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Faith, Homeschooling, and the Impact on Families
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 their households will […]
Three Parent Birth Certificates: Extending Rights Beyond the Two-Parent Family
With a new generation of parents deciding to explore familial arrangements outside the traditional two-parent family, a multitude of issues relating to custody and caretakers have also emerged within the past decade. In California, a 2013 law allowed for more than two individuals to be recognized as parents of a child if they can establish […]
Mandatory Reporting Statutes – The Role of Teachers as Abusers & Abuse Reporters
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 activity occurring outside of their classrooms. […]
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 […]
Applying Emancipation to Working Minors and “Kidfluencers”
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 workplace? With […]
Munchausen Syndrome in the Digital Age
Recently, there was an article in the national news titled: “What Could Lead to a Mother Catfishing Her Own Daughter?” Missing from this intriguing headline was the complex psychological framework surrounding the incident referenced, wherein a Michigan mother was charged for her role in a cyber version of Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP), known as […]
Knapp: How Private Attorneys Can Help Public Defenders
You just have to watch a few Law and Order: SVU episodes to know the that when someone is arrested, they are read Miranda warnings. While the 100 words in Miranda are all valuable, “the right to an attorney” and that, “if you cannot afford one, one will be provided to you” is of particular […]
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 […]
Bypass: The Future of Abortion Access for One of the Most Vulnerable Populations
Gregg Woodnick: I was in the earlier stages of my legal career when I represented minors seeking an abortion through the judicial bypass statute. My job was to meet these young women briefly prior to their appearance before the judge in the small room at the Courthouse just outside the court room. Often, I knew […]
A Position of Trust III: When Members of the Clergy Fail to Report Child Abuse
The conversation between an individual and a member of the Clergy during a spiritual confession is sacrosanct. It is a time when the person confessing should feel that they can speak freely, without fear of reprisal. This act of confession is so valued that Arizona law permits members of the Clergy, who are statutorily mandated […]