by Matthew Holloway | Nov 5, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders has released a report detailing family court flaws from over 40 hours of testimony and expert review.
The committee’s recommendations include reforms to enhance accountability, transparency, and consistency.
The bipartisan committee, co-chaired by Sen. Mark Finchem (R-LD1) and Rep. Rachel Keshel (R-LD17), includes Sens. Carine Werner (R-LD4) and Theresa Hatathlie (D-LD6), and Reps. Lisa Fink (R-LD27) and Betty Villegas (D-LD20) as members. It examined family court practices related to court-ordered behavioral interventions, reunification programs, guardian ad litem appointments, behavioral-health evaluations, and the prioritization of child safety in custody decisions, according to a Tuesday press release.
The committee gathered input from more than 6,000 combined in-person attendees and online viewers across hearings. Recurring themes from the testimony included:
- Inadequate oversight of court-ordered evaluators and treatment providers.
- Significant financial burdens from reunification programs and mandated services, often exceeding tens of thousands of dollars.
- Inconsistent application of standards for guardian ad litem and representation of the minor’s voice.
- Lack of transparent data, training requirements, and accountability mechanisms in systems intersecting with family court proceedings.
- Absence of a standard of practice for psychologists.
- Calls to set limits on quasi-judicial immunity.
“The testimony we heard made one thing exceptionally clear: child safety must be the top priority in every family court proceeding,” Finchem said. “Right now, inconsistent oversight, extensive court-ordered programs, and fragmented accountability structures are placing families in impossible positions and, in some cases, putting children at risk. Arizona can and must do better. These findings will guide meaningful legislative solutions to protect children and ensure due process for every family.”
“When the system prioritizes process over people, children get lost in the middle,” Keshel said. “The purpose of this work is to ensure that every decision made in family court begins with one question: is this in the best interest and safety of the child?”
“We heard deeply personal and painful testimony from families whose lives were upended by inconsistent court practices,” Werner said. “Their courage in speaking out will help drive needed reform to protect future children and parents.”
“Families should not be forced into financial ruin simply to maintain parental rights or to keep their children safe,” Fink said. “We need transparency, cost controls, and oversight to prevent abuse and restore trust in these proceedings.”
“Every family’s story is different, and our state must recognize cultural, community, and trauma-informed factors when determining child safety,” Hatathlie said. “Reform cannot be one-size-fits-all. It must be grounded in the realities Arizona families face.”
The report synthesizes testimony, transcripts, agency input, and policy review to offer legislative options for improving the family court structure. Proposed reform areas include:
- Strengthening oversight and licensure requirements for court-appointed evaluators and therapeutic providers.
- Establishing statewide standards for guardian ad litem appointments and child-voice representation.
- Creating clear evidentiary guardrails and accountability measures.
- Increasing transparency, data reporting, and specialty training requirements.
- Reducing unnecessary financial burdens associated with mandated programs.
The committee concluded its report with a chilling account read aloud by Representative Keshel, which detailed how two children aged 6 and 7 were tragically murdered by their own father after “repeated warnings to the court were ignored,” after the court granted 50/50 custody “without meaningful safeguards,” despite the court having “documented abuse, a psychiatric hospitalization, and concerning evaluations.” The father tragically murdered his children before ending his own life.
The committee wrote, “This tragedy underscores the systemic failures identified throughout committee hearings: inadequate oversight of professionals, fragmented accountability, lack of child-centered protocols, and judicial immunity that shields negligence from consequence.”
They added that the victim’s story “is not an isolated incident, but a symbol of why thousands of Arizonans tuned into these hearings and why reform is urgently needed. The committee concludes: Arizona’s family court system must change—placing child safety above all else, ensuring judicial and professional accountability, and preventing future families from experiencing preventable loss.”
These recommendations will inform legislation for the 2026 legislative session.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | Aug 24, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona Senate will host the concluding session of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders on Wednesday, August 27, at 9 a.m., with parents and families invited to share personal testimony about their experiences in the state’s family court system.
