JANUARY 2025 | VOLUME 1 ISSUE 7 | |
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What does it mean to be leader in child welfare legal representation?
Timothy Michaels-Johnson, acting director while Gwendolyn Clegg is on annual leave
F – Foster Excellence
- Do your best for your clients.
- Emphasize ethical representation by pursuing the highest professional standards in every case you handle.
A – Accountability & Transparency
- Admit when you’re wrong and learn from your mistakes.
- When you make a mistake, own it and learn from it.
M – Mentorship & Professional Development
- Encourage others to do their best for their clients.
- Share insights, resources, and support to strengthen representation of parents and children.
I – Insist on Clarity
- Ensure your client’s expressed wishes are heard clearly.
- Provide counsel in understandable terms, so clients know their options and rights, and then share your client’s position in open court with the advocacy they deserve.
L – Lead with Integrity
- Stand up for what is right, even when it’s not easy.
- Uphold ethical principles and refuse to compromise on high-quality legal representation
I – Influence Reform
- Push back on injustice.
- Seek systemic improvements for the benefit of parents and children.
E – Emphasize a Trauma-Informed Approach
- Recognize the impacts of trauma and advocate with empathy.
- Tailor strategies to protect and heal parents and children.
S – Strive for Continual Improvement
- Strive to do better each day, learning from successes and failures.
- Remain open to feedback and embrace opportunities to grow.
Be a Leader!
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Shoutout to Lexie Allen, Cheyenne Donatello, and Kelly Allen!
These three awesome attorneys have entered all of their cases accurately and on time into LegalServer! We appreciate you entering the correct case data, noting and updating your client meeting dates, and adding the KK number!
Thank you for doing an AMAZING JOB on LS!!
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Shoutout to Savannah Mendenhall with Tulsa Lawyers for Children!
Savannah's out of court advocacy resulted in achieving the expressed interests of her young client, avoiding termination of his mom's parental rights and supporting the opportunity for additional reunification efforts. After mom made significant strides in correcting conditions and reconnecting with her son, the Court gave them the best Christmas gift, Reunification!
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Shoutout to Spencer Schroeder, Keenan Haught and Stephanie Robinson!
For their work during OFR's court observation to Caddo County on Dec 12th. Stephanie was consistently requesting and getting the Court to order individual ISPs for the children in each case. Spencer and Keenan were representing parents and it was obvious they were communicating with their clients and knew their cases and issues. They were prepared for court and provided zealous representation for the parents.
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Welcome to the team!
Welcome to (ret.) Judge Sue Johnson, Kyle Alderson, and Carolyn Wilson! Sue, Kyle, and Carolyn join us as appellate attorneys.
Shoutout to Larra Williams!
For excellent cross examination of several DHS workers and supervisors during the Marshall County docket we observed on 12/3/24. Actually advocating for her parent clients!
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Shoutout to everyone that helped make our TCBA Holiday Gift Challenge a success!
Thank you so much to everyone that took part in nominating families, wrapping gifts, and engaging with this event! 25 reunified families were gifted Christmas presents by local law firms. They went above and beyond and filled cars upon cars for these families!
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How Client’s Trauma Can Affect The Attorney-Client Relationship
- Consider issues of physical and psychological safety when advocating for clients and resist practices that may re-traumatize children and parents.
- Meet in a quiet space with minimal distractions and outside the presence of other parties who may contribute to the client feeling threatened.
- Provide adequate information about the attorney-client meeting, including the purpose of the meeting, expectations for the meeting, and length of the meeting.
- Provide a thorough explanation about the court process, including the purpose of each court hearing, the information that you will present in court, and potential questions that the judge or attorneys may ask of the client. Allow the client time to practice and role-play responses.
- Be alert for signs of a trauma reaction, which typically present as some variation of the fight, flight, or freeze response. These signs may include lashing out, shutting down or withdrawing, or regressive, defiant, or disrespectful behaviors.
- Try to avoid startling the client with loud noises, sudden movements, or unexpected news without adequate explanation or preparation.
- Minimize touching the client, which can trigger a reaction in individuals with histories of physical or sexual abuse.
- Avoid overpromising or telling the client that “everything will be fine.” Clients may be triggered by feeling let down or misled by their attorney.
Provided by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. “Trauma: What Child Welfare Attorneys Should Know”
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In the Matter of J.L. and V.J.
Mother argues that her due process rights were violated when the State filed amended pleadings just prior to trial and did not give ample time to defend against the allegations. She also asserts a question asked about her pending criminal charges during the jury trial constitutes prejudicial error that requires reversal. COCA found that the trial proceeded on April 11 on grounds for termination which Mother had notice of either prior to or on February 22, 2024. The State asked Mother about pending charges during the trial and the jury was asked to disregard this question. COCA found that Mother’s due process rights were not violated nor was there a question allowed that resulted in prejudicial error. COCA states that even if the question were inherently prejudicial, it does not constitute reversible error because of the overwhelming evidence in the record that supports the jury’s verdicts.
In the Matter of A.J. & A.J.
