Baby Veronica Case takes a Heartbreaking Twist

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When dealing with a family matter issue, you do not have to go at it alone. Give us a call and we can discuss the entire case during a comprehensive attorney consultation.

Let's Discuss Your Case - We're Here For You.

When dealing with a family matter issue, you do not have to go at it alone. Schedule your comprehensive attorney consultation now and we can discuss the entire case.

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 years – was ripped out of the arms of the only mother and father she had ever known. She was placed in the car of a man who was a stranger, and was driven away.

The adoptive parents appealed, and the decision was ultimately overturned. An appeals court ruled that the child must be returned to the adoptive parents. The father then appealed to the highest court in the land, the U.S. Supreme Court, which decided not to intervene. That meant the prior ruling would stand. It was final. The case was over.

Baby Veronica – who had by now lived with her biological father for more than a year, and had probably bonded with him – would have to be returned to her adoptive parents.

But that’s not the end of the story.

When the time came for the biological father to hand the child over, he was nowhere to be found. The Sheriff’s Office in Charleston, South Carolina issued a warrant for his arrest. On Monday, the father turned himself in. He was taken into custody and later released on a $10,000 bond.

Then, after his release, the father once again, disappeared — and Baby Veronica is missing.

Over the weekend, the father told CNN that he is willing to go to jail. “I’m going to fight till I have no fight left in me and till they say you can’t fight no more. This is my daughter. It’s not a yo-yo that I can just say, hey, I borrowed it for two years and here’s it back.”

The adoptive parents are grief-stricken. They recently gave this statement: “With every passing hour, we fear more and more for her safety and well-being. If anything should happen to our daughter while she’s being left in the hands of those who hold her captive from us, the responsibility will be shared by many.”

Meanwhile, Baby Veronica remains in the eye of the hurricane. She is the innocent victim here. This poor child has been bounced back and forth like a ping pong ball. Each time she has the chance to bond with an adult caregiver, she is yanked away and handed to someone else. By now, she may have developed emotional scars that could last a lifetime.

This is a stunning example of how children can fall through the cracks of the legal system. Father’s have rights. Mother’s have rights. Grandparents, and step-parents, and biological parents, and adoptive parents all have rights. But in the process of asserting those rights, sometimes the best interests of the child are forgotten. Sometimes, while the war is being waged in one courtroom after another, children like Baby Veronica are damaged. And when that happens, it affects us all.

Gary Frank, has been a courtroom litigator in the Family Law arena for over thirty years, and is a strong and committed advocate for his clients. In addition to being a litigation attorney, Mr. Frank has acted in the capacity of a Judge Pro Tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court. This has given him an understanding of the inner-workings of the court, and a unique perspective that most attorneys lack. He has also acted, for many years, as a professional mediator of Family Law disputes. We handle a full range of Family Law matters, including divorcecustody / legal decision-making, parenting-time, child support, spousal maintenance, division of property and assets, modification and enforcement actions, as well paternity/maternity cases, grandparent or non-parent custody and visitation actions, and relocation/move-away cases. If you are in need of a consultation regarding any area of Family Law, please do not hesitate to give our office a call today at 602-383-3610; or feel free to contact us through our web site at www.famlawaz.com; or by email at gary.frank@azbar.org. We’d be happy to help you.

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Family Law Client

I had a very legally and emotionally difficult case and was fortunate enough to have Mr. Frank’s legal assistance. Mr. Frank was extremely professional, reliable, and competent. He always kept me informed of my case, and he gave me great legal insights. His litigation expertise and easy disposition allowed me to be comfortable and less stressed considering the situation. Mr. Frank always treated me with respect and valued my input. I felt part of a collaborative effort rather than the usual attorney-client relationship. It was a pleasure working with Mr. Frank, and I would most definitely recommend him to my friends and family.

I would recommend your services to anyone!

