A North Carolina resident has filed a lawsuit against a county attorney and the county itself, alleging constitutional violations and misconduct. Jennifer Ysuiza Moreno submitted her complaint on December 16, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, accusing Tiffany Porter, an attorney for the Union County Department of Social Services (DSS), of engaging in unconstitutional conduct.
The complaint outlines several serious allegations against Porter, including interference in a criminal bond hearing outside her lawful authority, misuse of private marital communications in criminal proceedings, and retaliatory actions against Moreno for asserting her constitutional rights. According to Moreno, these actions have caused her significant emotional distress and violated her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. She asserts that Porter’s presence at a December 9 bond hearing influenced the proceedings by injecting DSS allegations into the process, which was beyond her legal role. Furthermore, Porter allegedly exploited private marital communications between Moreno and her husband during this hearing without any lawful justification.
Moreno’s complaint also highlights broader issues within Union County’s DSS policies and practices. She claims that Union County failed to adequately train its attorneys on constitutional boundaries and proper involvement in criminal proceedings. This alleged failure led to a pattern of unconstitutional behavior by DSS employees like Porter. As a result, Moreno argues that Union County is liable under Monell v. Department of Social Services for maintaining policies that enabled these violations.
In terms of relief sought from the court, Moreno requests compensatory damages for emotional distress, financial hardship, reputational harm, and other damages resulting from Porter’s actions. She also seeks punitive damages against Porter personally for willful misconduct and requests declaratory relief to prevent similar future conduct by Porter or others acting under color of state law.
Representing herself pro se in this case (Case No. 3:25-cv-00991-KDB-DCK), Jennifer Ysuiza Moreno aims to hold both Tiffany Porter and Union County accountable for what she describes as deliberate indifference to her constitutional rights.
Source: 325cv00991_Moreno_v_Porter_Complaint_Western_District_North_Carolina.pdf
