602.449.7980 
1747 E Morten Ave #205 Phoenix AZ 85020
The Safety Net Has a Hole: What Arizona’s New Mandatory Reporting Overhaul Means for Educators
By Brad TenBrook As a criminal defense attorney who handles child abuse and failure-to-report cases in Arizona, I have spent years watching the intersection of good intentions and bad legislation. A recent law passed in 2025, Senate Bill 1437, fundamentally changed the stakes for Arizona educators by amending the mandatory reporting (A.R.S. § 13-3620) and […]
A DCS Investigation Can Happen to Anyone (Even a Former Cabinet Secretary)
When most people picture a family on the receiving end of a child welfare investigation, they don’t picture someone like Pete Buttigieg. Someone with the nickname “Mayor Pete” has created a public image of a happy, healthy family life. But this past week, the former U.S. Transportation Secretary revealed that his home was visited by […]
Remembering Dr. Henry Kempe
Child abuse was not always criminalized. The United States did not prosecute a case until 1874. There, Mary Ellen Wilson was an adopted orphan whose mistreatment was discovered by her neighbors when she was nine years old. Because of her emaciated appearance, the neighbors thought she was five years old. Authorities soon discovered that Mary […]
To Catch A Predator: TikTok Edition
Everyone knows Chris Hansen’s show, To Catch A Predator. He was praised for exposing pedophiles to the world by posing online as underage girls that the pedophiles attempted to meet in-person, collecting evidence against the perpetrators just like law enforcement. But now, teenagers inspired by Hansen are exacting their own form of retribution against purported pedophiles. […]
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, […]
How Public Is a Registry Substantiation?
While we have previously discussed the extent of publicity in a family court proceeding, it is important to note that registry cases are an entirely different area of law. Consequently, different rules apply to the findings, processes, and disclosure obligations, including the rules governing publication of registry findings and records from the administrative proceedings. A […]
Understanding Arizona’s Juvenile Emancipation Statutes
What motivates a child to become an emancipated minor? The most common example that comes to mind is probably the child actor or performer with substantial assets, hoping to break away from parental interference. However, seeking emancipation does not guarantee clear-cut results, as parents still have a right to fight against the idea that their […]
Fast-Tracked Termination: What is Happening in Arizona
Once a child is born, its parents are endowed with a “fundamental right to parent.” This means that like other fundamental rights (e.g. right to privacy, right to marry), there is a higher scrutiny placed on any attempts to interfere with that right and the presumption is that the right will remain intact. However, according […]