Singleton Schreiber Partner Kevin Hannon was mentioned in a Public Justice article, where he underscored the core issue in a new lawsuit filed in Adams County, Colorado, where children whose parents are jailed are suing the county, the sheriff, and telecom provider HomeWAV for eliminating all in-person family visitation.
The plaintiffs argue that Adams County’s long-standing ban on contact visits, replaced with costly, for-profit phone and video calls, violates the Colorado Constitution’s guarantee of familial association, including a child’s right to hug their parent. The case, part of the broader Right 2 Hug Project, follows prior litigation in Michigan challenging similar practices.
The lawsuit alleges that Adams County and HomeWAV have conspired for years to profit from the ban, generating millions in revenue while families endure severe emotional and financial strain. Children like nine-year-old J.B. describe deep distress from being unable to see or touch their parents, while parents report struggling to afford the expensive calls, which cost up to $0.20 per minute for video.
Advocates note that Colorado courts, lawmakers, and even neighboring Denver County have affirmed the importance of in-person visitation, recognizing that virtual communication cannot replace physical contact. Attorneys from Public Justice, Civil Rights Corps, Maxted Law, Spero Justice Center, the National Center for Youth Law, and Singleton Schreiber argue that Adams County’s policy is unconstitutional, profit-driven, and harmful to families, particularly low-income families who already struggle to maintain contact while their loved ones are detained pretrial because they cannot afford bail.
