AZ Rep. Lisa Fink Slams Family Courts, DCS Failures, and Pushes for Reform

Arizona State Rep. Lisa Fink joined The Unknown Podcast with Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe for a deep dive into family court corruption and Department of Child Safety (DCS) failures

AZ Rep Fink Interview

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Fink described her political baptism into family court reform when a father exposed her to the horrors of “reunification camps.” “This is not America. This is North Korea,” she recalled. That conversation led to SB 1372, banning such camps in Arizona. Despite opposition, Gov. Katie Hobbs signed the bill, marking a rare bipartisan win.

The legislature’s Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders held four hearings, collecting testimony from parents and advocates. Fink’s biggest takeaway: judges are ignoring Arizona’s A.R.S. 25-403 best-interest factors. Families are drained by “therapeutic interventionists” and endless temporary orders. “How is it in the best interest of the child to bankrupt families? … It’s not,” Fink said. She wants courts forced to justify decisions in writing, with child interviews fully recorded and accessible.

On the controversial concept of “parental alienation,” Fink was blunt: “I would like it not to be used at all.” She linked it directly to the rise of reunification camps and costly interventions. She also opposed a blanket 50/50 custody presumption, saying, “All families are different … it’s ludicrous to say they’re the same.”

DCS came under equal fire. Fink detailed how children vanish from group homes and unlicensed foster placements but are logged as “runaways” instead of missing. “We have hundreds of missing kids … how do you find a child without an up-to-date photo?” she asked. Her kinship care bill, meant to keep children with relatives, was vetoed by Hobbs.

Fink insists these issues are bipartisan and vows to co-sponsor bills with Democrats. She frames the fight as one for parental rights, transparency, and accountability. “Sunshine is a great disinfectant,” she said, calling for open hearings and stricter oversight.

She ended with a warning: without civic virtue and protection of the family, America risks losing its foundation. “We enforce ourselves instead of having the state enforce us,” she declared.

The battle lines are clear: reformers in the legislature versus entrenched interests in the courts, DCS, and the governor’s office.