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Domestic Violence Law in Arizona
Original Program Date :
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness month, our seminar provides a comprehensive look at domestic violence law in Arizona. Get an in-depth understanding about orders of protection and the address confidentiality program. Learn about the legal and practical challenges domestic violence victims face in family law cases. Hear from the prosecution and defense perspectives on the implications of domestic violence in criminal cases.
Topics Discussed:
Orders of Protection
Address Confidentiality Program
Hon. Wendy Morton, Maricopa County Superior Court
Kay Radwanski, Senior Court Policy Analyst, Arizona Supreme Court, AOC
Merri Tiseth, Executive Director, Office of the Secretary of State
Domestic Violence and Implications for Family Law Cases
Tom Alongi, Alongi Law Firm, PLLC
Domestic Violence in Criminal Cases: Prosecution and Defense Perspectives
Stacey Good, Assistant City Prosecutor III, Mesa City Prosecutor’s Office
Grace Myers, Grace Myers Law, LLC
ABOUT THE MODEST MEANS PROJECT
The Modest Means Project provides low-cost legal assistance to people who cannot afford the expertise of attorneys at standard rates, but who do not qualify for free legal services due to income qualification or other restrictions. For more information about the program, and to volunteer, visit www.azbar.org/modestmeans.
Thomas P Alongi, Owner, Alongi Law Firm PLLC
Thomas P. Alongi, Esq., graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1989, and has practiced family, juvenile, criminal, and civil asset forfeiture law at various times over the past 32 years. He served as an assistant Geary County Attorney in Junction City, Kansas (1990-2000), an assistant U.S. Attorney in Tucson (2000-01), an assistant Tucson City Prosecutor (2002-04), and an associate attorney in private practice with Davis | Miles, PLLC (2004-07) handling both criminal defense and family law. Between January 2007 and June 2014, Tom worked as a senior staff attorney at Community Legal Services in downtown Phoenix, focusing his representation on survivors of intimate partner violence in family court. In June 2014, he joined a law partnership at Alongi & Donovan Law in Tempe, Arizona, and in May 2016, opened a solo practice at Alongi Law Firm, PLLC. His office is located in West Phoenix.
In addition to his law practice, Tom has regularly appeared as a facilitator on family law topics for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education in a variety of settings, including the Arizona State Bar Convention, Modest Means Program, and assorted regional trainings and webinars. He has also presented seminars for the Arizona, California and Louisiana State Bars, Maricopa County Bar Association, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Fresh Start Women's Foundation, National Business Institute, local family violence shelters, and the Arizona Association of Independent Paralegals.
Tom taught Family Law, Community Property, Civil Procedure II, and Criminal Procedure as an adjunct professor at Phoenix School of Law from 2009-12, and has served as a judge pro tempore for the Maricopa County Superior Court since July 2008. He participated on the SBA Family Law Practice and Procedure Committee from its creation in August 2006 until June 2014, and as its chair from 2012 to 2014. He also chaired the SBA Legal Services Committee for 2014-15, and regularly participated in legislative workgroups.
Tom and his wife, Betsy, live in Phoenix. In his spare time, he plays horn with the Salt River Brass, La Forza Chamber Orchestra, Phoenix Brass Collective, and East Valley Millennial Choirs & Orchestras. He also enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and being exploited by his four grandchildren.
Stacey Yvonne Good, Prosecutor, Mesa City Prosecutor's Office
Stacey Good, Deputy City Prosecutor, Mesa City Prosecutor's Office. Stacey received her license to practice law from the State Bar of Arizona in June 2015. She chose to focus her career as a public lawyer and in July 2015, she became a Deputy County Attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. She maintained a felony case load while prosecuting DUIs and domestic violence cases at the West Mesa Justice Court.
In 2016, she joined the Mesa Prosecutor's Office as an Assistant City Prosecutor. She prosecutes misdemeanors for the City of Mesa with the majority of her cases consisting of DUIs and domestic violence. She was specially assigned the Domestic Violence Prosecutor in 2019, monitoring the high risk of lethality cases that come through the city prosecutor's office. In 2020, Stacey organized and co-hosted a public awareness event for Mesa's Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Stacey has a passion for prosecuting DUI cases. She has conducted trials dealing with alcohol, marijuana, medical marijuana, prescription drugs and other impairing substances. Stacey has also written appeals regarding reasonable suspicion for DUI that progressed to the Arizona Supreme Court. In 2018, she collaborated with the Mesa Police Department's Traffic Unit to create a new DUI face sheet for investigations regarding marijuana impairment. Stacey also regularly attends continuing education opportunities to stay informed on the changes in DUI laws. She attended the Drug Recognition Expert training in August 2018.
