Tag: arizona child abuse

Defending Child Abuse Allegations in Arizona State and Federal Court

Published in the Maricopa Lawyer Family Law Section December 2023 edition.  By Sabra Barnett  As a former Assistant Federal Public Defender, I have experience representing clients accused of crimes ranging from gun charges and interstate drug trafficking to complex financial matters involving interstate wire transfers.  I always appreciated practicing in Federal court because of the tremendous caliber of […]

The Impact of the Department of Child Safety’s Document Failure on Parents

Originally Published on AZ Mirror on August 23, 2023 and on the Arizona Capitol Times on August 24, 2023. By Deandra Arena  On Aug. 21, a letter from the state attorney representing the Department of Child Safety (DCS) went out to all presiding judges across Arizona requesting that they “suspend any trials and severance proceedings” […]

Faith, Homeschooling, and the Impact on Families

By Mallory Scott  The ability to freely worship is one of the fundamental aspects of the American national identity. However, a fine line exists between enthusiastic practice and severe overcommitment to a religion that may eventually become dangerous behavior. Adults can choose how, when, and which faction of faith to practice, but the children in […]

Mandatory Reporting Statutes – The Role of Teachers as Abusers & Abuse Reporters

By Marcus Risinger and Mallory Scott The role of a teacher is to act “in loco parentis,” or in place of the parent, while children are under their care in the school setting. In some cases, a teacher must take on protective responsibilities beyond the scope of this role to report child abuse or harmful […]

Munchausen Syndrome in the Digital Age

Recently, there was an article in the national news titled: “What Could Lead to a Mother Catfishing Her Own Daughter?” Missing from this intriguing headline was the complex psychological framework surrounding the incident referenced, wherein a Michigan mother was charged for her role in a cyber version of Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP), known as […]

Racial Disparity in Arizona DCS Investigations Receives National Attention

By Woodnick Law, PLLC Conscious or unconscious, racial bias affects all aspects of life. The caseworkers and child welfare investigators (OCWIs) that make up the Department of Child Safety (DCS) are not immune from these biases. A recent article from ProPublica, which has received national attention, addresses how these biases have culminated in a disproportionate […]

A Position of Trust III: When Members of the Clergy Fail to Report Child Abuse

By Gregg Woodnick and Isabel Ranney The conversation between an individual and a member of the Clergy during a spiritual confession is sacrosanct. It is a time when the person confessing should feel that they can speak freely, without fear of reprisal. This act of confession is so valued that Arizona law permits members of […]

Almost 40 Years Later: Key Takeaways from the McMartin Preschool Trials

By Gregg Woodnick and Isabel Ranney As parents return to work, children across the nation are going back to school and back into the hands of caregivers, which creates an atmosphere ripe for abuse allegations (not to mention the continuous rise of QAnon). It is important for parents and caregivers to be reminded of the […]

Suspected child abuse during a trip to the emergency room

By: Gregg R. Woodnick I have been practicing law for over 20 years. Throughout that time I’ve lectured for Yale on issues of child abuse and neglect and I have also been a guest instructor at medical schools and PA programs where I would teach about mandatory reporting laws. Mandatory reporting requires that certain individuals […]

QUARANTINED CHILD ABUSE

Since COVID-19 forced schools to close, reports of child abuse in Arizona have decreased by about twenty-five percent (25%). At first, this seems like one of the few silver linings of the pandemic (outside of Tiger King and attending business meetings without having to wear pants). However, after 20 years of litigating child abuse and neglect cases, I don’t believe this statistic is cause for celebration.