Child custody, which is now called legal decision-making modifications, are controlled by Arizona Revised Statutes, title 25, section 411, and Arizona Revised Statutes, title 25, section 403. A parent cannot modify legal decision-making or parenting time earlier than one year after the initial determination. Unless the court permits the request, because there is reason to believe the child’s present environment may seriously endanger the child’s physical, mental, moral, or emotional health.
The first step is to file a Post-Decree Petition for modification with the court. In order to obtain the modification the court considers 11 factors, which are clearly outlined in Arizona Revised Statute, title 25, section 403. Please contact me at Warner Angle, 602-264-7101. I will schedule a complimentary consultation to review your options of obtaining a modification, and the factors that the court considers in making their determination. I’ll look forward to meeting with you.
Child custody, which is now called legal decision-making modifications, are controlled by Arizona Revised Statutes, title 25, section 411, and Arizona Revised Statutes, title 25, section 403. A parent cannot modify legal decision-making or parenting time earlier than one year after the initial determination. Unless the court permits the request, because there is reason to believe the child’s present environment may seriously endanger the child’s physical, mental, moral, or emotional health.
The first step is to file a Post-Decree Petition for modification with the court. In order to obtain the modification the court considers 11 factors, which are clearly outlined in Arizona Revised Statute, title 25, section 403. Please contact me at Warner Angle, 602-264-7101. I will schedule a complimentary consultation to review your options of obtaining a modification, and the factors that the court considers in making their determination. I’ll look forward to meeting with you.
I want to speak to you today about the different forms of legal custody of a child in the state of Arizona. When we talk about custody, we are really talking about two different aspects of custody as it relates to children.
The first of which is, how much time the child or children spend in the each parent’s home. We refer to that as physical custody.
But, the other aspect of custody has to do with who gets to make the major decisions affecting the child. For example, the decisions regarding education, such as where the child goes to school, medical decisions, the children’s participation in extracurricular activities and even the child’s religious upbringing.
If a parent has sole legal custody, that parent gets to make all those decisions irrespective of the wishes of the other parent. If the parents share joint legal custody however, both parents must agree regarding those decisions for the child. If you have any other questions regarding custody or parenting time in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.
By: Chris Hildebrand
I want to speak to you today about the different forms of legal custody of a child in the state of Arizona. When we talk about custody, we are really talking about two different aspects of custody as it relates to children.
The first of which is, how much time the child or children spend in the each parent’s home. We refer to that as physical custody.
But, the other aspect of custody has to do with who gets to make the major decisions affecting the child. For example, the decisions regarding education, such as where the child goes to school, medical decisions, the children’s participation in extracurricular activities and even the child’s religious upbringing.
If a parent has sole legal custody, that parent gets to make all those decisions irrespective of the wishes of the other parent. If the parents share joint legal custody however, both parents must agree regarding those decisions for the child. If you have any other questions regarding custody or parenting time in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.
By: Chris Hildebrand
A parent granted sole custody, now referred to as sole legal decision-making, has the authority to make final decisions regarding the major life decisions affecting the parent’s children. Such as where the children will attend school, the healthcare the children receive, and the extracurricular activities the children will participate in regardless of the opinion of the other parent.
The other parent is still entitled to obtain information regarding his or her children’s performance in school, performance in extracurricular activities and healthcare from the other parent or directly from the provider of those services. Legal custody means the right and responsibility to make decisions for children, barring any specific court orders to the contrary.
Sole legal decision-making provides one parent to make the final decision on big day to day decisions for the children’s care and welfare without consulting the other parent, including education, medicine, and religion.
Examples where the court may award sole legal decision-making, would include those times where you have drug and alcohol abuse by one parent or the other, substantial child neglect or abuse claims, or convictions, domestic violence where the children were present, harmed, or in danger. As well as child endangerment, including DUIs while having the children in your car.
The visitation parent is expected by the court to conform to big decisions by the sole legal decision-making parent in all day to day decisions when children are with him or her. The exception to that would be private school. Sole legal decision-making parent cannot require the other parent, known as a visitation parent, to contribute to the cost of private-schooling if enrolled without the consent of the visitation parent or the court per the child support guidelines.
School records are also an area where both parents have access to records regarding the children, including medical records, school and extracurricular activity records. Those records are available through the sole legal decision-making parent or from the provider of the service. Except in cases where courts find giving one parent access to records creates a danger to the children. If you are in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at 480-305-8300 to schedule an appointment.
