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Why Convert a Legal Separation to Divorce?
Before a couple chooses to get married, they may be cautioned by friends or family members that “fifty percent of marriages end in divorce.” Foreboding? Yes. True? Not necessarily. First, there are a lot of demographic factors that contribute to the decision to get married or divorced, and this sweeping statistic should not be broadly […]
Benefits of Remote Family Law Mediation Services for Arizona Families
The pandemic wreaked havoc on our lives in many ways. For attorneys, we had to embrace technology and learn to lawyer online. Attorneys had to learn to navigate digital exhibits, meet with clients and colleagues over Zoom, sign documents remotely, and conduct trials completely online. I learned to navigate these developments, and while it was […]
Is Corporal Punishment Permitted in Arizona?
It seems that corporal punishment has fallen out of favor among parents as the preferred way to discipline children. If the stereotypical American “Simpsons” family has moved on from spanking, choking, or otherwise making physical contact with misbehaving children, then shouldn’t millennial parents who also grew up watching the show not also choose a different […]
The Impact of the Department of Child Safety’s Document Failure on Parents
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” set in the next two weeks after a review revealed thousands of documents were not made discoverable in more than 3,800 cases. […]
Back to School: The Consequences of Neglect in Flagstaff, Arizona
As we head back into the school year, it is an unfortunate truth that there will be an influx of child abuse and neglect allegations. Although summertime for children brings the promise of lazy afternoons at home, it also means that children are stuck at home with parents who might be abusing them without the […]
To Appeal or Not to Appeal
Advising a client after a trial ruling can feel like trying to close a barn door after the horse has bolted. Clients frequently come to me disappointed with a court ruling and wanting to know how they can get their case revisited by a higher court. As an appeals attorney in Arizona, my job often […]
Supreme Court to Revisit Gun Ownership and Domestic Violence Cases
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 the Fifth Circuit […]
Three Parent Birth Certificates: Extending Rights Beyond the Two-Parent Family
With a new generation of parents deciding to explore familial arrangements outside the traditional two-parent family, a multitude of issues relating to custody and caretakers have also emerged within the past decade. In California, a 2013 law allowed for more than two individuals to be recognized as parents of a child if they can establish […]
Mandatory Reporting Statutes – The Role of Teachers as Abusers & Abuse Reporters
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 activity occurring outside of their classrooms. […]
Applying Emancipation to Working Minors and “Kidfluencers”
Although the issue of emancipation versus parental involvement has evolved to include a new set of circumstances in the social media influencing space, the core issue is the same: If a minor can work in the same capacity as an adult, then how many adult freedoms are they entitled to outside of the workplace? With […]