When Judge Bowman assumed the leadership of the Juvenile Dependency division, little effort was being made at the time to resolve the cases of nearly 150 children who were eligible for adoption but had been overstaying in foster care for as long as four years. Bowman enforced statutes that resulted in a reduction of cases from 150 to five.
At present, the division aims for speedy resolution of such cases so that children reach final adoption within six months after parents lose their parental rights. Judge Bowman initiated local public awareness campaigns, encouraging the recognition of National Adoption Day, which happens annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Its focus is on children in foster care who are eligible for adoption.