Federal judge again threatens contempt-of-court fines for Texas’ slow progress on foster care reforms

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services offices in Austin on Nov. 14, 2019. (Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune)

U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack again threatened to hold the state’s child welfare agency in contempt of court for failing to comply with at least three of her orders.

The federal judge has twice held state officials in contempt of court before — first in November 2019 and later in September 2020. In 2019, she also fined the state $50,000 a day for three days. In recent court hearings, Jack has consistently threatened to levy “substantial fines.”