As a divorced parent, you want to do everything you can to protect your child custody rights. This is true both during the divorce process, when custody arrangements are still being determined, and afterward. Child custody orders can always be modified. With that in...
Child Custody
5 things to consider before relocating with kids
Relocating with your children after divorce can be both exciting and stressful. You want the move to improve your life while keeping your kids safe, happy and connected to both parents. In Arizona, moving a child after divorce involves more than packing boxes....
Communication between co-parents is critical
Parents who split up don’t usually have the option of avoiding each other once the split happens. Instead, they will have to learn how to communicate so they can raise their child together. It’s not always easy to continue communicating with someone you once had a...
Can parents in Arizona agree on a parenting plan without a judge?
As parents going through a divorce, one major concern is how parenting time and decision-making will work once you begin living separate lives. Many assume a judge must decide everything, but it's not always the case. Arizona law encourages parents to cooperate when...
Can a teen choose which parent to live with?
When your child becomes a teenager, they may have strong opinions about where they want to live. You may wonder how much influence your teen has and what Arizona law allows. Teens cannot choose a parent in an Arizona divorce. But their opinions can matter in some...
Could your child request to live only with your ex?
Many child custody disputes arise because parents have different ideas of what child custody should look like. Say that both you and your ex want sole custody of your child. Since you want fundamentally different things, there is no way to compromise, so the court is...
Adjusting a parenting plan after one parent remarries
When one parent remarries, it does change family dynamics, but it does not automatically mean that a parenting plan must be adjusted. In many cases, remarriage does not affect custody, visitation or parenting time arrangements at all. Courts understand that parents...
Can both parents be there? 4 co-parenting tips for life events
Divorce changes family life, but it does not change your child’s need for support at big moments. From school plays to birthday parties to soccer finals, these occasions matter. For parents who share custody, the question often is: Can both of us be there without...
When to update your Arizona parenting plan
When you signed your divorce papers, your parenting time schedule reflected your life at that moment – your work hours, your children’s ages and where everyone lived. Fast forward a few years, and those arrangements you carefully crafted might feel like they belong to...
Do you need court approval to relocate with your child?
When you share custody of your child in Arizona, moving to a new city or state comes with important legal steps. While it could be tempting to just leave the state, it is crucial to understand that there is a legal process involved. You must follow the rules to avoid...