Arizona Child Custody & Parenting Time Lawyers

What is Legal Decision-Making in Arizona?

In Arizona, legal decision-making refers to a parent’s right to make major decisions regarding educational, health, and religious upbringing. This term has replaced what was traditionally referred to as “custody.”

Arizona courts generally favor arrangements that allow both parents to have an active role in their child’s life, whenever it’s in the child’s best interests.

Types of Legal Decision-Making

Joint Legal Decision-Making

Both parents share the responsibility of making major decisions about the child’s upbringing. This does not necessarily mean equal parenting time but does require both parents to consult and agree on important matters.

Joint Legal Decision giving one party final say

This is a hybrid approach where parents have joint decision-making, but one parent has the final say in case of disagreements.

Sole Legal Decision-Making

In some cases the court can order that one parent has the exclusive authority to make all major decisions for the child. This is generally reserved for cases involving domestic violence, substance abuse, child neglect, or other circumstances that make joint decision-making inappropriate.

What is Parenting Time?

Parenting time, also known as “visitation,” refers to the actual time each parent spends with the child. Arizona courts encourage equal or near-equal parenting time whenever possible, but the child’s safety and well-being remain the top priority. The court may order a less than equal parenting time order, if a parent poses a risk of physical, emotional, or mental harm, the court may restrict or supervise their parenting time.

Parents are encouraged to work together to create a parenting time plan that fits their family’s needs. If they cannot agree, the court will decide based on the best interest of the child.

Arizona Is a No-Fault Divorce State

With the exception of covenant marriages, Arizona is a no-fault divorce state. That means a spouse can file for divorce without having to prove wrongdoing. The only legal requirement is that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”

Divorce Services

Example 5-2-2-5 Parenting Schedule (14-Day Cycle)

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Example 2-2-3 Parenting Schedule (14-Day Cycle)

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Hear From Our Clients

Mr. David White and his team helped me navigate an extremely frustrating, complex, and protracted family law situation. Mr. White is truly the "real deal" - an expert at family law who, along with his team, will advocate fiercely for their client's best interest. The team in his office are a pleasure to work with, and each of them was a big help in resolving my case with a fair and reasonable outcome for both parties.

PAST CLIENT

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I am incredibly grateful for the assistance I received from my attorney regarding the enforcement of my child support modification and legal decision-making. He is not only knowledgeable and skilled but also has a strong commitment to his clients. I got everything I requested, and I felt supported throughout the entire process.

PAST CLIENT

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Retaining David was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Before retaining David, I had restricted parenting time for my 5 children and mom had final legal decision making authority. Even with restricted parenting time, mom was still refusing to allow any parenting time because she had a bogus order of protection against me. My previous attorney had pretty much thrown in the towel and advised me to settle with a horrible order. This was unsettling and I sought out new counsel.

PAST CLIENT

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I want to express my sincere gratitude for Mr. White and his staff for the outstanding support and dedication in handling my unusual case. Mr. White’s level of expertise have played a pivotal role in both my AZ & CA case. Mr. White is very passionate about his work. He knew exactly what to do and has always paid close attention to details. He is always there for me when I needed him and never once did I feel alone.

PAST CLIENT

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I could not have been more pleased and impressed to have been represented by Mr. White. Although I already had an attorney on retainer, this particular situation required the services of an attorney not afraid to be bold and aggressive. Several minutes into our initial consultation, I knew that Mr. White was up to the task. When you hire Mr. White, you're getting the man himself, not some junior partner as most law firms do.

PAST CLIENT

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There are not enough words to say how much of an amazing and outstanding job Mr. White did. He represented my husband in an ugly court battle for 6 months. David became very personal to us and we knew he was the perfect decision. David is an absolute hound on getting the best decision for the children and also his clients.

PAST CLIENT

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After hiring another attorney and not getting what I needed, I did a little more checking and found and hired Mr. David White. He was great from the start and did what he said he would do. Our ultimate goal was a case dismissal but would be hard to accomplish. We stayed patient through Covid but he was persistent and persuasive as well. I am so proud of him! We got the case dismissed, well he did with only a little help on my part. Great job David! He is a class act and well respected in the courts.

PAST CLIENT

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My wife needed a family law attorney for a custody dispute. I had a list of attorney's I was considering. I interviewed David and immediately knew he was the one I wanted representing her. I knew what I wanted in a Family Law attorney. I've spent over 2 decades negotiating contracts in my career, and I wanted a negotiator. David is sharp, wise and has decades of experience. David's philosophy is the child and the childs' interests come first.

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Modifying Parenting Time

Life changes. Parenting time schedules can be modified when circumstances significantly change, such as:

Speak to an Arizona Family Law Attorney

Whether you are seeking to establish time, modify time, or adjust an outdated arrangement, we can help you navigate the modification process.

Helpful Resources

AZCourtHelp-Parenting Plans

Arizona’s Guide for Parent Living Apart

AZCourtHelp-Legal Decision Making and Parenting Time Information

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