Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: My ex has full custody of our children with out my consent

Answer: I am not completely certain what you are asking.  Did you and your ex go to court and argue over the custody of the children?  (Custody is now called legal decision-making in the courts).  Did your ex file a petition for custody and fail to serve you with the papers?  Did your ex simply take the children and not go through the courts at all.  Yours is a complex issue and you need more help than this format can provide.  You need to sit down and talk the facts through with a lawyer.  There are three programs in Arizona that you can use to get inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the modest means program.  You will need to apply for the program and meet the financial qualifications.  Once you are qualified, Modest Means will send you a list of attorneys whose practice covers your area of concern.  You select a lawyer from the list and will be entitled to a one hour consultation for $75.  If you need additional help and if the lawyer agrees to take your case, the most you will be charged is  $75 per  hour.  The telephone number is (866) 637-5341.  Both Maricopa and Pima Counties have lawyer referral programs that offer a 30 minute consult with an attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers its 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney for $40.  The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute attorney consult for $35.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.