Professor LaShanda Taylor was quoted in the Deseret News on a proposal before the Utah Legislature that would allow parents whose parental rights have been terminated to petition for reunification with their children under limited circumstances.

Beyond the social and emotional ramifications of a child losing their parents, so-called "legal orphans" forfeit continued financial support from their biological parents, LaShanda Taylor wrote in the 2010 Virginia Journal of Social Policy and the Law in 2010.

"Because these young adults have high instances of poverty, unemployment and homelessness, depriving them of child support, inheritance and familial support is particularly problematic," she wrote.

Read more in the Deseret News, "Bill tries to create a path for parents and children to reunite"