Judge Who Ruled Texas’ Foster Care System Broken Recognized

DALLAS (AP) — The federal judge who ruled that Texas' foster care system is unconstitutionally broken has been named The Dallas Morning News' Texan of the Year.

The newspaper announced Friday (http://bit.ly/2i9ge8i ) that U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack was being recognized because she "punctured our comfortable obliviousness to the appalling treatment" being endured by the 12,000 children labeled permanent wards of the state.

The newspaper said, "it takes a powerful voice to make it clear that our state has countenanced unspeakable suffering for far too long."

Jack ordered an independent overhaul of the system in her December 2015 ruling and has appointed experts to come up with a plan.

Jack devoted nearly half of her 260-page ruling to detailed histories of the child plaintiffs.