While Republicans in the Arizona legislature have put forward sweeping family court reforms, they aren’t likely to pass until a Republican becomes governor, according to Republican State Senator Wendy Rogers.
Rogers heads the Judiciary Committee, where many of these laws will originate.
“The judges are in quote unquote ‘cahoots’ with the therapists that the restrict families and the attorneys that they restrict families to.” She told us, laying out the problems. “So much so that they’re not only extraordinarily expensive but they’re sort of in this racket to prolong the proceedings for months and years.”
Last year, her colleague, Arizona Republican State Senator Mark Finchem, co-chaired the ad hoc joint legislative committee on family court orders which took approximately forty hours of testimony from parents and others which laid out to problem.
Now, the hard work of passing bills is in full swing.
On February 4, 2026, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to debate numerous bills, including three- SB 1328, SB 1329, and SB 1330- to transform family courts.
Last week, Richard Luthmann and I had Malinda Sherwyn on to discuss the proceedings, and we played one especially revealing part, when State Senator Rogers confronted Jordyn Clark, who argued against SB 1330, which would provide jury trials in most child custody cases.
Clark argued that judges possessed a unique ability to make decisions in complex cases, but State Senator Rogers argued that no jury in any criminal or civil case has “subject matter expertise”.
Clark also argued that jury trials would be expensive, except, as State Senator Rogers noted, the court process is extremely expensive now, and the specter of a jury trial, rather than a compromised judge, would bring down expenses.
“What I’m hearing is a parroted soliloquy in front of me but not a thought through ability to answer questions,” she told Clark sharply.
The exchange put to shame most arguments against jury trials in child custody cases, however, State Senator Rogers told us that SB 1330, along with all the bills, face an uphill battle to become law.
They will have to get out of the judiciary committee in the Senate to the floor before making the same journey in the Arizona State House.
While these bills may make it through the Arizona legislature, she told us that she expects Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs to veto them.
Last year, while the ad hoc committee was still ongoing, Governor Hobbs did that, when she vetoed legislation introduced by State Senator Mark Finchem to ban therapeutic interventionists from being appointed in child custody cases.
Governor Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed that bill with a dismissive statement.
In 2024, Governor Hobbs signed SB 1372 which banned reunification camps, so there may be some hope.
State Senator Rogers told us that she expects Governor Hobbs to stall the reform agenda.
“You have to expose, expose, expose.” She told us, saying further that her constituents say, “You need to bring these bills forward despite the fact that they get vetoed.”
She told us the election in November 2026 for governor between Governor Hobbs and Republican US Congressman Andy Biggs is critical for the state and family court reform.
We also discussed national issues, including immigration, elections, and President Trump.
