Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: How does a man go about getting custody of a child when the mom and dad are not together

Answer: Your question omits important information needed to give you an answer.  Are you listed as the father on the birth certificate?  Were you and the mother married at the time the child was born?  If the answer to both of those questions is "no."  Then, you will need to file a paternity action in family court pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 25-803.  You can try to handle this yourself, but it might be wise to at least talk to a lawyer.  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.  If you decide to handle it completely on your own, you can find the forms you need on the court's website www.azcourts.gov