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Circumstances When the Arizona Child Relocation Statute Does Not Apply

Item: Hildebrand Law, PC
Rating: 5
Author: Chris Hildebrand

Posted on : December 22, 2015, By: Chris Hildebrand

When the Arizona Child Relocation Statute Does Not Apply in Arizona

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Arizona has a statute that applies when a parent wants to relocate their children. Still, there are times when the child relocation statute does not apply.

The law that applies to relocating a child is in Arizona Revised Statute 25-408. A parent must provide sixty days prior written notice to the other parent if they intend to relocate with the child and that relocation is more than 100 miles from their home.

However, they are only required to provide that notice if both parents live in Arizona and the court has issued child custody orders.

In considering the following case, the Arizona Court of Appeals in the case of Buencamino v. Noftsinger had to determine if there are times when the Arizona child relocation statute does not apply.

In that case, both parents lived in Arizona. Although they had a child together, they were not married. Their child spent some time residing with both parents and living with each parent individually. In the Fall of 2006, their child was living with her father.

Mother’s Relocation from Arizona to Maryland Without Her Child

The mother informed the father she was moving to Maryland due to her marriage to another man. Father disagreed, and the mother moved to Maryland without their child. There were no written agreements regarding child custody or parenting time when the mother moved. Hildebrand Law, PC | Voted Best of Our Valley in Arizona Foothills Magazine.

Father Files a Paternity Action in Arizona

In December 2006, the father filed a paternity action seeking sole custody. The father had the mother served with his paternity case in Maryland in February 2007. She failed to file a response promptly, so the father applied for default.

Later, the mother failed to appear at the Resolution Management Conference. The family court noted the default, and a temporary order was issued granting sole custody to the father. The court order did not order parenting time for the mother.

Mother files a Petition for Custody and Parenting Time

The mother later filed a cross-petition not long after, asking the court to award her sole legal custody.

A trial occurred for the case in January 2008. The family court entered an order providing joint custody and equal parenting time. After that, the father filed a motion for a new trial. The court denied the father’s request for a new hearing. The father filed a Notice of Appeal to the Arizona Court of Appeals. The Arizona Court of Appeals court had jurisdiction to hear that appeal.

Judge Does Not Apply the Arizona Child Relocation Statute

Circumstances When the Arizona Child Relocation Statute Does Not Apply to a Relocation of a Child. The judge’s order did not include addressing any of the factors contained in the Arizona child relocation statute. The mother wants to relocate with the child to Maryland. The father wants to continue residing with the child in Arizona. The father argues that this was the wrong way of handling the issue as this is a “relocation” case.

The judge’s order did not include addressing any of the factors contained in the Arizona child relocation statute. The mother wants to relocate with the child to Maryland. The father wants to continue residing with the child in Arizona. The father argues that this was the wrong way of handling the issue as this is a “relocation” case.

Arizona Child Relocation Laws Only Apply When Two Requirements Are Met

The Arizona child relocation statute requires two things before the child relocation law applies. Specifically, there must be a written agreement or a child custody order, and both parents must live in Arizona. In reviewing the relocation provisions of the statute, it is essential to pinpoint the legislature’s intent and any qualifying factors.

In the case of Buencamino v Noftsinger, neither prerequisite existed at the time of the court ruling. There was no written agreement or custody order outlining custody and parenting time for both parents. The temporary order obtained by the father included no mention of mothers parenting time. Also, at the time of the action, the mother was already residing in Maryland, so both parents are not residents of Arizona.

Because of these facts, the statutory prerequisites for applying the relocation provisions in the law did not exist in this case. Therefore, the family court was not required to consider the relocation requirements or make any particular findings following the factors described in the law.

Contact Our Arizona Child Relocation Attorneys

Are things not going well in your Arizona child relocation case? In so, you should seriously consider contacting the attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC. Our Arizona child custody and family law attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing clients in child relocation 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.

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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 child custody relocation case around today.

More Articles About Child Custody in Arizona

Chris Hildebrand wrote the information on this page about times when the Arizona child relocation statute does not apply in Arizona 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.

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I cannot express enough how thankful I am that I found Hildrebrand Law. Chris Hildebrand is an excellent attorney who has my best interests in mind and always encourages me to do the right thing regardless of what the opposing party is doing. Chris knows family law very well and relies on that knowledge to format options and solutions for each situation that may arise. He knows what the Court expects and what will and will not be tolerated. He has attempted to settle this case quickly and as inexpensively as possible from the start. His paralegal, Laura, is remarkable. She is organized, quick to respond, and compassionate. Chris is well prepared with a binder full of detailed and organized information and that is likely due to her thorough skills and expertise. While getting a divorce that was unexpected is a painful and difficult process, Chris and Laura treat my family and I like friends rather than another just "client." I am hopeful that I do not need to recommend divorce lawyers to anyone in the future but if I do, Hildebrand Law will be a recommendation I would give hands down.

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Despite the unfortunate situation I found myself in, Chris Hildebrand @ Hildebrand Law helped me maneuver every step with professionalism, expertise, and even a sensitivity that was an added bonus. Chris and his staff helped me even when I didn't know I needed the help. In other words. . . they made sure we did not leave anything undone. And in the rare instance we needed the expertise of another professional, Chris knew exactly who to recommend. Chris also knew, because of his experience, what to anticipate down the road of litigation. That meant we were better prepared to meet the challenges head on, which lead to a more equitable and fair outcome. I appreciated that Chris did his best to meet my every need in a timely fashion, even if I had a simple question that required only a phone call or e-mail or if we needed to talk face-to-face. I highly recommend Chris Hildebrand @ Hildebrand Law, PC.

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