questions & answers

Question: I have a 3 year old daughter. Her mother im not Married to was convicted of armed robbery & drug charges. Setenced 4 5 years in state prison. Was a violent crime. Question is do I have grounds to sever her Parentall rights? She left my daughter with a lady she did not know and unfit to care for her left her in dirty diaper and no spares while she was out committing the crime. She has been with me for the past 1.5 years. My Daughter has only seen her mom 5 times since Incarceration. My daughter has no recollection of her mother. She knows my wife of 15 years as her mother. Longer story

Answer: Armed robbery is generally considered to be a violent crime.  There are a number of facts that do not appear in your question that would be required for a comprehensive answer. Was Child Protective Services involved when your ex was arrested? Do you now have sole legal custody (now called legal decision-making)? You really need to sit down with a lawyer and go over all of your documents and the details of your case.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  If you are financially qualified for the program, for a $75 fee, Modest Means offers a one hour consult with an attorney.  If you need additional help and the attorney agrees to take your case, the fee charged will not exceed $75 per hour.  The telephone number is (866)637-5341.  Both the Maricopa and Pima County Bar Associations have lawyer referral programs that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consult for a fee of $40.  The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.