By: Alan Cochran
A parent granted sole custody, now referred to as sole legal decision-making, has the authority to make final decisions regarding the major life decisions affecting the parent’s children. Such as where the children will attend school, the healthcare the children receive, and the extracurricular activities the children will participate in regardless of the opinion of the other parent.
The other parent is still entitled to obtain information regarding his or her children’s performance in school, performance in extracurricular activities and healthcare from the other parent or directly from the provider of those services. Legal custody means the right and responsibility to make decisions for children, barring any specific court orders to the contrary.
Sole legal decision-making provides one parent to make the final decision on big day to day decisions for the children’s care and welfare without consulting the other parent, including education, medicine, and religion.
Examples where the court may award sole legal decision-making, would include those times where you have drug and alcohol abuse by one parent or the other, substantial child neglect or abuse claims, or convictions, domestic violence where the children were present, harmed, or in danger. As well as child endangerment, including DUIs while having the children in your car.
The visitation parent is expected by the court to conform to big decisions by the sole legal decision-making parent in all day to day decisions when children are with him or her. The exception to that would be private school. Sole legal decision-making parent cannot require the other parent, known as a visitation parent, to contribute to the cost of private-schooling if enrolled without the consent of the visitation parent or the court per the child support guidelines.
School records are also an area where both parents have access to records regarding the children, including medical records, school and extracurricular activity records. Those records are available through the sole legal decision-making parent or from the provider of the service. Except in cases where courts find giving one parent access to records creates a danger to the children. If you are in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at 480-305-8300 to schedule an appointment.
By: Alan Cochran
In Arizona, child custody is now called legal decision-making. The law establishes a preference for joint legal decision-making, and a parent seeking sole legal decision-making will have the burden to prove to the court why such an order is in the best interest of the minor children. Some acceptable reasons might include drug or alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse or mental illness.
In making it’s order, the court is required to consider all information that is relevant to the children’s best interest and in particular, the eleven statutory factors. I won’t describe all of those factors here, but they include the past, present and potential future relationship between the parent and the children; the children’s relationship with family members and their adjustment to home, school and community; the mental and physical health of the parents and the children; and if the children are of suitable age and maturity, the wishes of the children.
On this last point, there is no specific age at which a child gets to choose where to live. As the child gets closer to age 18, his or her wishes will carry more weight with the court. Typically, courts start giving significant weight to the child’s wishes around age 12 or 13. If you have more questions concerning legal decision-making or parenting time, please contact me.
In Arizona, child custody is now called legal decision-making. The law establishes a preference for joint legal decision-making, and a parent seeking sole legal decision-making will have the burden to prove to the court why such an order is in the best interest of the minor children. Some acceptable reasons might include drug or alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse or mental illness.
In making it’s order, the court is required to consider all information that is relevant to the children’s best interest and in particular, the eleven statutory factors. I won’t describe all of those factors here, but they include the past, present and potential future relationship between the parent and the children; the children’s relationship with family members and their adjustment to home, school and community; the mental and physical health of the parents and the children; and if the children are of suitable age and maturity, the wishes of the children.
On this last point, there is no specific age at which a child gets to choose where to live. As the child gets closer to age 18, his or her wishes will carry more weight with the court. Typically, courts start giving significant weight to the child’s wishes around age 12 or 13. If you have more questions concerning legal decision-making or parenting time, please contact me.
Parents sharing joint legal custody, now referred to as joint legal decision-making, must reach agreements regarding major life decisions affecting their children. Each parent’s rights and responsibilities in communicating about reaching agreements regarding these decisions, are outlined in a court ordered parenting plan. Disagreements between parents regarding these decisions are often resolved through mediation, or through the use of a third person usually referred to as a parenting coordinator.
In Arizona, the law is that it is consistent with the child’s best interest. The court shall adapt a parenting plan that provides both parents to share legal decision-making regarding their child. New custody law encourages, but does not mandate equal parenting time. Additionally, the same section of the statute provides that the court shall not prefer a parent’s proposed parenting plan because of the parent or the child’s gender. It is always best if both parents can decide custody for the best interest of their children.
However, if not able to do so, the court will enact orders either joint or sole legal decision-making at the time of trial. Presently, there is a greater emphasis on parental responsibility as well as parental right. There is a presumption however, that joint legal decision-making is not in the child’s best interest if one of the parents has committed an act of domestic violence, abuse drugs, alcohol, or has being convicted of any drug offense within the last 12 months before the petition was filed.
