Over 400 Expected at Arizona’s May 12 Hearing as Lawmakers Declare Family Court Crisis a National Emergency

ARIZONA JOINT LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON FAMILY COURT ORDERS

May 08, 2025

Top Row: Senator Mark Finchem, Rep. Lisa Fink, Rep, Rachel Keshel. Bottom Row: Senator Theresa Hatathalie, Senator Carine Werner, Rep. Aaron Marquez. Photo by Julie M. Anderson-Holburn.

Children's Civil Rights Lead Agenda

Arizona lawmakers are calling for national attention as the state’s family court crisis explodes into public view. Committee Chairman Mark Finchem announced that the second hearing of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders will take place Monday, May 12 at 9 a.m., inviting parents, children, and professionals to share testimony.

“The family court issues being brought forward are no longer recognized as just a statewide concern, but a nationwide crisis,” Finchem stated. With over 400 people expected to attend, the committee will investigate civil rights violations, misuse of court-appointed professionals, and systemic abuse, aiming to identify legislative solutions and give every affected voice the opportunity to be heard.

Join the Next Arizona Hearing – May 12, 2025

In person at: Arizona State Senate, 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix
Date: May 12, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Livestream: Available at azleg.gov or here.
Testimony requests: Open to survivors nationwide

May 7, 2025 Press Release: Children's Civil Rights Lead Agenda as Family Court Committee Continues at the Arizona Senate Next Monday

“The family court issues being brought forward are no longer recognized as just a statewide concern, but a nationwide crisis. Traumatized parents and children have inundated my phone and email accounts, begging to have their voices heard,” said Senator Finchem, who continued:

“We expect to see over 400 people at the upcoming hearing after the traumatic stories we've heard and evidence we've seen. At this committee, we will address concerns over children's civil rights being violated, unlicensed court-appointed medical 'professionals' infiltrating the system, and we will allow every voice to be heard. We're fully committed to exposing systemic abuse and ensuring a solution is put in motion to protect the best interests of children and their parents.”

On April 14, 2025, this reporter attended and reported on the historic first hearing of Arizona’s Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders (view hearing here). Survivors, advocates, and lawmakers came together in rare political unity to address what many of us have known for years: family courts are broken—and the consequences are devastating. Many were stunned by court appointees and judges who appeared to dismiss concerns, stating victims should “take it up with the appellate court.”

AZ AD HOC COMMITTEE ON FAMILY COURT ORDERS PRESS RELEASE. MAY 7, 2025.

April 15, 2025 Press Release – Committee on Family Court Orders Sheds Light on Stories of System Abuse, Devastating Consequences for Families

Following the April 14 Ad Hoc Committee hearing on family court orders, the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus issued a formal press release acknowledging the gravity of the testimony presented. The release confirms that systemic issues in Arizona’s family courts are causing measurable harm to families, particularly children, and calls for comprehensive reform.

“I have serious concerns that the civil rights of children are being violated. We will not allow these voices to go unheard any longer,” said Senator Mark Finchem.

“Real change needs to happen to the family courts in Arizona. We can't take a problem that is this big and give it a simple solution. It was made clear today by those who spoke of their experience, the system is breaking families, and the role of certain court professionals needs to be evaluated.

“I was appalled when the only person who testified in favor of court-ordered TI, Kristyn Alcott, a frequent court-appointed ‘therapeutic parenting time supervisor,’ said in essence, the court can order whatever they would like, that is why we have a court of appeals.

“A judge cannot order whatever they would like. They are required to uphold the rule of law. Over the course of four additional committee hearings, we will work on solutions to safeguard families and hold bad actors accountable for any self-serving unreasonable practices.”

“As a legislator and a mother, I can’t stay silent while Arizona families are being torn apart behind closed courtroom doors,” said Representative Rachel Keshel.

“What we heard in the committee was heartbreaking—but not surprising. Parents are being silenced, children are being traumatized, and the people responsible hide behind the bench or a therapy license. We have a duty to expose this abuse and fix a system that no longer serves the best interests of the child.”

Key Takeaways:

Lawmakers are investigating whether children’s civil rights are being violated through court practices
Specific concern was raised over court-appointed therapeutic interventions (TIs), which are often used as tools of coercion
Positions and titles vary state to state, but the issue transcends individual names: court-appointed professionals—including minors' counsel, therapists, reunification and reintegration therapists, transporters, custody evaluators, family court services mediators, and CCI investigators, as well as commissioners and judges themselves—are too often complicit in or directly responsible for systemic abuse
The committee plans four additional hearings to gather testimony and develop actionable reforms
Lawmakers forcefully rejected the argument that judges have unlimited authority simply because an appellate court exists to reverse them

Now, as of May 7, a follow-up press release confirms what many of us have long argued: family court abuse is not just a local or state issue—it is a national crisis.

With over 400 people expected to attend the next hearing on May 12, 2025, Arizona is leading where most states have failed: by listening to the victims.

The Crisis Doesn’t Stop at the Arizona Border

As a journalist who has spent years documenting abuses in California’s family courts, I can say with certainty that what was heard in Phoenix on April 14 is happening coast to coast. The same misconduct, the same silencing of survivors, the same systemic failures—especially in Orange County.

Arizona witnesses described:

Therapeutic interventions being used as tools of coercion
Judges ordering expensive, long-term therapy under threat of custody loss
Children removed from protective parents without findings of unfitness
The family court system functioning as a “pay-to-parent” scheme

California's Warning Signs

A Reporter’s Ground-Level View

The Tar Nolan Case
In Orange County, quadriplegic mother Taran Nolan was silenced, discredited, and isolated after exposing abuse. Despite overwhelming witness testimony and evidence of manipulation and neglect by her ex-husband, Judge Kimberly Carasso issued a retaliatory five-year restraining order against her—and not the accused abuser. Even my reporting on her case triggered backlash from the bench itself.

The Stephanie Mackey Case

In California, Stephany Mackey's experience underscores the systemic challenges within the family court system. Despite her efforts to advocate for her child's safety and well-being, Mackey faced significant obstacles, including questionable decisions by court-appointed mediators and a lack of accountability within the system. Her case exemplifies how the current family court structure can fail to protect the very individuals it is meant to serve, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reform.

The Mogavero Case
A father now criminally charged with five felony counts of molestation continued to have access to his child through family court decisions, even after years of reports to CPS, law enforcement and therapists. It wasn’t until 2024—that criminal charges were filed.

Jessica St. Clair Series
My investigative series uncovered that court-appointed therapist Jessica St. Clair misrepresented her credentials, manipulated families, and played a central role in at least seven family law cases where safe parents lost custody or were financially extorted. Despite serious ethical and legal red flags, the court system continued to rely on her services—without oversight.

HB 2256 Originally parenting time hearings; testimony; prohibition NOW: domestic proceedings; therapeutic intervention; prohibition

Arizona’s Legislative Courage Signals a National Turning Point

What Arizona lawmakers are doing is unprecedented: creating a platform for public testimony, acknowledging the credibility of survivors, and taking legislative action to curb judicial overreach.

HB 2256—now gaining bipartisan support—was originally two separate bills: HB 2255 (focused on qualifying experts) and HB 2256 (prohibiting unscientific terminology). These have since been consolidated into a single “strike-everything” bill under A.R.S. § 25-419, introduced by Senator Mark Finchem and originally sponsored by Reps. Rachel Keshel, Lisa Fink, and John Gillette.

This bill adds Section 25-419 to Arizona’s family law statutes and establishes clear limits on court-ordered therapeutic interventions and the use of expert testimony in legal decision-making and parenting time cases. It prohibits courts from ordering a parent to pay for therapeutic intervention without their consent and sets strict qualification standards for expert witnesses, requiring evidence-based practice and professional licensing compliance.

The bill was delivered to Governor Katie Hobbs on May 6, 2025.

Its passage would mark a significant legislative response to growing national outrage over unregulated court actors, discredited therapy models, and judicial impunity. With over 400 people expected to attend the next Ad Hoc Committee hearing on May 12, it is clear that families across the country are demanding accountability and reform.

This Isn’t Just a “Family Court” Issue—It’s a Civil Rights Issue

What’s happening in courtrooms like those in Orange County and Phoenix isn't just legal negligence—it’s constitutional abuse:

Due Process violations (14th Amendment)
ADA violations (Title II)
First Amendment retaliation
Color of law violations (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
Perjury and fraud upon the court

Appeals are not a remedy for these failures. As I’ve written before: “Appeals are not a cure for a corrupted courtroom. Accountability must start where injustice begins—at the trial court level.”

Final Word
Whether it’s a mother in California or a father in Arizona, whether it’s a reporter like me or a child like Sophia, we all want the same thing: safety, truth, and justice.

Arizona is listening—loudly. The rest of the nation must now do the same.

Meanwhile, what are California legislators and authorities doing about this same crisis?

Julie M. Anderson-Holburn is a California-based investigative journalist reporting on family court corruption, judicial abuse, and systemic failures. Her work has appeared in NewsBreak, Substack, the Center for Judicial Excellence, and National Safe Parents. She believes that exposing the truth is the first step to reform.

Related coverage from California and Arizona:

Brandy Hopkins

May 11

This exact thing is happening to my best friend in Lewis County, WA. 4 years, $300,000. Judge strophy, Forest Whitaker (petitioner's attorney),CPS, All have the authority to stop what's happening but insist on aiding in this tragedy. contempt after contempt, 4 recusals and we will now be going for the 5th and a discharge from the case for the attorney. especially after reading this. we will be on tomorrow. she is pro se. lost her trial and was denied her right to present her case or call witnesses. This is a man who was already found to be dishonest and found to have committed perjury to the court, he was court ordered to take evaluations, supervised visitation, etc... he did nothing. as soon as the judge retired he filed a petition to modify with no actual basis and was granted the motion to modify and he was going for full custody. she makes $1000-1200 a paycheck and was court ordered to pay $800 a month in CS, $1300 a month for daycare, plus cost of medical for her. she also has to pay for her visitations $100 pervist and has to drive an hr and a half to get there. We suspect some sort of abuse and have called the proper authorities, hospitals, police officers have all called cps. cps just finds it unfounded..this needs to stop all over the country. #everychildmatters #lillyamorosoVSfamilycourtfraud #bringlillyhome

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