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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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez