a very interesting article by the Phoenix New Times...

[tommixx]

Outrageous Fortune
Private lawyers in Maricopa County child-dependency cases are soaking us for unbelievable bucks...

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2007-04- ... s-fortune/

[grnxb]

" But generally speaking, parents who make continued good-faith efforts to improve their lot....usually will be reunited with their child or children.

(Between April and September 2006, according to a report filed by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, just 90 severance cases were completed in Maricopa County. All but one of those ended with termination of parental rights, with the exception being a case that DES withdrew before trial.) "



either that's an odd statistic or parents aren't making "continuing good faith efforts to improve their lot"

also, it's noteworthy how Patty O'Connor reports that she is able to cold-read case info, juggle HUNDREDS of cases, and is able to do a good job because 1. CPS doesn't know what they are doing, and 2. The cases are all pretty much the same.

I wonder how accurate that is given the report that AZ DES/CPS has completed 90 severance cases over a 6 month period and just about all of them ended in Sx.

I'll go out on a limb and suggest that although it's great that Zurbriggen and O'Connor are rolling in the cash, they might be doing the families that they represent a disservice.