Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: My kids mother left the state and left our child with me now she wants to take her from me what rights do u have as the father when she left her in the first place ?

Answer: Is there a custody (legal decision-making) order in place?  If so, what does it say about who has custody?  If your split was more informal and there is no custody order in place, you will need to file a petition in family court asking the court to grant you legal decision-making (custody).  You can go to the court's website and get forms and instructions.  ( Go to  https://www.azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter/Family-Law-Forms)Your best bet is to get some guidance from a lawyer for your particular situation.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  If you are financially qualified for the program, for a $75 fee, Modest Means offers a one hour consult with an attorney.  If you need additional help and the attorney agrees to take your case, the fee charged will not exceed $75 per hour.  The telephone number is (866)637-5341.  Both the Maricopa and Pima County Bar Associations have lawyer referral programs that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consult for a fee of $40.  The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625. If you do  not have sufficient money to pay for a reduced fee consult, you can go elsewhere on this website and apply to see if you qualify for a free lawyer.  Go to http://www.azlawhelp.org/accesstojustice.cfm.