My brother’s keeper

March 26, 2007 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Mr. Beaver, I am very concerned about my 17-year-old brother, Daniel. He was recently expelled from school for fighting and possession of marijuana, and his behavior has suddenly changed. He is very unpleasant,...

How to raise a future gang member

October 26, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver What turns a 14-year-old junior high school student into a gang member? Do kids just decide one day to join a gang, or is there a process? More importantly, are there warning signs in a child’s behavior screaming “I am headed down...

Custody is never permanent

September 06, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Barbara and I divorced when our son, Ryan, was four. Barbara was given physical custody. I remained in our small San Joaquin Valley farming town, have always provided support and have a close relationship...

How Swede it is

April 19, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver “I am a senior at UCLA and my boyfriend (Hans) is a Swedish graduate student who I love and want to marry. Last summer, we visited his hometown — Stockholm — and I just fell in love with Sweden. It is...

Warning: Friends can open your eyes to reality

September 09, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver In law school, third year students are cautioned about the dangers of representing friends or family. “If they have a weak case, or are clearly in the wrong, it will be difficult for you to tell them...