child safety – woodnicklaw.com

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 […]

Faith, Homeschooling, and the Impact on Families

By Mallory Scott The ability to freely worship is one of the fundamental aspects of the American national identity. However, a fine line exists between enthusiastic practice and severe overcommitment to a religion that may eventually become dangerous behavior. Adults can choose how, when, and which faction of faith to practice, but the children in […]

Understanding Arizona’s Juvenile Emancipation Statutes

By Brad TenBrook and Mallory Scott 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 […]

Applying Emancipation to Working Minors and “Kidfluencers”

By Mallory Scott 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 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 […]

So DCS has invited you to a Team Decision-Making Meeting (TDM): Now what?

By Deandra Arena and Isabel Ranney In the grand scheme of nearly indecipherable acronyms in child welfare investigations, one particular abbreviation stands out as being part of nearly every case but nonetheless being misunderstood by most parents. The “TDM,” or “team decision-making meeting,” is an important step in the resolution of child welfare investigations that […]