Children

State Reaches Settlement With Foster Parents Over Stipend Increases

The Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) and local foster parents have come to an agreement over the cost of caring for children in foster care. The agreement aims to resolve a federal class action lawsuit that was filed in December 2013, and a related case filed in state court. When the lawsuits were filed, foster parents were provided with a stipend of $529 per month, which was intended …


Navajo Nation Wants Mormon Church Lawsuit in Tribal Court

The Navajo Nation wants a lawsuit against the Mormon Church over the alleged sexual abuse of four Navajo children heard in tribal court. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the tribe’s attorneys filed a motion Friday asking a federal judge in Salt Lake City to dismiss the suit until after it goes through tribal proceedings. According to the motion, the attorneys argue that …



No Immediate Ruling in School Vaccination Case

A judge declined to immediately decide whether to suspend California’s nationally watched school vaccination law after a hearing Friday in downtown San Diego. The courtroom session took place as the law, one of the toughest of its kind in the United States, is being rolled out for the first time with resumption of K-12 classes from Chula Vista to Los Angeles to San Francisco. U.S. District …


TDSB Denies Allegations of Negligence in Lawsuit Over Students’ Safety

The Toronto District School Board and an elementary school principal said they behaved like a “prudent parent” to protect two students, despite claims that the children faced repeated threats and assaults inflicted by a classmate with special needs. In a statement of defence filed earlier this month in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the school board and the principal at John Wanless …


New York Judge Rejects High-Profile Foster Care Settlement

Today, a New York judge threw out a controversial consent decree that would have ratcheted up state oversight of New York City’s foster care system. In her straightforward opinion, New York District Judge Laura Swain denied a proposed settlement to a July 2015 class action lawsuit that had accused both New York State and City of allowing foster youth to languish in care. “The opinion …


Businessman William Parfet Will Contest Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

An attorney for William U. Parfet says the Kalamazoo businessman plans to contest a sexual harassment and wrongful discharge lawsuit filed against him in federal court. “Mr. Parfet will be presenting a vigorous defense to this lawsuit,” attorney Nancy Abell said when asked by the Kalamazoo Gazette about the lawsuit. Parfet, an heir to Upjohn Co. founder W.E.


Facebook Agrees to Refunds on In-App Purchases by Minors

Court documents show Facebook has agreed to allow users to request refunds of in-app purchases made by minors as part of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought in 2012 by two children and their parents. It claimed the children racked up hundreds of dollars in purchases of Facebook Credits, a since-discontinued currency used by the site.


Parents on Both Sides Talk Charter School Lawsuit

Charles Araujo, center, talks about the perceived injustice he and his wife, Evelyn, left, believe to be in the charter school system Thursday. (Photo: Justin Sellers/The Clarion-Ledger) Flanked by her friend Monica Cannon-Butler, Midtown resident Shmea Kelly stood outside of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s downtown Jackson office Wednesday watching as parents and children shouted from a …


Bill O’Reilly Trying to Keep Secret Details of $10 Million Lawsuit Against Ex-Wife

Back in May, we told you about Gawker’s report that Fox News Channel host Bill O’Reilly was pursuing a lawsuit against his ex-wife, Maureen McPhilmy. In lieu of a proper complaint, there was a vague notice saying that he would be suing her for defrauding him during their divorce as a way of financing her “existing extra-marital relationship.” On Friday, Gawker followed up further, reporting …