Braam v. State

This class action was brought against the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS or State) in an effort to improve the lives of foster children in the State’s care. Among other things, the respondents seek to force DSHS through a variety of legal claims to drastically reduce the number of times foster children are moved while in the State’s care. Most of the claims were dismissed before or during trial, and the case went to the jury on whether the class’s claimed substantive due process right to "the exercise of professional judgment, standards or practices” had been violated. The…