Although my law practice sometimes takes me
throughout Utah, my home and office are located in St. George. Thus, most of my
practice occurs in southern Utah. I am one of four attorneys who contract with
Washington County to represent indigent parties in the two juvenile courts.
What I love about parental defense work is making
a positive difference. It’s evident in the vast majority of cases in which I
have participated that my advocacy and counsel yielded a better outcome for the
parent than had the parent appeared without an attorney. The taxpayer benefits
from resisted and reduced state interventions as well.
In a recent matter, I was directed by the court to
appear at an expedited shelter hearing. (I had anticipated a quick hearing that
early afternoon, so I delayed having lunch.) Three-and-a-half hours after my
appointment to represent the parent, the judge ordered that the newborn child
be returned to the parent’s custody, over the objection of both the AAG and
GAL. The scenario reminded me of this stanza from a Paul
Simon tune:
No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Practice tip/trick:
The Utah
Administrative Office of the Courts makes XChange available to parental
defenders for searches performed in connection with contracted duties at no
charge. Although C.A.R.E. is helpful, XChange hosts
probable cause statements and other useful pleadings that can shed light on a
client’s or related party’s companion matter(s). Greenfiling
also offers a reduced rate to parental defenders for its unlimited e-filing
service. 
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