The relationship between you and your wife has reached the point of no return. The wife says she is going to leave, and the kids are going with her. Legally, can she do this? Can you stop her from following through with these actions? What can be done legally to help you? What course of action do you take if she leaves with kids in tow having not obtained your permission to do so? Primarily, she just cannot take the kids and depart. She has no more rights to the child or children than the father, this is even more so when there is no custody or divorce agreement in place.

What To Do When Your Wife Leaves With The Children

• As a father you have certain rights and they need immediate protection in these circumstances. If you allow this to go on without any action, you are at risk of losing the rights you have when the custody and divorce case goes to court. You should immediately contact a family lawyer who will safeguard your rights.
• Your attorney will immediately contact the attorney your wife has retained to commence work on an agreement. Avoid legal ramifications by deciding not to just show up and attempt to take the children back. Leave it to the attorneys. This contact from the attorneys will be documented and the courts will be able to tell, you did not just allow this to go on and that you want to maintain your involvement in the lives of your child or children.
• A schedule for visitation needs to be created and adhered too as there is no doubt the time spent with our child or children will be examined during the divorce proceedings. If you want custody, be sure to be involved with the parenting decisions for the child or children and ensure you are there for them when they are with you. Avoid having them babysat. Instead, be a Dad and make sure the time you spend with them is quality time. Make sure no scheduled visits are missed, so it cannot be held against you. These are all things the judge will be reviewing.

Father’s Rights During and Following Divorce

Throughout the divorce process, you have certain rights as a father and your wife is not able to stop you from using those rights unless there are circumstances such as a substance problem or history of abuse. Examples of these rights include:

• You wife cannot keep you from your children. And any attempt by her to do so needs immediate attention. You have the right to attend activities, events, sports games, graduations, plays, and so on. In situations where she is purposefully preventing you from doing so, tell your attorney right away and handle it through the legal process.
• Should your ex-spouse remarry she may want your child or children to be adopted by her new husband. You have the right to stop this. No judge is going to allow this to occur if the father is meeting the agreed obligations and sticking to his visitation or custody agreements.
• It is vital to provide the needed financial support to your child or children in order to protect your rights through the process. It is documentable evidence that you are meeting the financial obligations you have towards your child or children. Your right will remain in place by ensuring you stay current on these payments.
• You have the right to share custody of the child or children with your wife during the divorce proceedings unless the courts have decided custody may not be shared. She is unable to force your hand on this issue unless you allow her to do so.
• You have a right to have full involvement in the parenting decisions on behalf of the child or children, as their father. This ranges from religion, schooling, health care choices and so on. Disagreements will need to be worked out and it will demonstrate to the court that the pair of you can work for a common goal…doing what is best for the child or children.

Minimizing Problems With The Mother of Your Child Or Children During Divorce

If both of you realize conflict will be of no benefit to the child or children or yourselves during the divorce process, things should go a lot smoother. Disagreements are inevitable but serious conflict should be avoided at all costs.

• By respecting the plans of the other person, problems should be minimized especially when it comes to things such as special events or trips. Discuss in advance any changes to schedules or pick up and collection times of the child or children. Open lines of communication are key.
• You must remain consistent in your efforts. Being reliable and turning up when you say you are going to do so and following through with what you have said you are going to do, often helps to minimize other issues in divorce proceedings. This is an area where there is really no room for excuses so do not give her a just reason to become upset or frustrated with the situation.
• You need to be able to communicate, clearly and concisely with your ex. If that is difficult, think about using an online service that creates and organizes schedules and you can leave each other messages on there. However, remember words said in text form can often be misconstrued as it lacks the subtlety of human intonation.

Source:  Baker, Nicholas, et al. “Can My Wife Take My Kids Away From Me? Family Law Rights.” Family Law Rights, 24 July 2016, https://www.familylawrights.net/blog/can-my-wife-take-my-kids-away-from-me/.

Can a Parent Move out of state without a custody agreement in Arizona? The short answer is no.

Courts in Arizona deciding whether a parent can relocate with their child or children have a duty to investigate if the move will harm the relationship the child or children has with the parent who is not relocating.

One parent often moves to another state following a divorce, be it for a new partner a new career or just a chance to start over somewhere else. Regardless of the reason, the move of the parent will have a significant impact on custodial issues.

A judge will decide and look at many different issues to decide custodial arrangements, if the parents are incapable of handling custody issues following the move. Without question these decisions are complex and it is vital you understand the circumstances that may impact your case.

Overview of Arizona Child Custody Laws

In any custody decision, the interests and wellbeing of the child or children is given top importance. Some of the factors taken into consideration include:

• The physical and mental health of each parent.
• The relationship the child or children has with each parent.
• The ability of each parent to provide stability.
• If there is a history of abuse or domestic violence with one or both parents.
• The adjustment required by the child or children to adapt to their community and home.

