Public Justice Fights for Families’ Right to Hug Their Incarcerated Loved Ones

For families with a loved one in jail, staying connected can be difficult. But for families in Solano County, California, a policy banning in-person contact visits has made that connection even harder, and more expensive.

According to Public Justice, on July 22, children and parents of people incarcerated in Solano County filed a lawsuit against the County, the Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Brad DeWall, and for-profit telecommunications company iWebVisit. The plaintiffs argue that banning contact visits while requiring families to rely on costly video calls violates their fundamental right to family association under the California Constitution.

According to the lawsuit, Solano County entered into an exclusive contract with iWebVisit in 2014 that allowed the Sheriff’s Office to receive as much as 35% of the revenue from video calls. Families have paid between $5.70 and $9 for a 30-minute call, and in fiscal year 2024–25 alone, iWebVisit paid the County $147,000 in revenue sharing.

But the impact goes far beyond the financial cost. For children especially, being unable to hug or physically be with a parent can have a lasting emotional impact. As one 15-year-old plaintiff explained, she has felt herself becoming less connected to her father because she cannot hug him, touch him, or simply be in the same room with him.

The lawsuit is part of the Right 2 Hug Project, an effort to challenge jail policies that eliminate contact visits and replace them with expensive phone and video calls. It is the fourth lawsuit brought through the project, following cases in Michigan and Colorado.

We’re proud to recognize the important work of Public Justice, which is representing the plaintiffs alongside Berkeley Law’s Criminal Law & Justice Center, BraunHagey & Borden LLP, and Civil Rights Corps. Public Justice has a long history of taking on systemic injustices and using litigation to protect civil rights and hold powerful institutions accountable.

We applaud Public Justice and its partners for standing up for these families and working to ensure that financial interests do not come before basic human connection and constitutional rights. Their work is a powerful reminder of how the legal profession can be used to create meaningful change for people and communities who need an advocate.

Learn more about Public Justice, the case and the Right 2 Hug Project at publicjustice.net. 

About Donna A. Jones

Donna Jones is the President at Advocate Capital, which became a part of Pinnacle in 2019. Ms. Jones is a member of the Board of Directors of Advocate Capital and serves as a member of the Credit Committee. Her responsibilities include education and training of Advocate Capital staff regarding civil litigation, coaching new clients on the fundamentals of Advocate’s online services, as well as its proprietary software application, AdvoTrac®, and all activities related to existing and prospective clients.