Category Archives: Gregg R. Woodnick
Supreme Court Hears Key Adoption Case for Arizona
The U.S. Supreme Court heard an important adoption case on April 16. The case, captioned Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, involves complex issues of sovereignty and statutory construction, to say nothing of the high stakes element of a little girl’s … Continue reading
False Imprisonment Claim Yields $70,000 Settlement in New Mexico
ABC News reports that a New Mexico man agreed to a $70,000 settlement with the county whose officials arrested and wrongfully imprisoned him for several days in 2009. Anthony Ortiz was arrested because a clerk entered his Social Security number … Continue reading
The Importance of Expert Witnesses
If the Jodi Arias trial illustrates anything to the legal community (note: it probably illustrates a lot of things), it is the importance of expert witness testimony in the contemporary trial setting. Forensic psychologist Richard Samuels told jurors that Jodi … Continue reading
Arizona DUI Laws and Medical Marijuana
In Washington, marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational uses. As a result of its voters legalizing the substance, the state is now undertaking the task of adopting new standards for regulating marijuana. Washington decided to propose a standard … Continue reading
Regulatory Issues in Arizona Residential Treatment Centers
On February 19, The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com published its third entry in a multi-part investigative report into Arizona’s regulation of residential treatment centers for at-risk youth. Reporters launched the investigation last year in order to determine whether Arizona is meeting its … Continue reading
Outcry Over Russian Adoptee’s Texas Death
On February 18, CNN reported that Russian officials are outraged after the death of Max Shatto, a Russian boy living with his adoptive family in Texas. Texas Child Protective Services is investigating the boy’s death, citing the suspiciousness of his … Continue reading
Suspected Non-accidental Trauma: Femoral Shaft Fractures
Imagine the following: You are the parent of two boys, ages 12 and 2. Your children get along well – the 12-year-old recently helped you wean the little one off of bottles and takes pride in teaching his brother new … Continue reading
Should I Testify in My Own Defense?
Should I testify in my own defense? In every criminal trial, the defendant must grapple with this question. An Arizona criminal defense attorney advising on the issue could consider a virtually unlimited number of strategies and concerns when responding to … Continue reading
Munchausen by Proxy Allegations in Arizona
Allegations of child abuse can come from a number of sources. Teachers, caretakers, physicians, and some other professionals are required to report their suspicions of abuse due to Arizona’s “mandatory reporting” statute (A.R.S. § 13-3620), leading to CPS investigations in … Continue reading
7-year-old Bronx Boy Interrogated for 10 Hours
Per ABC News, Wilson Reyes, a 7-year-old Bronx boy, made national headlines this morning. Frances Menzes, the boy’s mother, alleges that the NYPD detained Wilson on Dec. 4 near his school, handcuffs and all, held him for four hours there, … Continue reading
