Let Us Protect Your Parental Rights And Advocate For Your Children
If you are a parent and are about to go through a divorce, the well-being of your children is likely at the top of your list of concerns. Divorce is not easy on any member of the family, and most parents are worried about what a divorce will mean for their children and their relationship with their kids – specifically, the allocation of parenting time.
At The Law Office of Vincent Mattioli, PLC, we regularly work with clients who have these concerns. When you contact us for your free initial consultation, we are happy to answer your questions about child custody matters, discuss how the laws work in Arizona, and inform you of your legal rights and options.
Understanding The Legal Terminology
Most people still use the term “child custody,” and they may differentiate between physical custody and legal custody. In Arizona, the official term for physical custody is “parenting time,” referring to the allocation of time that your children physically spend with you.
Additionally, what used to be called legal custody is officially known as “legal decision making.” This refers to each parent’s authority to make important decisions on behalf of their children (such as education, medical care and religious traditions). While courts will use the official terminology, nearly anyone will understand what you mean if you use the older terms.
How Are Parenting Time And Legal Decision Making Allocated?
Despite what you may have heard from friends or family, Arizona law does not favor mothers or fathers. The legal presumption at the beginning of the process is that parents will share both parenting time and legal decision making. This doesn’t mean that time will be split equally, but it does mean that both parents will stay involved unless it is in the best interests of the children to give one parent both full parenting time and full decision-making authority.
The document that spells out specifics about parenting time and child-related decisions is known as the parenting plan. If you and your co-parent are able to negotiate the details among yourselves (with input from your attorneys), this approach gives you the greatest control over the outcome of the case and will likely lead to less stress and resentment.
If you cannot agree on terms, each of you can create a proposed parenting plan and submit it to the court. A judge will decide to approve one plan or create a different plan, often with input from professionals appointed by the court to safeguard the best interests of children.
Our Firm Offers Personalized Attention And Strong Advocacy
When you hire our firm, your case will not be handed to a paralegal or a “junior associate.” You will work directly with attorney Vince Mattioli. We believe that you and your case deserve our full attention and the strongest legal advocacy we can provide. No law firm can promise specific outcomes, but here is what we can promise: We will listen to you at all times, understand what is most important to you, work tirelessly to protect your parental rights and advocate vigorously for the legal outcomes you are seeking.
Get Started With A Free Initial Consultation
The Law Office of Vincent Mattioli, PLC, has two convenient office locations in Casa Grande and Scottsdale, Arizona. We are pleased to offer free initial consultations to all prospective clients. To schedule yours, give us a call at 480-485-8158 or fill out our online contact form.