QUESTION
What are his legal responsibilities as a parent to our child other than financial?
Asked on Jan 31st, 2015 on Child Custody - Arizona
More details to this question:
Dad left home to pursue an adulterous relationship and is drinking heavily with the partner. Now we are going thru divorce. As mom, do I have to agree to send our 13 year old out of state to see dad? She is in competitive sports 6-days a week and highly academic private school. She has minimal free time and is working towards a college scholarship. My position is if he would like to parent his child, I have no problems with him coming and he can do the carpool/take her to the doctor’s appointments etc.
1 ANSWER
Judd S. Nemiro
Please view Arizona Revised Statute 25-403, which covers the parenting time and legal decision-making factors. Every judge must review these factors when making parenting time and/or legal decision-making decisions. It is unclear from your question whether the Father is still living near the marital home. The law states that each parent should have frequent and meaningful parenting time with each parent. The adultery is not necessarily relevant to parenting time, however alcoholism and heavy drinking are relevant. It depends on the additional facts of your case how much parenting time Father would receive if the case went to trial. Preliminary, allowing Father to only take the child to school and doctor's appoints is probably not enough time for him.
Answered on Feb 03rd, 2015 at 4:41 AM