Mike Branum

After spending most of my adult life running into burning buildings or keeping people alive in the back of ambulances, I went to law school. I have lived and worked in North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Alaska, Nevada, and now I have settled into the beautiful red rock surroundings of southwest Utah - Utah's "Dixie."

With over fifteen years of nursing experience on top of my career in emergency medicine, I have the background to understand the medical aspects of personal injury cases and to assist veterans in making compelling cases for the grant of benefits they deserve.

I am licensed in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. I practice in Mohave County in Arizona, Clark County (primarily Mesquite Justice and Municipal Courts) in Nevada, and the courts of southern Utah. I focus primarily on criminal and family law cases and assisting disabled veterans with their battle for benefits with the VA. I will consult on other civil matters and provide referrals if I do not believe I am the right attorney for your case.

If you are having a "legal emergency," give me a call. I will assist you in getting back to normal.

Criminal Law

Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes

Family Law

Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law

Personal Injury

Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

• Veterans Disability Benefits

• Skype
• Zoom
• FreeConferenceCall
• GoToMeeting
• Microsoft Teams
• WebEx

• Credit Cards Accepted
• Contingent Fees

Arizona

State Bar of Arizona

ID Number: 34464

Since 2018

Nevada

State Bar of Nevada

ID Number: 15018

Since 2019

Utah

Utah State Bar

ID Number: 17003

Since 2019

Associate

Gallian Welker & Beckstrom

2018 - Current

UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law

J.D. (2018)

2014 - 2017

Honors: Pro Bono Honors

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Masters in Public Administration (2005)

2003 - 2005

Excelsior College

Associates Degree in Nursing (2003)

1999 - 2003

North Carolina State University

B.S. (1991) | Biological Sciences

1986 - 1991

Utah State Bar

Member

2019 - Current

Southern Utah Bar Association

Member

2019 - Current

Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

2019 - Current

Nevada Justice Association

Member

2019 - Current

State Bar of Nevada

Member

2019 - Current

Identifying Methods of Reducing Distracted Teen Driving in Bullhead City

National Fire Academy

2016

Preliminary Damage Assessment in Bullhead City, AZ

National Fire Academy

2014

A Risk Assessment for Bullhead City Residents Over 65 Years Old

National Fire Academy

2013

Search for Effective Fatigue Management Strategies for Late Night Interfacility Ambulance Transfers

National Fire Academy

2012

Q. I want to modify my final custody order but I have moved to a new state. Can I have the order modified in new state?

25 February 2021

A: Maybe. The statute you are dealing with is called the UCCJEA. "U" stands for "uniform" because it has been adopted by all 50 states so that child custody and jurisdiction is (theoretically) handled the same regardless of which state the child is in. The state that has jurisdiction is the state where the child has lived for the six months before the action to modify is filed UNLESS there is an existing order issued in another state and the child or one of the parents remains in that state. If your ex stayed behind in Florida, you must modify in Florida. There could be an inconvenient forum argument, but litigating UCCJEA disputes costs thousands and thousands of dollars. Your money would be better spent just hiring a Florida lawyer and attempting to modify there. If everyone now lives in Arizona, that makes things less complicated. You can file to have Arizona recognized the existing Order and then file a petition to modify that Order. You will need to make sure the child has lived in Arizona for at least six months to qualify. I hope that helps. UCCJEA issues are complicated and there are many judges who do not fully understand how interstate conflicts work.

Q. My ex wife, who has custody of our 3 kids is moving them out of state without my consent.

24 February 2021

A: Arizona law requires a 45-day notice, in writing, of intent to move out of state. Your parental rights are not directly tied to whether or not you are current with child support. Child custody matters across state lines (and it sounds like there are three or more states involved in this dispute) are EXTREMELY complicated. Most judges get confused when you use the acronym "UCCJEA." The best route is always to do everything in your power to resolve the issue directly with your ex. I would propose you resolve the child support issue and see if it improves your ex's willingness to negotiate with you. One possible solution: ask your ex to provide you a notarized agreement that a Venmo payment is for child support obligations which were delayed due to your change in employment. Make the Venmo payment. She gets her cash, you have proof it was for child support, and, maybe, you two can focus on doing the right thing for your daughter. If you cannot resolve the matter with your ex directly, you are definitely going to need legal representation. An attorney licensed in the state where your child is currently residing would be good, an attorney licensed in both the state where the child has moved and the state where the child most recently lived for six months would be even better. Speaking of six months, six months is crucial to remember when dealing with custody issues across state lines. If your wife recently took the child and moved out of state without your permission, the state she moved to will not fully have jurisdiction over your child for six months (like I said, it's very, very complicated). If you are going to dispute her move, you absolutely MUST file with a court before the child has been in the other state for six months. Do NOT wait until five months and three weeks have passed to speak with counsel. Good luck!

Q. When encountering a no trespassing sign does the act of trespass begin after passing the sign or before

23 February 2021

A: Theoretically the trespass would occur when a person or objects breaks the plane over the imaginary property line. If the sign is directly over this line, then a person or object would have to extend onto the property past the sign before the actual trespass could be said to have occurred. If there is an obvious physical barrier on the property line and the sign is further onto the property, it is possible to trespass before reaching the sign if there is an obvious demarcation line to indicate where the property not to be trespassed begins. I hope that helps!