Adoption C.M.B.R. Minor. S.M. and M.M. Respondents vs. E.M.B.R. Appellant Missouri Court of Appeals (July 21 2010) [pdf]

In Re Adoption of C.M.B.R. Minor. S.M. and M.M. Respondents vs. E.M.B.R. Appellant, Amicus brief was filed in the Missouri Court of Appeals (2010) and a second in the Missouri Supreme Court (2010) in support of reversing a court decision to terminate the parental rights of an immigrant mother Encarnacion Bail and finalize the adoption of her children as a result of Encarnacion’s immigration detention. Encarnacion Bail had been subject to an immigration raid at her workplace and was coerced into taking a plea to aggravated identity theft. While Encarnacion served her jail sentence, the State of Missouri terminated her parental rights and finalized the adoption of her children. After she finished serving her sentence the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that convictions like hers for use of false documents was unconstitutional. Won favorable decisions from in both cases confirming that limiting who may place a child for adoption and confirming that immigration status should “never” be a factor “when determining whether to terminate parental rights. (Crowell and Moring, Pro Bono)