On September 30, 2022, Partner David Rutherford obtained a dismissal of a federal action in the Eastern District of New York wherein an Orthodox Jewish couple alleged that their daughter had been kidnapped by a foster care agency, the City’s Administration for Children’s Services, the court system, and various individuals. The child had been removed from the home upon a finding that the plaintiffs were neglecting her education and were unfit parents. Unable to convince a state family court judge to return their daughter to them, they commenced suit in federal court alleging civil rights violations under Sections 1983 and 1985, RICO violations, conspiracy, and state law claims. The case was dismissed on the pleadings and a subsequent motion for reconsideration was denied in July of 2023.