Committee Chairman Mark Finchem announced that the hearing, to be held in Hearing Room 1 at the State Senate, will feature testimony from the public alongside a presentation from the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS). The department is expected to outline its role in custody cases, child welfare matters, and its interactions with court orders.
Finchem emphasized that the hearing marks the culmination of a series of statewide meetings aimed at collecting information and input from Arizonans affected by family court proceedings. He said the committee intends to use the findings to guide potential legislative reforms during the next session.
“The final hearing is one you won’t want to miss,” Finchem said in a statement. “If you have been impacted by the family court system or a judge has threatened you with a gag order, I strongly encourage you to come forward and share your story. This is your opportunity to provide fact-based testimony directly to lawmakers before the committee concludes its work.”
In addition to public and agency testimony, the hearing will feature a guest speaker involved in federal family court reform initiatives. Organizers say this perspective will provide broader context on efforts to increase accountability and transparency in courts handling child custody and welfare cases.
Lawmakers on the committee have framed the series of hearings as an opportunity to define the oversight responsibilities of state agencies and ensure that the family court system is responsive to the needs of Arizona families. The session will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 26, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Jeremy Calles found himself the subject of intense grilling at the hands of Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) Co-Chairmen Matt Gress and Mark Finchem during a three-hour hearing this week. Following the exchange, Gress told reporters that he and Finchem “will be reviewing our options with the Auditor General.”
The fiery hearing came about in response to concerns over a Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) leaseback deal with the Isaac Elementary School District that would see TUHSD purchase Isaac Middle School for $25 million with the elementary district then leasing the building at an interest rate of 6%.
Calles revealed in the hearing that he holds two professional roles, one as a consultant and the second as Superintendent, and he confirmed to the committee that initial conversations on the deal began in his role as a consultant.
He told the JLAC, “The first conversation I had came from a text message from, yes, the prior superintendent, Mr. Mario Ventura, who texted me and asked if I could take a look at his finances.”
Calles explained that when his district became involved, his role in the deal changed, although he claimed to have never billed for the conversation and never contracted with Isaac Elementary School District as a consultation client.
“This is not a new concept; the only thing novel on this idea is that both sides of the transaction, you have a school district. Everything else about this transaction, both sides of the transaction are not unseen,” he told lawmakers.
The Superintendent said that the agreement between the districts lacked a prepayment penalty, had no lock-in requirement, and aided the district in a financial crisis. He suggested that the benefit for TUHSD students was in generating up to $7 million in funding for the district. However, committee members balked at this suggestion, noting that although the district holds a “B” letter grade from the Arizona State Board of Education, only 30% of its students are proficient in Mathematics, English, and Language Arts.
Gress challenged him, “Here, you have not been able to demonstrate the $25 million financial transaction benefiting Tolleson Union students directly, given that you have no square footage, you’re not providing any learning services. It’s not even in your district so this is far beyond novel. I think you’ve made a mockery of our state law.”
He added, “I think you should be ashamed of yourself for the way you’ve mistreated taxpayers of Tolleson Union.”
The Superintendent was later asked by Rep. Carbone, “Why doesn’t every school district now just follow your lead and start making money and become a bank?”
In a reponse that appeared to show defiance, he said, “I don’t think every school district has a superintendent willing to stand in front of you like this.”
As reported by State 48 News, Calles confirmed that he utilizes his district office to conduct personal business during working hours. The outlet noted that under questioning it was further revealed that two members of the school district are also employed by the Superintendent through his consultancy.
When pressed to answer questions from Tolleson City Manager Reyes Medrano Jr., along with Police Chief Rudy Mendoza and former Superintendent Kino Flores regarding his conduct, including an alleged request for Tolleson to pay Calles’ real estate broker an $85,000 fee related to the district’s purchase of city land, Medrano suggested this violated state procurement laws.
