The Carve-Out Nobody Applied
Karyann Parkinson faced legal repercussions after allowing her five-year-old son to walk alone in their gated community, despite Virginia's 2023 "Reasonable Childhood Independence" law designed to protect such independence. The case highlights the law's…
Prepare Yourself to Speak
In Virginia's courtrooms, unaccompanied children often represent themselves due to a lack of legal counsel, especially highlighted after a federal contract lapsed, increasing their vulnerability in immigration and family courts. Both systems inadequately…
Same States, Two Standards: The Custody Enforcement Gap Guardianship Reform Exposed
The article compares how different states address custody enforcement for children when a parent faces immigration-related detainment or deportation. Some states, like D.C. and California, allow immediate guardianship without judicial oversight, while…