Arizona Custody Resources: Support for Parents
Don't go through the custody process alone. Even if you can't afford a lawyer, there are places you can turn to for help with your legal decision-making authority and parenting time case.
In-depth guides
Use the following guides to help you and your family through the various aspects of custody and parenting time.
- Helping children cope with divorce
- Financial planning through divorce
- Arizona guide to custody and parenting time
Self-representation (pro se) resources
Arizona Court Help provides a number of resources for parents going through the custody process without a lawyer, including court information and a live chat with law librarians. The self-help center includes a legal glossary, video tutorials and links to court forms for each county.
Each county also has an in-person self-service center.
Free or low-cost legal assistance
If you meet income eligibility requirements, you may be able to get free legal representation from one of Arizona's legal aid organizations:
Parents who don't qualify for legal aid but still can't afford a standard-rate lawyer may be eligible for the Modest Means Project. If you meet the income requirements, you'll be connected to a lawyer for a one-hour consultation costing $75. If you decide to hire the lawyer, their maximum rate is $75 per hour.
On the Arizona Free Legal Answers website, you can submit questions and get answers emailed from a lawyer. There are no fees, and you can ask follow-up questions. Like with legal aid services, you must meet income eligibility requirements, which are assessed with a short online questionnaire.
To see which state and county programs you may be eligible for, complete the Access to Justice questionnaire. Be sure to also check with your court for resources they may offer.
Parenting coordination
Cases with domestic violence, substance abuse or high levels of conflict may need parenting coordination, in which a neutral custody expert helps parents implement their parenting plan and parenting time schedule. Judges can recommend coordination, but they can only order it when both parents agree to participate.
Parenting coordinators are usually family psychologists. They meet with parents individually and together to help resolve disputes, teach communication skills and provide tailored parenting education. They also interview the children and possibly others who have relevant insights into the family (grandparents, teachers, doctors, etc.).
During a case, the coordinator helps parents follow temporary court orders and negotiate a final settlement. When parents can't agree, the coordinator writes a report for the judge that recommends orders for legal decision-making, parenting time and more.
After the court issues final orders, the coordinator helps parents implement the parenting plan and monitors compliance for the court. They continue to help parents communicate so the parents can eventually succeed without coordination.
Parenting coordinators typically charge between $150 and $300 an hour. Parents share the cost equally or in proportion to their incomes.
Language interpretation
For all court appearances, the court provides language services for parents with limited English proficiency and parents who are deaf or hard of hearing. Most courts provide interpreters at no charge, regardless of parents' income.
Visit your court's website or clerk office for their interpreter request form. For Spanish interpretation, complete the request at least one week before each court appearance. For Navajo, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin or other languages, complete the requests at least two weeks in advance.
Parents who are deaf or hard of hearing should contact the court clerk and review information from the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The courts offer free American and Mexican Sign Language interpretation. They also offer Communication Access Real Time Translation (CART) in English and Spanish.
Our professional sources
For more help, consider reaching out to one of our sources. The professionals below provided expertise for this guide to custody and parenting time in Arizona. We hope they can help you, too.
Alford Law, PLLC
Elliot Alford, Attorney at Law
Phoenix, AZ
Cantor Law Group
David Cantor, Attorney at Law
Phoenix, AZ
Michael Shew, Ltd.
Michael Shew, Attorney at Law
Phoenix, AZ
Simons & Gottfreid, PLLC
Alona Gottfried, Attorney at Law
Phoenix, AZ
Custody X Change app
The custody process requires organization. You may need to create a parenting plan, draft multiple parenting schedules, calculate expenses, keep a record of communication with the other parent and more.
The Custody X Change app enables you to do all of this in one place.
With a parenting plan template, customizable custody calendars, an expense tracker, parent-to-parent messaging and more, Custody X Change makes sure you're prepared for whatever arises in your journey to child custody.
Take advantage of our technology to stay on top of all the moving parts of your case.