DOE BY NELSON v. Milwaukee County

DECISION and ORDER

TERENCE T. EVANS, District Judge.

Joshua DeShaney will never know it, unfortunately, but he has had a dramatic impact on constitutional law. The case that grew out of his tragedy — decided last February by the Supreme Court — is already affecting law suits across the country. Compare DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, 489 U.S. -, 109 S.Ct. 998, 103 L.Ed.2d 249 (1989) (Wisconsin officials who had reason to know that a child was being abused by his father did not violate the child’s due process rights in failing to protect him from beatings that caused…