Partnering for Impact: Advocacy and Community Growth

Children’s Law Center Appeal

/// Rick Snyder, Shantal Pai, Thomas Wheeler, Megan Helstrom

Attorneys Rick Snyder, Shantal Pai, Thomas Wheeler and Megan Helstrom worked on behalf of a Children’s Law Center (CLC) client to successfully obtain a precedential decision. The case concerned the important question of whether Ramsey County has authority, under the relevant statute, to place children who have never been convicted of a crime or adjudicated delinquent in the Juvenile Detention Center because it cannot find space for the child with family, in a foster home, or in a shelter care facility. Because of their appellate work, CLC’s position was affirmed, the decision stating that statutory authority clearly limits a county’s ability to hold a non-delinquent foster care youth in a secure detention facility for only 24 hours, and after that, they must be released to a relative or a shelter care facility.

This significant clarification of the law will protect all of Minnesota’s vulnerable foster care youth and require counties to put forth the effort to find appropriate and safe locations for their custody and care.

— Susan Dioury, Executive Director, Children’s Law Center