdiction. The factual allegations must fully explain the child's relationship to the responsible party. In cases involving multiple children, the Petition must fully explain the situation as it individually applies to each child.