02/04/2026
Senate Bills to Contain Attorney Fees -
Everyone –
Today I have a very special announcement to make, and I am so hoping that you all, collectively speaking, can jump onboard these two (2) Bills trying to survive in the Senate and the House in the State of Arizona. (BTW – there are actually many Bills in Family Court being pushed this year . . . amazing).
First, many may not know, but I have worked on Legislative stuff from about 2010 to 2016, and then from 2019 to the present. This will be my last year doing legislative work. It is demanding, on top of surviving, everyone talks s**t about you (good and bad), people create stories about you, you become a target, and you (me) do not get paid at all. I have been accused of being pro-Mom, pro-Dad, anti-DV, pro-DV, violent, disturbing, nice, a fraud, etc. The normal pleasure of legislative work, especially in the Family and Juvenile Courts. I take it, and took it, its part of the game. (BTW – I am pro FAIR with an emphasis on stable relationships of child[ren] and parent(s))/
I can and have spoken volumes about Family Court, and believe me, I so would love to talk about Juvenile Court, but that is an even more complicated place. I saw this because of all the Bills I have previously worked on, there has been one that only two Senators would touch, and I was extremely warned by many other Senators and Representatives not to touch this subject. Senator Rick Murphy (RIP), and now Sen. Finchem, and this is the issue of Attorney Fees and Costs in Family Court.
The Family Court system is a POWERFUL niche in the Judiciary, and for many reasons, I believe it also stains the prestige we expect from the Judiciary, but it also constantly reminds me Judges are no more or no less special than an everyday American when it comes to Family dynamics. Some really suck ass, some are really good, and most are decent. However, I firmly believe that as long as Family Court is a “For-profit” scheme, we will only see the worst of the Judges, the Experts, the Lawyers, and the Parties.
I have seen so many families (been doing this for 28 years now) destroyed, not by their own divorce or the Parties’ hate for each other (so unfortunate), but because of the financial destruction because of the high cost of litigation by Parties who, IMO, often time exact, or use the Court in furtherance of their revenge of the other side. Personally, I just don’t get two things . . You two had children together, and the hate you wish upon each other, at times, is greater than your genuine enemies. I get there are so many explanations, but and nonetheless it is incredibly unfortunate. (this is actually a complicated and very dynamic statement, and there are so many qualifications to it, so please do not take it as missing all of the exceptions, as there are so many to list, just not enough space to discuss).
There are two Sen. Bills before our Arizona Legislative body, as listed below that will attempt to curtail the high cost litigants pay in attorney fees in Family Court, and yes, north of $100k in Family Court for Attorney Fees is not uncommon to see frequently (don’t get me wrong we also see no fees and greater or less than the proposed). I understand that attorneys have to make a living, but as long as Family Court is a for-profit scheme, the true needs of Families will not be fully met or reached because of the profiteering issues in place. Listed below are the two Bills, and I highly suggest that people, male or female, support your efforts behind the Bill; it’s a very good start to regulate the high cost of attorney fees in Family Court, where Families, besides being emotionally and physically torn apart, are also financially torn. The greatest recovery of people and their children is financial stability (in the Family Court scheme). So please sign on help push these Bills [and the others].
Finally, please thank Sen. Finchem for pushing these Bills, like I said historically speaking others refused to; things to make you go hmmmmmm ! ! ! !
https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/SB1653P.pdf
https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/SB1657P.pdf
![Family Court is ugly, and although we cannot directly attribute an active Family Law Case to this [sic] murdering spree,...](https://img3.juridipedia.com/121/698/1669733911216985.jpg)
