Civil Rights Nonprofit Sues Durham Sheriff, District Court Judge Over Closed Parental Rights Proceedings

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Good morning, readers.

A Washington, DC-based civil rights organization is suing Durham County officials for allegedly blocking access to parental rights court proceedings.

Civil Rights Corps filed a federal lawsuit against District Court Judge Doretta Walker and Sheriff Clarence Birkhead on Wednesday. The lawsuit alleges that the officials have systematically prevented CRC staff from monitoring dependency court hearings, where judges make decisions about separating children from their parents.

CRC staff began monitoring Durham courtrooms last year.

“Almost every single time that we have tried to observe court proceedings in Judge Walker’s courtroom, we’ve been kicked out without any chance to explain why we’re there, without any justification,” says Elizabeth Rossi, an attorney and the director of strategic initiatives at CRC.

According to the lawsuit, sheriff’s deputies have escorted CRC staff out of Walker’s courtroom at least seven times, posting “CLOSED HEARING” signs on the door. While several Durham judges preside over dependency hearings on a rotating basis, the lawsuit singles out Walker.

The lawsuit comes amid growing scrutiny of Durham’s dependency court system.

“The majority of children coming into custody, it’s because of poverty-related concerns,” says Amanda Wallace, a former CPS investigator who now runs the Durham grassroots organization Operation Stop CPS. “If the public just came and sat inside the courtroom, they’d see—wait, so this child was taken away because the parent didn’t have childcare? Can we not figure that out without giving their child to somebody else?”

Walker and Birkhead did not respond to the INDY’s request for comment.

Have a good weekend.

—Lena

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