Tag: arizona criminal law

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” […]

Supreme Court to Revisit Gun Ownership and Domestic Violence Cases

By Mallory Scott Often, in the wake of gun violence, politicians and commentators say that stricter background checks should become enacted to restrict dangerous individuals from owning the weapons used to perpetrate these crimes. States across the country have enacted various laws intended on restricting firearms access. Recently, the Supreme Court accepted an appeal from […]

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 […]

The DCS and Criminal Investigation Dilemma

Originally published in the Maricopa County Bar Association Criminal Law Newsletter Spring 2023 edition on March 21, 2023.  By Sabra Barnett and Isabel Ranney  As criminal defense attorneys, we understand the importance of ensuring out clients do not make incriminating statements. When in doubt, we are quick to advise our clients to invoke their 5th […]

Knapp: How Private Attorneys Can Help Public Defenders

By Sabra Barnett and Isabel Ranney You just have to watch a few Law and Order: SVU episodes to know the that when someone is arrested, they are read Miranda warnings.  While the 100 words in Miranda are all valuable, “the right to an attorney” and that, “if you cannot afford one, one will be […]

A Position of Trust II: Teachers Facing Prosecution for Failure to Report Child Abuse

By Gregg Woodnick and Isabel Ranney When mandatory reporters fail to report suspected child abuse, they are complicit in letting the abuse continue. Educators, in particular, have such a unique and consistent level of interaction with children that makes them a reliable source of child abuse/neglect reports. Due to this, nearly all states, including Arizona, lists […]

The Importance of Pre-Charge/Pre-Indictment Counsel

By Sabra Barnett Prior to working in private practice, I was an Assistant Federal Public defender. In this role, I received cases long after charges had been filed. Meaning, the opportunity for many of my clients to avoid being charged had long since passed. Grand Jurys had convened, statements were recorded, and the case had […]