questions & answers

Question: I am single parent (mother) with an adopted child which is now 4 and have sole custody. I was in a relationship (non biological father) for 3 years. Now we are longer together and the "father: wants to seek legal joint custody. Can he legally obtain custody in Arizona?

Answer:

Whether a person can or cannot seek custody really depends on the specific situation. You may want to consult with an attorney to find out how the law applies to your specific situation.

Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) contains the laws in Arizona about domestic and marital relations. Chapter 4, Article 1 of Title 25 (starting with A.R.S. § 25-401) contains laws about child custody. A.R.S. § 25-415 discusses custody by a nonparent.

If you decide to speak with an attorney to find out how these and other laws apply to your situation, you may want to discuss whether the person seeking legal custody also adopted the child.