A federal judge could decide next week whether to temporarily suspend a new law capping the number of children who can be placed in foster care at state expense.
As part of a nearly decade-old federal civil rights suit known as the Brian A. case, the New York-based children's advocacy group Children's Rights filed a request in September to block the new law because it could inject financial concerns into decisions about children's welfare.
A judge could rule on the motion at a hearing Thursday.
The new law, which went into effect July 1, came about as part of an effort to cut costs statewide this year and stop the practice of placing what the Department of Children's Services believes is an inordinate number of children in foster care in some counties.
It establishes a limit on the number of children who can be taken into foster care or the juvenile justice system at state expense in each county.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091010/NEWS0201/910100309/Judge+may+rule+on+foster+care+funding+limits