Parenting Plans in Arizona Divorce and Child Custody Cases

We are accustomed to talking about a child custody negotiation as a battle, a war! Parents threaten to blow each other out of the water, to take no prisoners. You’ve read about the awful tricks and allegations parents sometimes employ. They include false claims of child abuse, murky alcoholism allegations, charges of neglect, recklessness, drug abuse. All to “win” custody of the children.

But experts agree that it damages kids to be in the middle of a parental tug-of-war. No matter which parent wins, the children are the biggest losers. Their level of stress adjusts to parental stress levels. The more combative the atmosphere, the more anxiety the children carry forward, for months, years and sometimes a lifetime.

Two Kinds of Custody

When parents talk about custody, they usually mean physical custody–which parent the kids live with most of the time. However, legal custody is just as important.

Legal custody means who makes the important decisions for children until they are of age. This includes critical decisions like choices of schools, religion, and medical care. Often parents share legal custody and must come to an agreement on these matters.

Think in Terms of a Parenting Plan

Some states—like Arizona–have changed the terms used to talk about these matters. Instead of “custody,” with its lock-‘em-up connotations, these states talk in terms of parenting time, legal decision-making, and parenting plans.

Ideally, a parenting plan results from negotiations between the parents who work out a schedule that benefits everybody. The plan sets out legal decision-making authority (legal custody). It also includes details about when the kids will be with each parent. If parents cannot work out a parenting plan, the court imposes one.

It is in your best interests and those of your kids to negotiate a parenting plan with your spouse. Make it as detailed as possible. Courts usually approve parenting plans the parents negotiate, even if the terms are very loose. But while loose plans work for a while, they can fall apart when problems arise. Perhaps the amicable relationship between the parents will collapse when one remarries. Perhaps different interpretations of a general plan will cause the parents to fight or return to court. Again, it’s the kids who will suffer.

For the sake of the children, make the plan as detailed as you can.

• Talk through all issues you can identify with the other parent.

• Don’t forget holidays and school vacations, or Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, with the appropriate parent.

• Clearly, defining the start and end times for each person’s parenting time to preclude confusion or disagreement.

• Think through transportation issues, including where and when exchanges will happen.

Developing a thoughtful, workable parenting plan requires an open mind and a willingness to compromise. But the rewards are great.

Hire an experienced family law attorney to help you write up a comprehensive parenting plan. The less left undecided, the less chance you and your ex will come to blows. And the more chance your kids will emerge from your divorce undamaged.

If you have questions about parenting plans courts use in an Arizona divorce case, you should seriously consider contacting the attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC. Our Arizona divorce and family law attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing clients in divorce and family law cases.

Our family law firm has earned numerous awards such as US News and World Reports Best Arizona Family Law Firm, US News and World Report Best Divorce Attorneys, “Best of the Valley” by Arizona Foothills readers, and “Best Arizona Divorce Law Firms” by North Scottsdale Magazine.

Call us today at (480)305-8300 or reach out to us through our appointment scheduling form to schedule your personalized consultation and turn your Arizona divorce or family law case around today.

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Chris Hildebrand wrote the information on this page about Arizona parenting plans in a child custody case to ensure everyone has access to information about family law in Arizona. Chris is a divorce and family law attorney at Hildebrand Law, PC. He has over 24 years of Arizona family law experience and has received multiple awards, including US News and World Report “Top Arizona Divorce Attorneys”, Phoenix Magazine “Top Divorce Law Firms”, and Arizona Foothills Magazine “Best of the Valley” award. He believes the policies and procedures he uses to get his clients through a divorce should all be guided by the principles of honesty, integrity, and, quite frankly, actually caring about what his clients are going through in a divorce or family law case. In short, his practice is defined by the success of his clients. He also manages all of the other attorneys at his firm to make sure the outcomes in their clients’ cases are successful as well.