Parenting Time

Child-Related Matters

Change Name of Minor

Child Support Modification

Parenting Time

Paternity and Child Support

Parenting time in AZ

Arizona laws aim to help parents nurture their children. In most cases here in Arizona, the law allows a parent who wasn’t granted child custody to still have a reasonable amount of parenting time.

As part of its child custody order, a court will also determine how much parenting time is best. When you need to make a petition for child custody or parenting time, AZ Diamond Docs can help.

Parenting time

Child custody and parenting time

When parents divorce or separate, the children must be cared for in a stable environment. If parents don’t agree on plans for raising their children, then the court will make appropriate decisions regarding their health and welfare.

The most important decisions are how much time each parent will spend with the child and who will be the child’s primary caregiver. Well-written petitions and supporting documents are the best way to inform the court so that it can determine the best solution for the children.

Sometimes unmarried parents, other relatives, or even unrelated persons may also ask a court for parenting time or child custody. In each case, the legal standard for a court’s decision is to be based on the children’s best interests.

What’s parenting time?

Sometimes called “contact,” “visitation time,” “residential time,” or simply “access,” parenting time is the legal term for an opportunity to spend time with a child by a parent who doesn’t have sole custody. Whichever parent doesn’t have sole custody is legally described as the “non-custodial parent.”

Most custody-related problems arise when parents ask a court for a divorce or separation. Yet, issues can also arise between unmarried partners or between parents who don’t live together and never formalized any childcare plans.

The right amount of time

Based on the court’s determination of what would be in a child’s best interests, how much time depends on factors including the child’s age and current stage of development. For example, a court might not find it appropriate to order long periods of time with a newborn baby for a non-custodial parent. In cases like that, the court’s order might require shorter yet more frequent visits. Key considerations include:

Age and health of child and parents
Available time of each parent
Suitability of living conditions in the home
Work or other obligations that might affect the child
Distance between parents’ homes
School and activities scheduling

The AZ Supreme Court has provided Model Parenting Time Plans to help guide courts and parents regarding parenting time. An expert legal document preparation service can help you complete and file the appropriate petitions, affidavits, and other paperwork to resolve issues with child custody and parenting time.

Important questions to be decided

When preparing a parenting plan or agreement, specify exactly when, where, and for how long the children will be with each parent. Make sure that annual events are decided:

Christmas and other holidays
Birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions (including parents’ birthdays)
Vacations and school breaks

Parenting time order

Just like with child custody, a court can grant parenting time only in certain types of cases. Usually, the time is determined when parents seek a separation or divorce, but it can also be set when a parent asks the court to change an existing order. It could also be determined when one parent begins a court action to decide the paternity – or maternity – of a child.

AZ legal document preparation services

As part of its child custody order, a court will also determine how much parenting time is best. When you need to make a petition for child custody and parenting time, AZ Diamond Docs can help. Our certified legal document preparers (AZ CLDP) can help you create and file the petitions, responses, affidavits, and other paperwork to ask for parenting time and child custody.

Parenting time

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