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- Posted November 29, 2013
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Judge can't dodge suit in case of child, booze

DETROIT (AP) -- A federal judge is refusing to throw out a lawsuit against a Wayne County judge in a dispute over a child who was temporarily removed from his parents after mistakenly drinking alcohol at a Detroit Tigers game.
U.S. District Court Judge Avern Cohn says Judge Judy Hartsfield has no immunity. She had a practice of signing blank forms and leaving them to be filled in by authorities to remove children from parents.
Leo Ratte was 7 years old in 2008 when his father mistakenly gave him "Mike's Hard Lemonade." University of Michigan professor Christopher Ratte says he didn't know it had alcohol.
A police officer took steps to put Leo into protective custody for several days. Leo's parents say their rights were violated by the judge's practice of signing blank orders.
Published: Fri, Nov 29, 2013
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