U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob ruled Thursday that Fulton County has vastly improved it's legal protection of foster children in abuse and neglect cases and no longer needs federal oversight.

The county, which agreed to court oversight to settle a 2002 lawsuit, now has an Office of Child Attorney with 16 lawyers. Fulton had only four lawyers for 2,000 foster children when the lawsuit was filed.

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Public Service Commission candidate Peter Hubbard gets a hug from Brionté McCorkle, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, during an election-night party in Southwest Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.  (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC