A tougher tack on parents with drug issues cuts against Arizona’s family-first focus; ‘problematic’ from a legal standpoint, says Kaine Fisher Rose Law Group Partner, Director of Family Law Dept.

By Mary Jo Pitzl | The Republic The state could be at a crossroads, or cross-purposes, when it comes to dealing with children in families dealing with drug addiction. Over the past six months, state policies have pivoted to a more compassionate approach toward people with addiction issues. But a proposal at the state Legislature would put strict timeframes on …

Embryos in divorce dispute at center of Arizona Senate bill; expect ‘ferocious’ debate, says Kaine Fisher, Rose Law Group partner, director Family Health Dept.

By Ben Giles | Arizona Capitol Times A legislative effort to resolve disagreements over frozen embryos in the midst of divorce would strip away a couple’s right to choose whether to be mothers or fathers, infertility experts warn. Contracts currently determine what happens when genetic parents disagree over what to do with their frozen embryos. Couples sign agreements with fertility …

Photo of baby’s butt child porno? No, and ‘unbelievable,’ says Rose Law Group Partner and Director of Family Law, Kaine Fisher

By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services A federal appeals court has given new legal protections for parents whose only “offense” is taking pictures of their babies’ butts. In an often strongly worded opinion, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said there is evidence that two Arizona child welfare workers violated the rights of a couple by …

The other mom fights for child custody from same-sex former partner; Audra Petrolle, Rose Law Group Family Law attorney, comments on the case

By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times Saying biology matters, an Arizona woman is making a last-ditch effort to keep from being forced to share custody of her child with her former wife. Keith Berkshire, attorney for Kimberly McLaughlin, is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn last year’s ruling by Arizona’s high court, which concluded …

The new tax law provision. As it applies to family law; Kaine Fisher, Rose Law Group Partner and Director of Family Law, comments

Rose Law Group Reporter For taxpayers who sign divorce agreements after December 31, 2018, alimony will no longer be deductible by the payor or taxable to the recipient. For existing agreements that are modified after that date, the parties may expressly choose to adopt this new rule. If they do not, alimony on agreements entered into before December 31, 2018, …

Men feeling they are being shortchanged leads to shared parenting laws; Kaine Fisher, director Family Law Dept., comments

By Michael Alison Chandler | The Washington Post The every-other-weekend dad, born from two generations of soaring divorce rates, was once a conventional part of American culture. In recent years, more couples have been agreeing to parent after divorce as they did in marriage: collaboratively. Now lawmakers are accelerating this trend toward co-parenting, with legislatures in more than 20 states …

Rose Law Group 2018 Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars: Kaine Fisher, Laura Bianchi, Sam Doncaster and Logan Elia

Four of Rose Law Group’s own were recently recognized as 2018 Super Lawyers Southwest Rising Stars. Congratulations! Kaine Fisher, Partner and Director of Family Law Laura Bianchi, Partner and Director of Cannabis, Business/Corporate Transactions and Estate Planning Departments Sam Doncaster, Litigation Attorney focusing on business and real estate litigation Logan Elia, Litigation Attorney focusing on business litigation, cyber law, and …

Divorce penalty? Tax reform could shrink alimony for ex-spouses; could cause different advice in divorce cases, says Kaine Fisher, Rose Law Group partner, director Family Law

By Sarah O’Brien | CNBC Alimony payments mandated by divorce agreements could lose their beneficial tax treatment. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, unveiled on Thursday, includes a provision to kill the deduction that taxpayers get for making such payments to an ex-spouse. Although it’s just one of the many tax breaks eliminated under the legislation, experts say it will …