Based on this the judge will determine whether joint or sole custody should be granted to one of the parents for the child or children. Parents can share legal custody even when the one parent has lone physical custody of the child or children. But that parent may be in a better position regarding the relocation of the child or children.

Understanding Relocation Rules for Arizona Parents

A relocation is defined as a move out of state or a move within the current state they reside that is greater than 100 miles away from the current location of the child or children. When parents share legal or joint custody, the parent making the move must give 45 days’ notice of such a move. The parent who is not moving then can petition the court to prevent the relocation of the child or children. In circumstances where a judge refuses to allow the relocation, it means the parent cannot move with the child or children but may move without them.

How Will a Judge Decide a Relocation Case?

The primary factor a judge will consider in these cases is how the move may have negative consequences for the child or children. Each side will be required to submit a statement of evidence for the judge to consider. The judge will then hold a hearing to decide. At the hearing, the judge may hear live testimony from both parents, relatives, teachers, friends, as well as any others with relevant testimonies such as guardian ad litem. The judge will look primarily at these considerations:

• The reasons for the move.
• Is the move designed to limit the visitation of the other parent?
• Will the quality of life improve for the child or children following the relocation?
• The future as well as the past and present relationships of the child or children with both parents.
• The impact of one parent having less time and ability to have visitation with the child or children.
• The sibling relationships of the child or children.
• The community and home adjustment of the child or children.
• If the child or children are mature enough, what is their preference?
• Any other factors thought of importance enough to be included.

A good example of this in Arizona is when a trial court decided on preventing the Mother from moving out of state with her child as there was not a good reason for the move. In these circumstances, the woman’s new husband was looking for a job as a welder in the northeast United States. As the stepfather had no training or experience as a welder and no job to justify the move, the court decided it was unreasonable. In the end the court of appeals had the trial court rehear the case to consider other determining factors such as the effects on the child the move would cause.

The burden of proof is squarely on the parent of the child or children to establish the move is in the best interests of the child or children. While courts acknowledge the right of each parent to further their career and understand that may mean traveling, it has to be measured against the other parents right to keep a meaningful relationship with the child or children.

Source: Otterstrom, Kristina. “Child Custody and Relocation Laws in Arizona.” Www.divorcenet.com, Nolo, 31 Mar. 2017, https://www.divorcenet.com/resources/child-custody-and-relocation-laws-arizona.html.

Law offices across America often hear the refrain of: “My wife cheated on me and I want a divorce!” Thankfully in most situations we can help. Read on to learn the best way to negotiate through this difficult transition.

One of the most mentally and psychologically painful experiences one can endure is when you discover your spouse has been cheating on you. The pain can endure for months as you come to terms with the situation. Understandably many men think the only option from this point is opting for divorce.

When Your Wife Cheats on You and You Want a Divorce

Your first port of call should be to speak to an experienced attorney. At this stage, you do not have to decide upon a course of action, but you should be aware of the options that are available. Similarly, just speaking to an attorney does not mean you will get a divorce, it just allows you the chance to obtain legal counsel regarding your current position. The attorney will explain the step by step process, should you decide on a divorce. They can also explain issues such as child custody and the division of property. You will also be made aware your divorce can go one of two ways, uncontested and contested. In short, a contested divorce is where the other party will not agree with the terms of the divorce you propose, and an uncontested divorce is when the other party does agree.

Does Infidelity Matter?

Since the advent of no-fault divorces, it means infidelity no longer has to be proven. However, the judge may take it into consideration if the acts of infidelity have had a negative financial impact on you. They may also consider the impact the infidelity has had on the child or children of the parents.

Property Division and Infidelity

Regardless of your wife cheating, it does not disqualify her from a property settlement. As Arizona is a state with a community property law, anything you acquired during marriage must be split evenly. The same applies to a division of debts, some will be considered separate and others will be considered community debts.

Alimony and Cheating

It is a fact, a wife who cheats will still ask for alimony in many cases. However, a court may offer her less alimony as it is based on financial need, if, for example, she has already moved in with her partner from the affair. You need to let your attorney know if the affair partner (or indeed any other party) is living with your wife before the divorce becomes finalized and of course, once the divorce is final.

Child Custody

A judge is always going to act in what they consider to be the best interests of a child or children involved in the divorce process. Sadly, courts will not always think your wife is a bad Mom, even if she has cheated on you. The only way something of this nature would come into play would be if her infidelity threatens the wellbeing of the child or children. For example, engaging in acts that can be described as sexual in nature around the children.

Sadly, many relationships can never bounce back after cheating. The damage is irreparable. But we are here to assist you in dealing with the relationship fallout following infidelity.

Source: “My Wife Cheated On Me and I Want a Divorce.” Maples Family Law, 17 Jan. 2019, https://www.maplesfamilylaw.com/divorce/my-wife-cheated-on-me-and-i-want-a-divorce/