Posted on 05/30/2008 5:34:10 PM PDT by festus
SAN ANGELO, Texas - A plan to begin reuniting parents with more than 400 children removed from a polygamist group's ranch has been thrown into doubt because a judge and the families are clashing over proposed restrictions.
Texas District Judge Barbara Walther has refused to sign an order restoring custody to the parents until they agree to more restrictions than state child-welfare officials have proposed.
Walther was directed by an appeals court to reverse her ruling last month putting all children from the Yearning For Zion Ranch into foster case. The Texas Supreme Court affirmed the appeals court's decision Thursday and rejected the state's argument that all the children were in immediate danger from what it said was a cycle of sexual abuse of teenage girls at the ranch.
admonished CPS and Judge Walther I meant
As others have pointed out, there is a legal definition of "polygamy", and it just may be that none of the FLDS is guilty of that crime.
If underage girls are being "married" under the same circumstances, then no legal marriage exists.
If the underage girl is then sexually abused by an older man, that may well be the crime of rape. Jeffs is in prison because he was convicted of having been an accomplice to one such rape.
How do you intend to prove that the women in the FLDS have been accomplices to rape?
The only reason I might seem defensive about it is that these people are American Citizens and taxpayers and are GUARANTEED certain rights and there are plenty in the govt of the State of Texas and a shocking number here on FR who want to strip them of their rights an GET them just by opinion only.
There but for the Grace of God go I.
You say *IF* there was a cult that did that until the formal charges are brought and the evidence submitted.
I’d wager they’ll find that in the desks of the “elders” as well..................
There are several members of FLDS active on the Free Republic it seems.
To what extent do you believe that the seriousness of the charge should dictate the degree to which due process is followed?
*IF* you had a reasonable argument, you *MIGHT* be less prone to resorting to comments like that, obviously not.
actually the case was overturned on “abuse of discretion”. Not an easy standard for an appeal victory. Trial judges, especially family court, are give WIDE latitude to find the facts of a case. In this situation the TX SC said the judge did not do the evidentiary hearings required by law to be able to make such a finding of fact and conclusions of law.
Just as the first call turned out to be an obvious fake (see also Nifong and Duke university) it is crucial the couts and especially cps follow the due process rules or the will cause the guilty to go free.
Again, your OPINION masquerading as fact.
There's apparently no crime that your imagination won't assign to someone you want to get.
I understand your point, I really do. I just hate Texas bungled this up. I DO think they need to be investigated though.
This is why I might seem defensive:
You say *IF* there was a cult that did that until the formal charges are brought and the evidence submitted.
I’d wager they’ll find that in the desks of the “elders” as well..................
No proof required. No evidence required. Just their overactive imagination that requires nothing but vengeance for some reason.
And if you dare disagree with them:
There are several members of FLDS active on the Free Republic it seems.
Is it any wonder that some of us are fighting so hard for these people's rights? Because there are some of us fighting so hard AGAINST these peoples rights.
You guys have made me think... and I do believe in individual rights first and foremost. And I also believe these children are being harmed by the treatment of CPS.
However, I don’t agree with this sect welcoming Warren Jeffs with open arms and even purportedly marrying a few of these girls. Some as young as 12. If the cult has hidden this, ALL the adults are somewhat *guilty*.
You don't believe that any more than I do.
I will grant you that proving anything without the help of the Stepford wives is pretty much impossible....sadly. Texas and the CPS tried.
Yah. They really screwed this up bad.
now any charge they bring, right, wrong or indifferent, is going to be examined through the lens of "Is this a real charge or is this something that they came up with so they won't seem quite so incompetent as they are" prism.
And the children who NEED protection are going to find that people are hesitating because it's CPS and now CPS looks like nothing but a bunch of screwups.
Until then, let them be raped....noooo problem
Yup. That is the argument being offered isn’t it ?
Prove it. Simple enough for ya? That’s not too difficult a concept to understand is it?
Well someone else can argue with you from this point forward. I have too few minutes in my life to waste any more of them arguing with totally closed minds that have no chance to let any light shine in them.
Why else do any of you care who the next president is that can appoint judges to the USSC if the courts decision are always right, no matter what?
Judges can get it wrong, too.
er. You will never convert me I’m a baptist.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.