questions & answers

Question: I have joint custody of my son and have been divorced for several years now. My question is do I need his mother’s permission to travel out of the country to go visit some family. The trip would be only a few hours. I have read the decree and no where does it say travels are limited to domestic and all I must do is inform her of any travel plans.

Answer: I am assuming from your question that your ex is not willing to agree to you taking your child across the border.  You have the option of asking the court for permission if she will not agree.  This can be a thorny problem and you might want to get legal advice on how to handle the 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.