As part of its pro bono work with the Incarcerated Mothers Law Project, Friedman Kaplan recently assisted an incarcerated mother in defeating a petition to terminate her parental rights as to two of her children.

New York City's Administration for Children's Services ("ACS") alleged that the mother had abandoned and permanently neglected her children, ages seven and eight, during the period of her incarceration. Friedman Kaplan marshaled evidence that the mother was in constant communication with her children's foster care agency, was having regular visits with her children, was regularly corresponding with her children between visits, and was taking steps to prepare for regaining custody of her children upon her release (which was scheduled to take place only six months after the scheduled date of the termination hearing).

At the hearing on the termination petition, the mother's court-appointed counsel used the evidence gathered by Friedman Kaplan to argue that the petition should be dismissed. ACS ultimately agreed and withdrew the petition.

Litigation associate Amy C. Brown and summer associate Jason Sussman provided legal services to the incarcerated mother.