Mother appeals a trial court order terminating her parental rights to her two children. Her contention on appeal is that the trial court’s refusal to accept her consent to termination of parental rights denied her due process. Mother requested multiple opportunities to consent to the termination of her parental rights, and the Court initially accepted. However, it then rejected her consent due to her immediate subsequent requests to work a plan to reunite with her children. They did not accept the consent form because Mother did not articulate that she understood what would happen if the court accepted the form. Mother indicated that she wants her children back, but if she is not able to get them back, she wants them to be in her life. She requested consent termination to keep the possibility of a relationship with her children. The trial court denied the consent termination and terminated her rights at trial. COCA found no error or due process violation and affirmed the trial court’s order terminating Mother’s rights.
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In the Matter of J.O.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Father’s due process rights were violated when his video feed was disconnected during his parental termination trial involving an Indian child under ICWA. The Court vacated the Court of Civil Appeals opinion, reversed the trial court, and remanded for a new trial. The Court found Father was unfairly denied confrontation of witnesses and clarified that ICWA requirements apply regardless of whether the parent ever had legal or physical custody. The case returns to the trial court for further proceedings.
In the Matter of J.T.
Mother’s rights were terminated but State failed to introduce testimony from a qualified expert witness as required by ICWA and State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that continued custody by Mother would result in serious emotional or physical harm. The case was reversed and remanded to the trial court.
In the Matter of M.C., M.C., & N.C.
Father argues that the court’s order establishing permanent guardianship for his three minor children with their paternal aunt should be reversed because the state and the child’s attorney failed to introduce clear and convincing evidence that the guardianship was in the children’s best interest. COCA finds that since the children were only in the care of Father for thirteen months out of roughly five years, that paternal aunt provided substantial care for the children during these thirteen months, that the children have a close and loving relationship with their aunt, and that they depend on her for all necessities, the guardianship was in the best interest of the children and affirms the decision of the trial court.
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Region 5 has openings for Interdisciplinary Teams!
Contact Priscilla (priscilla.minor-thoms@laok.org) with your request forms if you have a client that would benefit from an IDT!
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Meet your Region 5 IDT Members! | | |
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Ashley Bennett
Hello my name is Ashley Bennett. I am a 24 year old single mother to the most perfect human being in the world and the First youth mentor in the state of Oklahoma! You may look at me and wonder what qualifications does this person in front of me have to be the first in the state. Well, I'm no different than many of the kids we help today. I spent 13.5 years of my life in DHS custody and was deemed “property of the state.” I have experienced firsthand the things the youth in our community and many other communities are experiencing right now. I am here to advocate for and educate youth everywhere, to give them the voice they haven’t had for so long, and to show them that your past does not make your future!
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Constance Bear-Wiegman
My name is Constance Bear-Wiegman. I’m a 34-year-old single mother of 5 children and live in Osage County. I am Osage, Iowa, and Potawatomi tribes, and was raised in a very (Osage) traditional family and am still active in my community. Like many others I have faced several adversities throughout my whole life, but today I am standing stronger than I ever have. Sober, healing, and reunited; reunited with my children as well as the rest of my family and our community. I have always had a conscious heart in helping people and genuinely feel this is my passion. I’m ready to learn as much as I can and create positive changes.
“Bravery is not the absence of fear, it is overcoming it.”
-Melody Hobson
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Rachelle Ali
Rachelle is a parent mentor with OFR. She is a mom of 4 who is now in recovery after struggling with substance use, mental health and intimate partner violence. Rachelle successfully completed her deprived case in 2019. Rachelle uses her experience to connect with parents and support them on their own journey no matter where they are at. Rachelle has a passion for helping parents know they are not alone on their journey and to advocate for them.
Rachelle serves the Oklahoma Family Network as a Family Support Partner; is a board member of the Children’s Safety Advisory Workgroup; is board member of Thriving Families Safer Children Workgroup; she is trained as a doula and a family/peer support specialist, and an emerging activist lifting child welfare parent voice in Oklahoma.
In April 2023, Rachelle was awarded the Peer Recovery Support Specialist of the Year Award from the National Coalition of Behavior Health. In October 2024, the American Bar Association, Center for Children and the Law recognized Rachelle as Reunification Hero.
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Corey Blackfox
Hometown Kenwood, OK / Single dad to 2 wonderful boys Cayson Blackfox 15 & Rylen Blackfox 11 / clean and sober 7 years / Full Blood Cherokee - Paint Clan.
"The Dictionary Is The Only Place Where Success Comes Before Work."
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Regina Ball
Lived experience, love helping others through it.
I am a mother, a friend, and an advocate. I use what I have lived and experienced to help others. I am learning and growing into the best version of myself.
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Andrea Russell
Hey! I'd like to take a moment and introduce myself, I'm Andrea Russell, the social worker on our team. I'm originally from Springfield, MO and moved to Oklahoma many moons ago to receive my education in Social Work at NSU. After graduation, I worked at youth service facility and then traveled to DHS working family support side. During that time, I went back and received my master's degree in social work at OU. After graduation, I adventured out to Family and Children's Services which I have worked multiple programs during my 11 years stay. I have 2 fabulous girls (12 & 14) who keeps me on my toes daily, along with their new lingo. We have 2 cats, Spooktular Midnight and Lady Diva Spaz along with dachshund named Toby. I'm so excited to be on our team and hope to help make a difference!
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Not pictured: Felicia Dunn, parent mentor, and Desha Johnson, parent mentor. | | | | |
