Contempt sentence overturned and judge in Texas temporary child custody case fired

A federal appeals court has ordered the removal of a federal judge and overturned his contempt ruling and fine against the state of Texas in a dispute over the state’s troubled temporary detention system.

In a decision released late Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit said U.S. District Judge Janis Jack exceeded her authority by imposing a contempt sentence and a $100,000-a-day fine. state authorities.

The court also noted that Jack had disrespected state authorities and his lawyers during the lengthy process, noting that he once said: “I don’t know how the state can sleep at night with this on its conscience. “I really don’t know.”

“The judge shows a constant pattern, over months and several hearings, of a lack of respect for the accused and her lawyers, an attitude she does not show to the plaintiff’s lawyers,” said the co- close

The judge’s behavior shows a “high degree of antagonism,” which calls into question even “the face of impartiality” toward the state government, the decision said.

An attorney for the plaintiff, who contends that state authorities do not routinely investigate complaints of abuse and neglect of children in their care, said Saturday that his client will re- appeal the decision.

“Truly, this is a sad day for the children of Texas,” attorney Paul Yetter said in an email.

“For more than a decade, Judge Jack pressured state officials to fix a broken system,” Yetter said. “He deserves a medal for what he’s done.”

The case began in 2011 with a lawsuit filed over the conditions in which minors were in the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the child welfare arm of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

Since 2019, court-appointed investigators have issued regular reports on the progress DFPS has made in eliminating threats to the safety of children in custody.

A report published earlier this year cited progress in staff training but noted that weaknesses remain in the response to investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect, including those made by children.

In one case, according to the complainant, a girl stayed for a year in the same shelter, which has already been closed, and 12 different investigations gathered around allegations that she was raped by an employee of the centre.

In Texas, approximately 9,000 minors are in permanent state custody for factors including the death of a parent or guardian, domestic violence, or medical needs that parents alone cannot meet.