Opinion ID: 707584
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the goals of the decree

Text: 23 In order to comply substantially with the decree, Defendants needed to satisfy the essential requirements of each of the basic goals of the decree--i.e. the implementation of a (1) timely, (2) fair, and (3) reasonable adoption process. The consent decree then sets forth specific criteria and procedures whereby those overall goals may be met. The Special Master's report failed to conclude whether Defendants complied substantially with each of these essential purposes of the consent decree and it failed adequately to address those instances where the subsidiary criteria were not met. First, the Special Master's report failed to address at all whether the decision making was fair and reasonable. 10 Second, while the report discussed the timeliness of the decision making with regard to access to adoption, Sp.Mast. at 48, it failed adequately to address whether Defendants satisfied this mandate of the decree. For example, the report noted that Dr. Stein found that the overall length of time that children spent actually in custody before permanent placement increased from 1.5 to 2.1 years from 1988 to 1991, but the report failed adequately either to explain or discredit that testimony.