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Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Shared Holiday Time After Divorce

Divorced families with children may face some hardships during the holiday season because of parental custody and shared holiday time. At Canterbury Law Group, our Scottsdale divorce attorneys help navigate the difficult custody process with the ultimate goal to make the situation as clean as possible for everyone involved, especially the kids.

Here are some common ways that parents divide and share holiday time:

  • Alternate holidays every other year. You can assign holidays to each parent for even years and then swap the holidays in odd years. With this arrangement, you won’t miss spending a holiday with your child more than one year in a row.
  • Split the holiday in half. You can split the day of the holiday so that your child spends part of the day with each parent. This arrangement requires planning and coordination because you don’t want your child to spend holidays traveling all day.
  • Schedule a holiday twice. You can schedule time for each parent to celebrate a holiday with your child. For example, one parent can celebrate Christmas with the child on Dec. 23th and the other parent on the 25th.
  • Assign fixed holidays. You can have each parent celebrate the same holidays with the child every year. If parents have different holidays that they think are important, each parent can have those holidays every year.

Some holidays have special considerations because both parents usually want to spend time with the child on or near the holiday. We have the following recommendations for such situations.

  • Your child’s birthday: You can schedule a short visit for the parent who doesn’t have the child on the birthday, give both parents birthday time in the schedule, or the parents can alternate having the birthday.
  • 3 day weekend holidays: These holidays include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. Parents can alternate the 3 day weekends, split the weekends, or give the Monday holiday to the parent who already has the weekend.
  • Mother’s Day and Father’s Day: Usually your child spends every Mother’s Day with the mother and every Father’s Day with the father.
  • Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend: One parent can have Thanksgiving Day and the other parent can have the weekend, you can give both parents time on Thanksgiving and on the weekend, or parents can alternate having Thanksgiving and the weekend.
  • The Christmas holiday season: One parent can have Christmas Eve and the other parent can have Christmas Day, one parent can have Christmas and the other parent can have winter break, you can make New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day into one holiday and the parents alternate having it.
Child Custody & Parenting Time, Custody Terms, Divorce & Legal Separation, Divorce Attorney, Divorce attorneys Scottsdale, Scottsdale Attorneys, Scottsdale Divorce, Scottsdale Legal Help
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Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Child Custody After Divorce

At Canterbury Law Group, our Scottsdale divorce lawyers fight to protect the future and well-being of children affected by divorce. While winning your case, we also work diligently to secure a sound emotional and financial outcome for children of divorced parents.

If you are starting to consider a divorce or if you were recently served with a divorce petition, the Scottsdale divorce lawyers at Canterbury Law Group suggest immediately consulting with a trusted attorney to assess and protect all of your legal rights. Delays may limit your child custody options.

Divorce can be a delicate and painful experience for all involved. Our attorneys will work diligently to ensure the children remain a priority throughout and after the divorce, and strive to remedy sensitive issues including custody arrangements and parenting plans with concern and attention, striving to reduce the possible future damage divorce can have on children and relationships.

If you have children that will be affected by divorce, here are some important custody arrangements you should understand. The standard types of Legal Decision Making (child custody):

  • Parenting Time (physical custody) — Determines which specific days of the week that the minor child will be in the physical custody and control of the parent or his or her agents
  • Legal Decision Making — Grants one parent or both parents the right to make important decisions about how a child will be raised with regard to religion, medical care, education, etc.
  • Joint Legal Decision Making — Grants joint legal decision making to both parents assuming the parents can jointly agree on all issues of their child’s upbringing, if disagreements arise, the parties can divert to a court appointed Parenting Coordinator or return to Court to litigate.
  • Sole Custodial Parent — Grants one parent both legal decision making and full parenting time (custody) rights over the child (rare).

Divorce can be tolling on all involved so be sure to guard your kids and preserve their future. For more information on divorce and child custody, contact the Scottsdale divorce lawyers at Canterbury Law Group. We are here to protect you and your children: (480) 744-7711.

