Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: my 2 girls have lived with me always their dad has not seen them in months i let them go to idaho to see their family they now are threating to file.can they keep my kids from me until court

Answer: Arizona has jurisdiction over the kids if they have resided in Arizona for more than 6 months. ARS § 25-1002(7)(a) Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act a parent who has an order giving them sole legal and physical custody then they have the right to pick up their child. However the father has parental rights to his child and is to have reasonable visitation. ARS § 25-408(A) states: a parent who is not granted custody of the child is entitled to reasonable parenting time rights to ensure that the minor child has frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent unless the court finds, after a hearing, that parenting time would endanger seriously the child’s physical, mental, moral, or emotional health.