Parental Rights & Obligations Article
Where to Find an Attorney for Specific Legal Advice
Arizona has three legal aid organizations which cover different regions of the state.
- Community Legal Services (800) 852-9075 covers Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, Yuma and LaPaz Counties.
- Southern Arizona Legal Aid (800) 640-9465 covers southern Arizona.
- DNA People’s Legal Services (800) 789-7287 covers northern Arizona.
All legal service programs in Arizona differ, and their criteria for accepting cases vary. The legal aid organizations above all have the same criteria of income restrictions and legal status requirements, but do have varying priorities.
To find out about more Arizona resources that may be able to assist you, you can contact LegalLEARN, Legal Information & Resources at (866) 637-5341.
Individuals may apply for free and reduced fee legal services by using the "Access To Justice Online Intake System" through AZLawHelp.
If the legal services program in your area cannot assist you, you may be able to find a lawyer through lawyer referral services in Maricopa County (602) 257-4434 or Pima County (520) 623-4625.
The State Bar also maintains a listing of all Arizona attorneys on their website, and certifies “specialists” in eight legal areas. (Not all attorneys seek such certification, however.) Lists of specialists can also be found at the State Bar of Arizona’s website.
Comments:
QUESTIONS
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We are parents of a defiant & verbally aggressive & threatening 15 year old. A recent conflict ended with me as his adoptive stepdad giving him the choice to either work on better behavior or we would need to find alternate living for him. He chose to leave the house and is staying at various friends houses. What obligations do we as parents have to ensure a safe living environment and can we legally force him to return home?
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I recently found out that I am the bio-logical father of a 14 year old daughter who has been adopted. I never knew until June 2011 that I was this child’s father. What rights do I have since this was done without my knowledge? This was actually done in Colorado but I reside in Arizona. I do not want to up-root my child from her adoptive family as she has been with them for 6 years but I would like to met her and let her know that I did not abandon her and I am here for her if she wants to get to know me.
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I am having a child with a 16 year old (I was 17 when I found out I was pregnant) and I just turned 18 less than a month ago. He has been living with me for 3 to 4 months and his father has made him move to Apache junction with the new girlfriend of his. His father has child abuse charges on him and had his daughter taken away for this. We were wondering if he could move with me and my family. He loves it with us and with his father he gets verbal as well as mental abuse I want to know if there is anything I can do to get him out of there and keep him safe.
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My husband got a divorce in AZ to his ex. She remarried military so they move quite often. The youngest child (both in mothers care) is now living in a different state than her mother and is not emancipated or 18 yet. She is either living with her step-dad (against divorce agreement) or own her own. What steps need to be taken to enforce mother's responsibilty of child custody? Dad has custodial custody currently but the child went to live with her mother due to domestic violence towards me. Mom is in WI and child is in NC. Any help would be greatly appreciated to straighten out this issue.
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I have a defiant 17 year old daughter who is violent and verbally abusive. She has even damaged our home by punching holes in the doors and is using drugs. She will not follow any of our rules and basically comes and goes as she pleases. She turns 18 in 5 months, but will not graduate high school until May of next year. Are we still responsible for her until she graduates, or do our responsibilities end once she turns 18? She is causing turmoil and fear within our home and we just don't know what our rights are.
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My ex and I have a 12 year old son. He lives with him and sees me every other weekend. I want to give him full custody. do I have to pay child support if he gets full custody?
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Once parental rights are severed can a parent petition the courts to get her rights back?
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One of my friends is 17 (18 in less than a month) and is graduating. She used to live with her mother in Georgia, and was promised a better life, but when she came out here, her father forced her to watch her little sister and brother. Her brother is autistic, and she can't keep watching him. Is there any way she can get out of this legally? Her schooling and her career are both suffering.
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I currently have an estranged husband but my husband was deported 3 years ago. Can I get his parental rights terminated if he has not paid child support on 3 children nor bothered in their upbringing in 5 years?
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If a couple is separated and pending completion of a divorce, how may one parent get to see their kids throughout the divorce process if the other parent is denying them access to see the children?
STORIES
LegalLEARN
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Free & Reduced Fees Legal Aid Resources
Click Here to apply online, or call
866-637-5341.
FIND LEGAL HELP
- Please select your county of residence below.
OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES
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State Bar of Arizona
www.azbar.org -
Maricopa County Bar
www.maricopabar.org
Referral number 602-257-4434 -
Pima County Bar
www.pimacountybar.org
Referral number 520-623-4625 -
National Domestic Violence Hotline
800-799-7233 -
Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center
866-553-0893 -
Certified Legal Document Preparer Program
Link
ORGANIZATIONS
- Attorney General’s Office (Tucson)
View full description - Community Outreach Program for the Deaf
View full description - Confidential Intermediary Program
View full description - Volunteer Lawyers Program – DNA
View full description - DNA- People's Legal Services - Window Rock
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