The Doubt Nobody Defined
The public debate over Lindsay Clancy has focused on guilt, sympathy and postpartum mental illness. But the jury’s deadlock appears to have turned on something narrower: whether one juror was properly applying the court’s reasonable-doubt…
The Warrant Nobody Checked
A forged custody order almost led to a child being taken from Maryland. St. Mary's County deputies recognized irregularities in the document and called the issuing court, discovering that it was fake. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in interstate…
The Child Gets a Microphone. Who Controls the Room?
New Jersey's revised custody statute, under Kayden's Law, emphasizes children's expressed preferences in custody arrangements and mandates judicial documentation when such preferences are overlooked. However, it does not guarantee that children will be…
The Order Nobody Signs For: How Protective-Order Extensions Can Outrun Service
Temporary protective orders serve as a critical bridge between emergency situations and formal hearings, relying heavily on the effective service of process. When service fails, respondents may be unable to contest orders, leading to potential injustice.…
The Credibility Gate: What Kyra’s Law Actually Does — and the Provision Nobody Is Covering
Kyra's Law has been framed as either a landmark child safety bill or an invitation to false allegations. The legislation is more complicated than either narrative. Hidden inside is a major expansion of appellate rights for parents facing temporary…
She Wants Her Name Out of the Story. The First Amendment Has Something to Say About That.
Michael Phillips responds to Christina Avgerinos's demands to remove her and their son's names from his writings. He argues that such requests lack legal authority under First Amendment protections and highlights the broader implications for parental…
The Treaty That Rewards the Kidnapper
Justice Sotomayor's dissent in Castro v. Guevara highlights concerns about the court's handling of "well-settled" determinations in Hague Convention cases. The case involved a Venezuelan mother taking her daughter without consent, raising questions about…