“The 85 was going to be on top of the purchase price, and then we were supposed to pay the broker with it,” he told the committee. According to Medrano, Calles told him “it would be cleaner” to do so.
Calles lashed out in response, claiming the allegation “borderlines defamation.” He said in full: “I believe that borderlines defamation, the way he made that implication as if something nefarious was happening.”
Speaking with a reporter, Calles rejected the allegations saying that “they’re all lies. Do you see our improvement on the letter grade system? You see that our schools are moving up on their performance?”
The Superintendent told 12News that he expected the committee to request review of his conduct by the Arizona Auditor General and said, “When the Auditor General’s Office finally sends me someone, I’ll give them the full story.”
In a statement following the hearing, Gress said, “The hearing today revealed deeply troubling information that shows a pattern of disregard for public transparency. Combining public service with private consulting work, including using Tolleson District facilities and employees to support superintendent Calles’s consulting company reeks of corruption. Chairman Finchem and I will be reviewing our options with the auditor general.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 13, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
With increasing public concern surrounding Arizona’s family court system, state lawmakers will continue their deep dive into the issue Monday, June 16, when the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders reconvenes for its third hearing.
Committee Chairman Mark Finchem is inviting parents and community members who say they’ve been harmed or ignored by the family court system to testify before the panel at the Arizona State Senate. The hearing is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 2.
“While we cannot resolve current individual cases, we must learn from them,” Finchem said in a statement. “Every story shared contributes to a clearer picture of where the system is falling short and how we can build something better for Arizona families.”
The committee is not empowered to provide legal advice, intervene in active litigation, or weigh in on ongoing cases. Instead, it is tasked with collecting public testimony to identify weaknesses and inform potential legislation for the 2026 session.
Finchem emphasized that all testimony will become part of the public record and may be subject to future public records requests. Despite these limitations, he says the hearings have already brought to light “horrific stories” that underscore the need for reform.
“Too many parents and children feel they have been silenced or dismissed by a system that’s supposed to protect them,” he said. “This is an opportunity for those voices to finally be heard and to drive real, lasting change.”
The committee will recess at noon on Monday and is tentatively scheduled to reconvene at 2 p.m., depending on the adjournment of the Senate and House floor sessions.
This session marks the third in a five-part series of public hearings focused on Arizona’s family court system. Lawmakers are expected to introduce reform proposals based on the testimony and findings from this ad hoc committee during the next legislative cycle.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 11, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A special legislative committee examining Arizona’s family court system will convene again Monday, May 12, as allegations of widespread abuse and violations of children’s civil rights take center stage.
State Senator Mark Finchem, chair of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders, is encouraging parents who have been negatively affected by the state’s family courts to testify during the second of five planned hearings.
According to Finchem, the committee has been inundated with stories from parents and children who say they have been mistreated or silenced by the court system. In a statement, he described the issue as not just a statewide concern, but a “nationwide crisis.”
“We expect to see over 400 people at the upcoming hearing after the traumatic stories we’ve heard and evidence we’ve seen,” Finchem said. “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.”
The committee’s investigation was launched following mounting complaints about Arizona’s family courts, which handle custody, divorce, and parental rights cases. Critics say the system too often fails to protect the best interests of children and allows unqualified professionals—such as court-appointed therapists or evaluators without proper licenses—to influence life-altering decisions.
The committee’s first hearing, held earlier this year, drew emotional testimony from parents alleging coercion, judicial overreach, and lack of due process. Lawmakers are using the hearings to gather testimony and evidence that could inform future legislation aimed at reforming family court procedures.
Arizona is not alone in facing scrutiny over its family courts. In recent years, states like California, Connecticut, and Georgia have also seen public outcries over custody rulings, allegations of judicial misconduct, and concerns about the lack of oversight of court-appointed professionals.
The committee will recess at noon and reconvene after the Senate and House floor sessions adjourn. Hearings are expected to continue through the summer, with three additional sessions scheduled before the end of the year.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
