child abuse – woodnicklaw.com

In the Media: “May December” and the Revival of Mary Kay Letourneau

By Isabel Ranney This year has been marred with what appears to be an increase in teachers facing allegations and charges for inappropriate conduct with their students. Particularly, female teachers having sexually inappropriate relationships with their students feels to be more prominent in the media. As recent as September of 2023, a former female high […]

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” […]

Back to School: The Consequences of Neglect in Flagstaff, Arizona

By Isabel Ranney 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A Position of Trust: Teachers Accused of Sexual Misconduct with Students

By Sabra Barnett and Isabel Ranney Due to their close proximity to students, teachers and school personnel are often the first line of defense when it comes to identifying signs of child abuse and they are often blamed for failing to detect abuse sooner. Teachers are expected to act as detectives – to notice and […]

Putting Maury Povich Out of Business: The Economics, Science, and Efficiency of Maternal Blood Testing

Originally published in the Spring 2022 AZ Family Law Newsletter. By Gregg Woodnick and Isabel Ranney Paternity drama has plagued humankind for years. There is lore amongst evolutionary biologists that babies look more like their fathers because maternity is clear, but paternity is in doubt. Perhaps this has no roots in truth, but it is […]

Preventable: The Legal Consequences When a Child Accesses a Gun in Arizona

By Isabel Ranney It started with a loud popping noise. Marie rushed into the bedroom and found Reggie lying on the ground, blood pooling around him. Her two-year-old son stood nearby; a gun clutched in his hand. She immediately called 911 and began administering CPR while she waited for first responders to arrive. Reggie would […]

Allegations of Abuse Against Parents with Transgender Children in Arizona

By Isabel Ranney Imagine you are in the middle of a contentious divorce with your soon to be ex. You have one child in common—an eleven-year-old named Sam—who was born biologically male but has expressed a desire to wear dresses and be referred to using she/her pronouns. Sam’s preferences were a major factor in the […]

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 […]