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Grey Divorces in Arizona: What, Why, and How

You might know an older couple who is suddenly getting divorced after being married for decades and thought, “Why now?” These “grey divorces” happen. And increasingly so, according to research conducted earlier this year [1]. What Is a “Grey Divorce”? The “grey” in “grey divorcing” refers not to an ethical area, but rather to the […]

False Allegations of Child Abuse Can Happen to Anyone, Even Cardi B

Recently, someone called Child Protection Services on Cardi B in the middle of the night. The caller claimed that Cardi B was physically abusing her children. The rapper has had pranks pulled on her in the past (e.g. food deliveries she never ordered), but she draws the line at “pranks” affecting her children. In turn, […]

Help! My Ex Falsely Accused Me of Child Abuse!

False allegations of child abuse from former partners are a reality. Sometimes, they are retaliatory to damage the other parent’s credibility or reputation. This (highly unethical) strategy is used to gain leverage over the other person or to induce the court to change parenting orders. These reports may also be done after a decree has […]

How Public is a Family Court Proceeding?

Whether it is true crime stories or high-profile celebrity divorces, it goes without saying that a significant amount of popular content revolves around courtroom drama. The constant exposure to dramatized legal proceedings may lead to an inaccurate idea of how these processes actually work. This exposure can also contribute to the fear that everyday court […]

In the News: Lack of Discovery Revealed in Thousands of DCS Cases

On August 21, 2023, a letter from the Division Chief Counsel representing the Department of Child Safety (DCS) went out to all Presiding Judges across the state of Arizona. The letter requested that they “suspend any trials and severance proceedings” set in the next two weeks due to a review that revealed thousands of documents […]

Buzzfeed News Consults Woodnick Law Attorney

On April 27, 2022, Buzzfeed News published an article on child abuse registries and how they disproportionately affect people of color. While researching for his article, Buzzfeed reporter Scott Pham consulted with numerous attorneys, including Woodnick Law’s own Markus Risinger. Of note, Scott Pham did a thorough analysis after collecting data about central registries, which […]