I am very satisfied for all you have done for me throughout my divorce and custody cases. You listened to what was important to me and you made it your number-one priority. The safety of my children meant the world to me and you helped me keep them safe. You are excellent in the courtroom. Throughout all of my court cases and different issues with my ex-husband, you helped me stay calm and grounded. I believe in our justice system since I was lucky enough to have an amazing attorney. Mr Gary Frank, you were a godsend in many ways, and every time I look at my children and know they’re safe I thank God for finding such a great attorney. I would recommend your services to anyone! Thank you once again for all your hard work.

Francesca

I feel re-born!

“I can’t tell you how much I am now enjoying my life. It sounds crazy, but I feel re-born! Of course, I have my days, but they are fewer and fewer. I spend time with family and friends and for the first time in seven plus years, I feel alive and well. I will never be able to thank you enough for all your caring and encouragement throughout this extremely stressful and challenging time in my life. I could not have managed to get through it without your support.”

Noel

A Lawyer That Cares

I chose Hannah to represent me because I know she personally invest herself into each and every client. I could tell she really cared and was ready to fight for me. When I called to schedule for a consult, Hanna received the phone call, not some lawyer’s assistant or front desk person. She has gone above and beyond what was asked of her. She knows what she’s doing. Thank you so much Hanna!

Jonathan

Excellent Lawyer!!!

I was going through a family court case & did not have a lawyer. I needed help filling out paperwork & knowing what to do in court. Mr. Frank met with me on several occasions & helped with properly filling out all of my paperwork & informing me of the correct way to file it. He gave me his cell phone # & always returned my calls promptly.

DANA

Divorce Lawyer

Gary was recommended to me by a relative. I was in a long-term abusive marriage and had had enough and was ready to put an end to it. while being “ready” I was scared to death as I was someone with low self-esteem and so afraid of how my Ex would respond. Gary gave me the courage to stand up for myself and helped me work thru my insecurities so that I was able to testify in court and breath. He walked me through all the steps of what we were going to do so that I understood. he was always ready to answer any questions/concerns I had in a timely manner (and I had a lot). I have recommended Gary to several friends going thru a divorce and I will continue to do so. I can’t thank him enough for his help and what he has done for me.

Annette

When you need better than the best

It is all about passion. Whether you play baseball, run a bakery, or practice law, you will do it better if you have passion. Hanna has that passion. She helped guide me through my trying times during my divorce and custody case. Her impeccable professionalism, humanity, and understanding as well as being tough enough to get things done were beyond what I could ever hope for. I couldn’t ask for a better attorney than Hanna. She not only cared about me, she also cared about the well-being of my daughter. I would highly recommend her to anyone.

Susan

Angels

Gary and Hanna are the most amazing and compassionate attorneys in AZ. They go above and beyond and would highly recommend them to anyone! They work with you and actually care about the well being of your children vs. Money (unlike most others). I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for my own family. Angels.

Erin

Thanks From A Confident Dad

Gary, I see your LinkedIn posts every now and then and just wanted to send you a quick note.  Wow, the last 6 years have been a whirlwind.  I just want to thank you again for the support and guidance you provided to me 6 years ago.  It has made a monumental difference in my life. My son’s mother and I made the mutual decision to move (out of state) about a year and a half ago.  Ironically, we live in the same neighborhood now, we’ve got our parenting plan at about 50% time each, and we walk him to school.  We get along, and it honestly can’t be any better.  My son is now in 1st grade, and he has a brother who is a year and a half.  In the past 6 years, I’ve evolved from the scared, immature, insecure person who sat in your office to a confident father of two boys.  Your input and guidance had a lot to do with that, so, thank you.  I do miss Arizona – in due time, hopefully, I’ll be back.

Family Law Client

Successful Relocation Case

To say I am grateful would not be giving you guys enough credit. I am humbled to have found you and blessed beyond words.

Family Law Client

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I appreciate all of you and all that you have done on my behalf. Most of all, I appreciate all of your moral support and your faith in me and my intentions. I know in my heart that I chose the “Right Attorneys” to represent me. I am happy that I chose wisely and trusted my heart & my ‘gut instinct.’

Valerie

Very Honest

November 2009 I retained Mr. Frank for 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