As a public lawyer, Stacey understands the importance of education, ensuring that all public servants are proficient in the laws that we prosecute. She takes pride in teaching for organizations like Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council, GOHS and the Mesa Police Department. She has become an excellent resource for DUI law enforcement and in 2019 received the Rising Star Award from the Arizona State Bar and in 2021 she received the Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year award from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
In 2016, she joined the Mesa Prosecutor's Office as an Assistant City Prosecutor. She prosecutes misdemeanors for the City of Mesa with the majority of her cases consisting of DUIs and domestic violence. She was specially assigned the Domestic Violence Prosecutor in 2019, monitoring the high risk of lethality cases that come through the city prosecutor's office. In 2020, Stacey organized and co-hosted a public awareness event for Mesa's Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Stacey has a passion for prosecuting DUI cases. She has conducted trials dealing with alcohol, marijuana, medical marijuana, prescription drugs and other impairing substances. Stacey has also written appeals regarding reasonable suspicion for DUI that progressed to the Arizona Supreme Court. In 2018, she collaborated with the Mesa Police Department's Traffic Unit to create a new DUI face sheet for investigations regarding marijuana impairment. Stacey also regularly attends continuing education opportunities to stay informed on the changes in DUI laws. She attended the Drug Recognition Expert training in August 2018.
As a public lawyer, Stacey understands the importance of education, ensuring that all public servants are proficient in the laws that we prosecute. She takes pride in teaching for organizations like Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council, GOHS and the Mesa Police Department. She has become an excellent resource for DUI law enforcement and in 2019 received the Rising Star Award from the Arizona State Bar and in 2021 she received the Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year award from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
Wendy S Morton, Commissioner, Superior Court of Arizona
Honorable Wendy S. Morton is a Commissioner for the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County. She was appointed to the Superior Court bench in 2011 and is currently assigned to the Family Department. This is her second rotation in the Family Department, having previously served as Presiding Family Court Commissioner. Prior to her current assignment, she served in the Juvenile Department and the Criminal Department in Rule 11/Mental Health and Veterans Court. She has also served on the bench at the City of Phoenix, the City of Scottsdale and as an Administrative Law Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings. She began her career as a Deputy Maricopa County Attorney.
Mary Grace Myers, Grace Myers Law, LLC
Grace Myers graduated from The John Marshall School of Law in Chicago before coming to Arizona to practice criminal defense. She is currently a court appointed attorney in Mesa Municipal Court. Her private practice focuses on both misdemeanor and felony defense.
Merri Tiseth, Executive Director, Address Confidentiality Program
Merri Tiseth joined the Arizona Department of State- Secretary of State’s Office in December 2016 as the Program Coordinator for the Arizona Address Confidentiality Program (ACP). In September 2019 she was appointed Executive Director of the ACP and also joined the National Association of Confidential Address Programs (NACAP) where she serves on the board as Treasurer as well as several other committees.
Prior to joining the ACP team, Merri was with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (formerly AzCADV) from 2004 until December 2016, as the Director of Legal Services.
Prior to joining the ACP team, Merri was with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (formerly AzCADV) from 2004 until December 2016, as the Director of Legal Services.
Kay Radwanski
Kay Radwanski is a senior court policy analyst in the Court Services Division, Administrative Office of the Courts, Arizona Supreme Court. At the AOC, she staffs the Committee on the Impact of Domestic Violence and the Courts (CIDVC) and the Committee on Superior Court (COSC). Prior to joining the AOC in 2007, Kay was employed in the New Jersey Judiciary as Domestic Violence Unit supervisor at the Cumberland County Superior Court, Bridgeton, N.J. Before that, she practiced law at South Jersey Legal Services, a public interest law firm, where she represented low-income clients in domestic violence, divorce, child support, parenting time, custody, and other types of civil matters. Kay earned her J.D. degree from the Rutgers University School of Law, Camden, N.J. She is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
