questions & answers

Question: My ex husband notified me on Monday that he is planning to move to Irvine CA at the end of May. I cannot afford to hire a lawyer because I'm still paying for my most recent legal fees regarding visitation... I desperately need help because I only have 60 days. Of course, I do not want my son to move with his dad and stepmom. She is abusive (mean), and he would spend all of his time with her because his dad is rarely home.

Answer: Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 25-408 limits your ex-husband's right to move your your son out of state if you have shared custody unless he has given you 45 days, advance, written notice.  That should allow you sufficient time to file a written objection to the move.  Go to the court's website, locate the county where you live, find the self-help center and access the family law forms and instructions.  The court's website is:  www.azcourts.gov.  You may also want to spend a small amount of money to talk to a lawyer about this issue.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  For a $75.00 fee, the Modest Means Program will arrange a one hour consult with an experienced attorney.  The telephone number is (866) 637-5341. Both the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Pima County Bar Association have lawyer referral services that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $40.00. The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.00.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.