Mediation might be a very simple method of reaching a final agreement including this term. Although I do not know who you are meeting with as a mediator, if it is with the court, they are likely to draft a consent decree for your signature at that very meeting. However, one way to avoid mediation... View More

If you believe your daughter may be harmed if Father exercises parenting time, then YES, you need to seek temporary and/or emergency orders. Such is the quickest manner of getting to see your Judge. OR, perhaps a strongly worded letter from an experienced attorney would convince Father to make... View More

If wife was ordered to take care of the debt related to the vehicle, then that remains true even now, but unfortunately is only binding upon the two of you. It is not binding upon the creditor who can pursue either of you if you were both on the loan. One option that you have is to file a petition... View More

She can sign a "Consent to Adoption" or "Consent to Termination of Parental Rights". A consent to adopt is irrevocable unless obtained by fraud, duress or undue influence. The consent must be in writing, must be witnessed by two or more credible witnesses OR shall be signed... View More

You have certainly described some very concerning and disturbing circumstances that your judge would surely want to address. With your initial "Petition for Modification", you could also file a Petition for Temporary Orders. Such is the quickest manner of getting to see your Judge and... View More

Yes, you can get full custody under those circumstances, but it is far from a guarantee. This is not a clearcut case for getting full custody, but you have arguments you can make that could get you there. A judge is going to be very concerned about what happened with the gymnastics dropoff, but the... View More

Perhaps a strongly worded letter from an experienced attorney would encourage him to be more communicative.

A qualified and experienced family law attorney can of course assist you in considering your options and then getting where you need to be. Most of us offer free, 1/2-hour... View More

Don't text him directly if it violates a court order.

Absent hiring an attorney to communicate with him as Mr. Peters suggested, you might want to file a Request for Mediation and make sure you have checked off that requirement before going for contempt.

Be keeping a record of... View More

I am probably too late on this ...

Most likely, the family court does not have jurisdiction over your dog.

The family court only has jurisdiction over dogs in divorces and only when the dog was acquired during the marriage and is the property of one or both of the spouses. In that... View More

You're not at fault.

She's being ridiculous.

The problem is this: How did you document this?

When you're fighting with crazy, you sometimes need to think through how to prove things that are, well, absolutely ridiculous that you have to prove.

Bear in... View More

The first is to determine what state has jurisdiction.

For that we first look to what state is the home state. The home state is either

(1) the state your son was born in, if it's the only state he has ever lived in;

OR

(2) the state where he most recently... View More

In Arizona, the Department of Child Safety (DCS) typically intervenes in family situations when there are concerns about the safety and well-being of children. This can include allegations of neglect, abuse, or other harmful environments. If DCS has removed your children from the home, it's... View More

A divorce decree is final in Arizona when all of the following criteria are met:

1. The Decree has resolved all issues related to the Petition for Dissolution.

2. The Decree states no matters remain pending.

3. The Decree states it is entered under Rule 78(c).

4.... View More

No. A non-parent cannot share custody with a parent. If you want to seek custody of your brother, you would have to show that both of his parents are unfit AND you would have to show that you stand in loco parentis to your brother (meaning, he treats like a parent and you have been acting as his... View More

A hair follicle exam can be a perfect way for you to alleviate any and every concern as it provides a historical assessment of your consumption of anything illegal. But, I would need to know more about your situation to determine whether her requests are excessive. Are there court orders in place... View More

The arrangement is not illegal.

There is a question of whether it is in your son's best interests. You could file a Petition to Modify, and then it's really up a judge. I think there's a good argument there, but it will really depend on how your judge feels about it. Some... View More

Asking or not asking for child support will have no impact on your custody case. The Court does not consider child support when determining custody, but once it determines custody, the amount of time awarded impacts the child support amount.

You should run numbers through an Arizona Child... View More

She can. You can't.

Based on what you wrote, it doesn't sound like you are even a legal parent yet. A biological connection to the child, by itself, does not establish you as the child's legal parent in the eyes of the law. You have to either (1) sign an Acknowledgment of... View More

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answered on Jan 2, 2024

In Arizona, as in other states, child custody decisions are primarily based on the best interests of the child. The fact that you moved to Arizona with the mutual agreement of the child's father and for the purpose of being closer to your family support system can be an important factor in... View More

If the child has not lived in Arizona for the greater part of the last 6 months, then Arizona does not have “home state jurisdiction”. Currently, the matter would LIKELY have to be pursued in Ohio. I WOULD NEED TO KNOW MORE to determine if there are other theories that would allow Arizona... View More