questions & answers

Question: Can the lawyer for the birth mother, force the guardians to give her visitations? She signed the guardianship paper that states, "I understand that I shall not have any right or claim to control or custody of such child or property." We have a guardianship hearing on Oct. 23, 2019.

Answer: In family law and juvenile law, everything depends on the specific facts of the case and on previous orders that have been entered.  You need specific legal advice based on the facts and the details of the guardianship document.  You would be best served by sitting down with a lawyer who can look over your papers and give you advice.  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 hours.  the telephone number is (866) 637-5341.  Both Maricopa County and Pima County have lawyer referral programs that offer a 30 minute consult with an attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 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.