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In re Gault (1967): Due Process for Juvenile Defendants

Maricopa County Old Courthouse juvenile rights exhibit

This piece was originally published in Maricopa Lawyer. [1] By Ryan T. McGuire and Markus Risinger On the 6th floor of the Maricopa County Old Courthouse, a museum display panel bears a striking inscription: “The Magna Carta for Juveniles.” Those were Justice Earl Warren’s words upon the release of Justice Abe Fortas’s majority opinion in […]

Rough Diaper Changes and Classic Metaphyseal Lesions

Rough Diaper Changes and Classic Metaphyseal Lesions - Woodnick Law legal services in Peoria

By Ryan T. McGuire In August 2024, an Indiana father, Tristan Dean Gerhardt, was charged after his six-month-old was found with fractures in all four limbs [1]. A skeletal survey revealed multiple fractures in both arms and legs. Oral injuries suggested something had been forced into the infant’s mouth. Treating physicians told investigators that most […]

The Triad of Abusive Head Trauma

The Triad of Abusive Head Trauma - DCS investigation defense in Peoria

By Ryan T. McGuire In October 2025, a Virginia man, La’Shaun Quintae Holloway, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his two-month-old baby [1]. The facts of the case were horrific. While the baby was in Holloway’s sole care, family members heard him over an Xbox headset yelling obscenities at the infant. Shortly […]

Will I Keep My House in My Divorce?

Will I Keep My House in My Divorce? - family law legal services in Gilbert

A house is often the most significant piece of property involved a divorce case. Commonly, people ask whether they can keep the house in the divorce. The answer is, “it depends.” Community Property Laws in Arizona: Arizona is a community property state, which means that married couples share in the assets acquired during the marriage. […]

A Court-Focused Perspective: The Benefits of a Second Opinion

A Court-Focused Perspective: The Benefits of a Second Opinion - Arizona law firm in Sedona

By Gregg Woodnick and Isabel Ranney  A term often thrown around when discussing family court matters is “high conflict litigation.” In general, family court can be traumatic and disputes involving the care of children all are emotionally draining.  But the term “high conflict” really should be reserved for cases that are (sadly) explosive. Frequently, these […]

Alternative Explanations for Purported Child Abuse

Alternative Explanations for Purported Child Abuse - child safety defense lawyer in Phoenix

A common joke among law students, especially for those like me with an undergrad degree in political science, is that we attended law school to avoid math and other topics like it. We certainly did not attend law school expecting to research medical conditions. But in my time working on cases involving allegations of child […]

To Catch A Predator: TikTok Edition

To Catch A Predator: TikTok Edition - criminal defense lawyer in Arizona in Sedona

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. […]

Grey Divorces in Arizona: What, Why, and How

Grey Divorces in Arizona: What, Why, and How - Arizona law firm in Peoria

You might know an older couple who is suddenly getting divorced after being married for decades and thought, “Why now?” These “grey divorces” happen. And increasingly so, according to research conducted earlier this year [1]. What Is a “Grey Divorce”? The “grey” in “grey divorcing” refers not to an ethical area, but rather to the […]

False Allegations of Child Abuse Can Happen to Anyone, Even Cardi B

False Allegations of Child Abuse Can Happen to Anyone, Even Cardi B - DCS investigation defense in Glendale

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, […]