questions & answers

Question: Ex-wife passed an we shared 50/50 custody of are 2 dauggters, I live in kansas now an her parents hide that death for 24 days to get a jump on temporary custody which has not gone through yet. Trying to hire a lawyer, but in mean time they won't let me speak to them or text back here and there. Tried picking them up an found they took my girls outta country to mexico to their condo. What can be done beside lawyer nobody seems to wanna help, Law say just get a lawyer!

Answer: Since you posed your question on an Arizona legal website, I will assume the divorce and custody agreement took place in an Arizona Court.  That gives Arizona jurisdiction to decide the current custody issue.  Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 25-402. You will need to file an action in Arizona to get physical custody of your children.  Yes, you can obtain modification of custody forms on the Arizona Superior Court's website, but it would be a really good idea to at least talk to a lawyer before you start the process.  The forms on the website will need some tweaking to work well for your 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.  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.  You can talk to a lawyer in Kansas, but that lawyer may not be familiar with Arizona law.