Federal Judge Dismisses Part Of DHS Suit

Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed portions of a civil rights lawsuit brought by a national child advocacy group accusing Oklahoma of victimizing its foster children.

In a ruling entered Monday, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell tossed two of five causes of action brought by Children's Rights, the New York-based group that filed the lawsuit last year against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services on behalf of nine foster children.

The two actions dismissed dealt with alleged violations of the federal Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 and third-party beneficiary rights stemming from that federal law.

Earlier this month, however, Frizzell refused to dismiss the bulk of the suit dealing with the civil rights of the children, and gave the plaintiffs until early March to spell out exactly what type of relief they were seeking from the court.

Related story: 12/18/2008 Federal Suit Continues Against DHS