ATLANTA (May 1, 2009) – Governor Sonny Perdue yesterday signed into law Sen. John Wiles’ (R-Kennesaw) legislation giving the general public access to juvenile hearings. Amid strong public concern to protect foster children in the juvenile court system, Sen. Wiles authored Senate Bill 207 to improve the lives of children in state custody and bring real reform to Georgia’s child welfare system. Under the bill, extended family members, friends, neighbors and others who are concerned about a child’s welfare will have the right to attend hearings.
“Transparency in government is vital to protecting citizens’ rights, and the court system should be a part of that,” said Wiles. “This bill provides more protection for the most vulnerable members of our society – children under state care – while still giving judges and courts the flexibility they need to run efficiently.”
The signing of this bill represents a victory for Georgia’s nearly 16,000 foster children. This legislation will open hearings in juvenile courts for abused and neglected children. Judges will retain the right to close a juvenile deprivation hearing if it is in the best interest of the child, and if a written reason is given. Supporters of the bill stress the need for greater accountability for juvenile judges and caseworkers. There are 21 other states that have opened juvenile deprivation hearings to the public without any reports of harm to children.
The bill was inspired by the story of Adrianna Swain, a three-month-old girl in Georgia who was rescued from her abusive biological parents and placed with foster parents. Swain lived in their care for over two years before a caseworker presented false allegations against the foster mother, resulting in the judge returning Swain to her biological parents. After only a short time, the child was rushed to the hospital after being beaten by her parents, suffering multiple internal and external injuries. Swain’s foster mother blames the caseworker for exposing the child to more abuse.
For more information on the bill, please visit www.senate.ga.gov and do a legislative search for SB 207.
Sen. John Wiles serves as chairman of the Special Judiciary Committee. He represents the 37th Senate District, which includes a portion of Cobb County. He may be reached by phone at 404.657.0406 or by e-mail at john.wiles@senate.ga.gov.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2009
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber, Director
Kallarin Richards, Senior Communications Specialist
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028