In re E.D.A.

A Pennsylvania family court terminated the parental rights of a mother and a father to their children. In doing so, the court relied on the testimony of one witness and focused heavily on the condition of the parents’ housing and finances.

Juvenile Law Center, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, and the Defender Association of Philadelphia filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, urging the Court to reverse the termination of parental rights. The brief highlighted the importance of maintaining lifelong family relationships for a child’s development and wellbeing, as well as the significant harm that can result from the permanent severance of family attachments. The brief further argued that termination of parental rights is disproportionately inflicted on Black children, a disproportionality that stems from the United States’ long legacy of systematically devaluing and dismantling Black families. Finally, the brief argued that environmental factors, such as housing conditions and income, should never be the basis for termination of parental rights.

LEGAL TEAM

Attorneys

Courtney Alexander, Marsha Levick, Riya Saha Shah