The most compelling factors the court must consider when deciding legal decision-making and parenting time in Arizona, include the children’s relationship with each parent and any siblings, the children’s adjustment to each parents home, schools, and the community each parent resides in. Another factor is the wishes of the children, but only if the child is of a suitable age and maturity to make such decisions.
The mental and physical health of all individuals involved in the family and the children residing in the home. It also includes which parent is more likely to allow the children frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with the other parent. The court also weighs any domestic violence, child abuse, and child neglect issues, as well as any intentional misleading of the court by either parent to cause unnecessary delay, increased cost of litigation, or to attempt to persuade the court to prefer the false-reporting parent’s position over the other. If you’re in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at (480) 305-8300 to schedule an appointment.
By: Alan Cochran
Parents sharing joint legal custody, now referred to as joint legal decision-making, must reach agreements regarding major life decisions affecting their children. Each parent’s rights and responsibilities in communicating about reaching agreements regarding these decisions, are outlined in a court ordered parenting plan. Disagreements between parents regarding these decisions are often resolved through mediation, or through the use of a third person usually referred to as a parenting coordinator.
In Arizona, the law is that it is consistent with the child’s best interest. The court shall adapt a parenting plan that provides both parents to share legal decision-making regarding their child. New custody law encourages, but does not mandate equal parenting time. Additionally, the same section of the statute provides that the court shall not prefer a parent’s proposed parenting plan because of the parent or the child’s gender. It is always best if both parents can decide custody for the best interest of their children.
However, if not able to do so, the court will enact orders either joint or sole legal decision-making at the time of trial. Presently, there is a greater emphasis on parental responsibility as well as parental right. There is a presumption however, that joint legal decision-making is not in the child’s best interest if one of the parents has committed an act of domestic violence, abuse drugs, alcohol, or has being convicted of any drug offense within the last 12 months before the petition was filed.
The most compelling factors the court must consider when deciding legal decision-making and parenting time in Arizona, include the children’s relationship with each parent and any siblings, the children’s adjustment to each parents home, schools, and the community each parent resides in. Another factor is the wishes of the children, but only if the child is of a suitable age and maturity to make such decisions.
The mental and physical health of all individuals involved in the family and the children residing in the home. It also includes which parent is more likely to allow the children frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with the other parent. The court also weighs any domestic violence, child abuse, and child neglect issues, as well as any intentional misleading of the court by either parent to cause unnecessary delay, increased cost of litigation, or to attempt to persuade the court to prefer the false-reporting parent’s position over the other. If you’re in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at (480) 305-8300 to schedule an appointment.
By: Alan Cochran
Parents may decide they want to change a child’s last name. This typically occurs when a child is born to an unmarried couple. The father may want the child to have his last name while the mother may not want to change the name at all. A child’s last name is his or her identity. The child’s last name also reflects the identity of his or her parents. Learn more about changing a child’s last name in Arizona from Arizona child custody attorney, Michael Clancy, of Hildebrand Law, PC.
You can contact Michael Clancy at (480)305-8300 to schedule a consultation.
Parents may decide they want to change a child’s last name. This typically occurs when a child is born to an unmarried couple. The father may want the child to have his last name while the mother may not want to change the name at all. A child’s last name is his or her identity. The child’s last name also reflects the identity of his or her parents. Learn more about changing a child’s last name in Arizona from Arizona child custody attorney, Michael Clancy, of Hildebrand Law, PC.
You can contact Michael Clancy at (480)305-8300 to schedule a consultation.
A parenting plan is a court order that tells parents how they need to behave and act around their children. More importantly, it tells the parents when they actually get to see their children. It may include other things like holiday schedule, vacation schedule. It may also have mandated portions regarding unreimbursed medical expenses and child support. Each case is so different and that’s why here at Hildebrand Law, we try to treat each case with uniqueness. And so, if you’d like to discuss this more or decide whether we could help you with your parenting plan needs, please give me a call at (480) 305-8300.
A parenting plan is a court order that tells parents how they need to behave and act around their children. More importantly, it tells the parents when they actually get to see their children. It may include other things like holiday schedule, vacation schedule. It may also have mandated portions regarding unreimbursed medical expenses and child support. Each case is so different and that’s why here at Hildebrand Law, we try to treat each case with uniqueness. And so, if you’d like to discuss this more or decide whether we could help you with your parenting plan needs, please give me a call at (480) 305-8300.
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