Defending Children’s Right to Hug Their Parents in Adams County

E.L. et al. v. Claps et al.

Over the last decade, hundreds of jails across the United States have eliminated in-person family visits. The policy change has had devastating consequences for people who are incarcerated, their children and loved ones, and public safety generally. Why has this happened? The answer highlights a profound flaw in how decisions often get made in our legal system: for-profit jail telecom companies know they can earn more profit from paid phone and video calls if jails eliminate free in-person visits for families. So the companies and sheriffs agree to a deal: the jail ends family visits, and the telecommunication company agrees to give the sheriff a cut of the profits. This model arrangement led to a wave across the country, as local jails and companies sought hundreds of millions of dollars in cash from some of the poorest families.

Our lawsuit against Adams County, Colorado asks the state court to recognize that children of incarcerated parents, like all children, have a fundamental right to familial association under the Colorado Constitution, which includes a right to hug their parents. Parents whose children are detained in Adams County are also plaintiffs.

“Seeing my dad in person is very important to me. If we could have visits, I could talk to him more about how I’m feeling and make sure he’s okay, too. I worry about him a lot and it makes it worse to not be able to see him.” 
– J.B., nine-year-old plaintiff whose dad is jailed in Adams County

This is the third lawsuit filed as part of the Right 2 Hug Project, a campaign that raises vital constitutional questions, including whether the government can ban children and parents from visiting each other if one of them is jailed even though the policy serves no interest other than making money.

The lawsuit was filed on October 28, 2025 in state court in Colorado against Sheriff Gene Claps, the Board of County Commissioners of Adams County, Jail Division Chief William Dunning, and carceral telecom company HomeWAV. The plaintiffs are suing to immediately restore contact visits at the jail for themselves and a class of similarly situated parents and children whose closest loved ones are detained in the jail.

Pictured above: A drawing by nine-year-old plaintiff J.B. sent to his father in jail, which the jail rejected and sent back. “I drew him cherries because they are my favorite food, and they are red and red is a color for love. It made me feel sad to have my drawing sent back.” -J.B.

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