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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. […]

Adoption, Visitation, and Undoing Sheets v. Mead

When construing a statue, judges can be quick to shift responsibility to the legislative branch. Many litigators have heard from the bench that their argument is with the Legislature, not the Court. This oft-heard statement exemplifies the legal fiction that the Legislature is aware of how our appellate courts construe their statutes and will make […]

Is it Me or is Everyone Talking About Parental Alienation?

Things do not just “trend” in fashion or TikTok. They happen in courtrooms too. In the 1980s, the era of unlocking repressed memory had people suddenly remembering childhood traumas at a scientifically unsupportable rate, and with significant consequences. In the 1990s, guided imagery led to even more “recollections” of memories, and, in the past few decades, […]

Revisiting Dentists and Divorce

The chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused legal professionals to revisit some of what we thought were constants in the divorce world, one of those being that medical professionals had “guaranteed” income. For many professionals, their practices came to a halt in the midst of the global pandemic. Radiologists had fewer images to review, […]

Co-owning a Business with Your Ex

Going through a divorce is difficult in every way, but things can get especially difficult and complicated when you own a business with your spouse. There are three main avenues that people may take regarding the community business: buying out the other spouse, selling the business, and continuing to own the business together.  Before going […]

Do You Handle High Net Worth Divorces?

By: Leslie A. Satterlee & Gregg R. Woodnick You would be surprised how often I hear this question.  I hear it during formal consultations in our office and often in passing sitting at the bleachers while making small talk with parents on one of my kids’ sports teams. I used to just say “yes” or […]

The Misnomer of Web-Valuators: Utilizing Experts to Resolve Vehicle Value Disputes in Divorce

There is roughly one vehicle for every two Americans. The ubiquity of vehicles makes it difficult to imagine a divorce that doesn’t involve a vehicle. Regardless of whether the vehicle is a Honda Odyssey minivan or a vintage Packard that is part of an extensive car collection, utilizing a sound valuation methodology is crucial to both promote settlement and, if necessary, present compelling facts to the court.

Flippin’ Divorce

You and your husband were smitten by the success of Tarek and Christina from HGTV’s Flip or Flop. Following their lead and a strong rebound in the real estate market, you started buying houses to sell. You quit…

Why you Should Consider a Post-Nup

Two weeks ago, six men were arrested by Scottsdale police after an undercover prostitution sting. According to court documents, the Scottsdale police placed “escort” ads on backpage.com and other websites, and the men responded looking for sex with underage girls. The men arrived at the place they believed to be meeting the girls and were arrested by police, who had set up an operation at the nearby Scottsdale airport.  The “escorts” were, in fact, undercover police officers or actresses pretending to be below the age of majority.

Forgetting Something? The Forgotten Assets of Divorce

Most people going through a divorce know that they will need to divide their assets and debts accumulated during their marriage.  Most people likely also understand that this can include the house they are living in, the bank account they use to pay their bills, the pots and pans in the kitchen, and that joint credit card.  But, it is important to know that the community may include many other nuanced and not-so-obvious assets and debts.