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IS ARIZONA’S NEW “CUSTODY” LAW HURTING CHILDREN?
During the past year, Arizona Family Law statutes were revised. Some legal experts believe the changes reflect a trend in Arizona, and in many other states, to use 50/50 decision-making and parenting-time as a starting point in assessing the parenting arrangement. In Arizona, the new revisions removed the word "custody" from the Family Law statutes entirely, and replaced it with the terms "legal decision-making" and "parenting time." Other significant revisions to the law were made, as well....
HOW TO USE AN ATTORNEY AS A CONSULTANT, AND SAVE MONEY
It is true that a lawyer can provide useful legal advice, helpful guidance, and strong representation for anyone involved in a Family Law case, However, not everyone chooses to retain an attorney -- and not everyone can afford one. Fortunately, there are a number of options for obtaining the services of an attorney, and some of those options are very affordable. One of the most effective, and least expensive, ways to utilize an attorney is to use him or her as a consultant on an as-needed...
ARIZONA’S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN WILL BE CHALLENGED IN FEDERAL COURT
As Boomers age and a new generation takes over, public perception of Gay Marriage has undergone a massive change. Today, the gender equality movement is gaining ground and picking up speed. Same-sex marriage has now been legalized in seventeen states, and that number is growing. Federal courts have thrown out Gay Marriage bans in California, Virginia, and Kentucky; and, according to the Arizona Republic, "there are (currently) more than two dozen lawsuits challenging restrictions on marriage...
WHO CARES HOW I DRESS FOR COURT? — WELL . . . MAYBE THE JUDGE.
A person came into my office the other day for a "second opinion." And he asked me this: "My attorney advised me that for my custody trial next month, I should cut my hair, trim my beard, and trade my T-shirt and jeans for a nice shirt and slacks. I find that advice insulting. I’m a good guy and a good parent, so why should it matter?" Here was the answer I gave him: "I believe you, and I would accept you just the way you are. On the other hand, I’m not the one holding your fate in his...
TEN TIPS FOR SURVIVING YOUR DIVORCE — AND THRIVING
This year is coming to a close. If you are in the middle of a divorce – or if you are getting ready to go through one – the next twelve months could be tough. So, here are some simple guidelines to make the journey less difficult. 1. Keep your children out of the middle of your dispute Research shows that children of divorce can grow up to be happy, well-adjusted adults. However, the research also shows that children of high-conflict divorces can develop emotional problems that last a...
COTTONWOOD JUMPS ON THE BANDWAGON — AND THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME
What do Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Sedona, Jerome, Bisbee, and Tucson have in common? They have all approved "Civil Unions." A wave of tolerance is sweeping over our state - and it will continue spreading until marriage equality becomes a reality, not only in Arizona but throughout our country.https://www.kjzz.org/2013-12-18/content-13545-cottonwood-approves-civil-unions The Law Office of Gary J. Frank has been a fixture in the Biltmore area of Phoenix, Arizona for over thirty years. Gary Frank...
I WITNESSED THE MURDER OF JFK’s ASSASSIN
On November 22, 1963, I was sitting in my fifth-grade classroom in Phoenix, Arizona when a voice came on the intercom informing us that President John F. Kennedy had been shot. The children sat in stunned, frightened silence at the news. Some began to cry. Some became panicky. I remember turning to my best friend, Steve. Tears were streaming down his face. I stood up, walked over to the window, and looked out. The scene may have been the same one I witnessed every day but now our President was...
YOU CAN OBTAIN A DIVORCE WITHOUT EVER STEPPING FOOT IN A COURTROOM
For many people, the scariest part of getting a divorce is having to walk into court and appear before a judge. But did you know that there is a way to obtain a divorce without ever stepping foot in a courtroom? It’s true. When I began practicing law, it was impossible to obtain a divorce without at least one party appearing in court and providing testimony. Even when a couple had reached an agreement on all their issues, one of them was required to appear before a judge and testify under...
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN’T AFFORD A FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY, YOU’RE PROBABLY WRONG
If you think you can’t afford a Family Law Attorney, you’re probably wrong. Consider what’s at stake: Your children. Your assets. Your future. Placing these important matters in the hands of an experienced professional, rather than taking a do-it-yourself approach, is likely to pay dividends. While it is true that contested divorce and/or custody cases can become expensive, there are strategies you can utilize which are designed to maximize the odds of a favorable outcome, while minimizing the...
DON’T LET FEAR AND ANGER DERAIL YOU
My job as a family law attorney is to try to help people get through the worst time in their lives. Their most personal relationship is crumbling - the one they thought would last forever. They are afraid for their children. They are forced to divide assets that they may have slaved their lives away to accumulate. They fear what the future might look like and wonder how they will survive. Their whole world is being torn apart. They feel powerless. In difficult times it is easy for us to get...
BABY VERONICA CASE TAKES A HEARTBREAKING TWIST
I have written several times over the past year about the Baby Veronica case. As an infant, little Veronica was given up for adoption by her birth mother after it appeared that the father had abandoned her. However, the father. who was part Native American, later asserted his custodial rights under the Indian Child Welfare Act. In 2011, a South Carolina family court judge ruled in favor of the father. As a result, the child - who had now lived with her adoptive family for almost all of her two...
Our Changing World – A Victory for Tolerance
Working mothers. Stay-at-home dads. Gay marriage. Single-parent adoption. Interracial marriage. Interfaith marriage. Blended families . . . Our world, and the very concept of "Family," is changing in ways that our grandparents never could have imagined. And it is changing for the better. It is a victory for freedom. A victory for tolerance. We live in the only society in human history where something like this could be possible. The Law Office of Gary J. Frank has been a fixture in the...
DWAYNE WADE IS LEARNING ABOUT FATHERHOOD – JUST LIKE YOU
Today is Father’s Day. So, here is a story about a father. Someone who loves his children, just like you love your children. Someone who wakes up every day and works hard to be a better dad, just like you do . . . Dwayne Wade is a basketball legend. He’s a fierce competitor who has been criticized for complaining when a referee makes a call he doesn’t like. It never bothered him that his every move on and off the basketball court is dissected by critics, and emulated by children who look up to...
HERE ARE THE NEWEST STATISTICS ON COHABITATION IN THE U.S.
Couples moving in and living together, outside of marriage, was once frowned upon in our society. Now it is commonplace, and the stigma is long gone. For some, cohabitation is a stepping-stone to marriage. For others, it is an alternative to marriage. The Center for Disease Control recently published a report on Cohabitation in America, chock-full of interesting statistics. I have included parts of that report below. NATIONAL HEALTH STATISTICS REPORT April 4, 2013 “The current report presents...
WHY IS STEVE NASH TRYING TO STOP HIS EX-WIFE FROM MOVING WITH THE CHILDREN?
At first, it sounds like a typical “Relocation” battle: A father is asking the Court to prevent his ex-wife from moving out of Arizona with the children. But this is not a typical Relocation case. This one involves basketball superstar, Steve Nash. And he isn’t trying to stop his ex-wife from moving the children further away from him – He’s trying to prevent her from moving them to Los Angeles, where he lives! Nash wants the judge to prevent the mother of his children from moving the...
Ratings and Reviews
Client Reviews
Very honest
November 2009 I retained Mr. Frank almost two years to represent me in a visitation modification filed by my ex-husband. Mr. Frank quickly and efficiently became familiar with my case and was very honest about all the potential results that could occur. I truly feel that Mr. Frank had my children’s best interests in mind…
– Judy K