SocraticGadfly: Third Court of Appeals — let go of FLDS kids

May 22, 2008

Third Court of Appeals — let go of FLDS kids

Texas’ Third Court of Appeals said Texas Child Protective Services has no right to hold on to the children it seized after a raid at the Fundanmentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints compound at the Yearning for Zion Ranch last month.

The court ruled the CPS did not present enough evidence at a hearing last month that the children were at risk of abuse to justify keeping them in state custody.

It also ruled that Judge Barbara Walther abused her discretion in failing to return the children to their families. (Shock me!)

Long-term, who knows what’s up. But, short-term, it seems clear that CPS is going to have to reunite kids with their mothers.

Long-term, as I, the excellent Grits for Breakfast and other bloggers have noted, it seems even more likely now that the state is facing some big-ass lawsuits.

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