Child Custody & Parenting Time, Custody Terms, Divorce attorneys Scottsdale, Scottsdale Divorce, Sole Child Custody
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Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Sole Child Custody After Divorce

When a divorce involves children, Canterbury Law Group fights to protect their future and well-being both emotionally and financially.

Our Scottsdale divorce lawyers work diligently to ensure your children remain a priority throughout and after the divorce, and strive to remedy sensitive issues including custody arrangements and parenting plans. Our primary focus is to reduce the possible future damage divorce can have on children and relationships.

We often see parents who hope to win sole child custody and “take the kids”. However, it is important to realize that the court’s priority is the best interests of the child, which frequently mandates a ruling of joint custody. Many parents go into a child custody hearing with the intention of seeking sole custody. For some parents, this is because they believe that the other parent is “unfit” to raise their child. Any parent hoping to be awarded sole custody should realize that there is a higher burden of proof for the parent seeking sole custody. You will have to literally prove in a court of law that the other parent is an unfit parent based on substance abuse, criminal history or acts of domestic violence.

To award sole custody, the courts have to establish one parent as the “better parent,” which can be difficult to do, particularly if both parents have been involved up until this point. In addition, most judges are reluctant to prevent either parent from having a relationship with their child because the implication is that both parents, together, are best able to care for a child. As a result, any parent seeking sole custody has to prove that he or she is best able to care for a child, with or without the assistance of the other parent.

In addition, from a judge’s standpoint, parents should not be trashing one another during a child custody hearing. Instead, the parent seeking sole custody should focus on proving that he or she is the better parent without attacking his or her counterpart. When seeking sole custody, one should focus on the physical and psychological well-being of the child. Physical well-being includes your child’s routine, sleeping habits, eating schedule and activities. Judges tend to notice parents who encourage a healthy lifestyle. The factors of psychological well-being may include making sure that the child has access to liberal visitation with the other parent. Judges tend to favor parents who openly support the child’s the ongoing relationship with the other parent. Whether hoping for sole custody or joint custody, the legal team at Canterbury Law Group in Scottsdale can effectively represent you. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.

Child Custody & Parenting Time, Divorce & Legal Separation, Divorce Attorney, Family Law, Sole Child Custody
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Regular Post
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Child Custody Factors in Arizona

When a divorce involves children, Scottsdale-based Canterbury Law Group fights aggressively to protect the children’s’ future and well being. In fact, we are known for securing the most sensible child arrangements possible at the lowest expense. We first attempt to collaborate with both parents and related experts to design practical provisions for successful co-parenting and child support schedules.

In the event that mutual settlement of these issues is not possible, our no-nonsense litigators will prepare your case with diligence and the utmost attention to detail. Arizona law requires that the best interest of the child be the lead consideration above any other when allocating child custody. Moreover, judges are commanded by statute to maximize the amount of parenting time for each parent. This usually suggests an equal 50/50 parenting time protocol absent parental fitness issues (e.g. drug, alcohol, criminal history, domestic violence) being proven by the other parent by competent and admissible evidence.

Arizona family courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child, taking into consideration a great deal of details including:

  • The child’s age
  • The child’s wishes
  • Each parent’s wishes
  • The child’s adjustment to home, school and community
  • Any history of domestic violence or child abuse by either parent
  • Whether the parents have provided primary care of the child
  • The mental and physical health of all individuals involved
  • The child’s relationship with each parent
  • Each parent’s willingness to foster a meaningful and substantial relationship with the other parent.

If you are thinking about filing for divorce in Scottsdale or Phoenix, call us today to schedule your consultation. Sometimes the best offense in a case is a well positioned, and thought our strategy which is completed weeks or months in advance of formally filing the case.

Child Custody & Parenting Time, Custody Terms, Divorce & Legal Separation, Divorce attorneys Scottsdale, Family Law
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Regular Post
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Scottsdale Family Law

The attorneys at Canterbury Law Group have vast experience in Scottsdale family law and divorce. Family law issues can be extremely difficult and the end results can be life altering both emotionally and financially for the children and adults involved, so we are dedicated to providing clients with a skilled and passionate legal team when dealing with divorce and other family law disputes. An Arizona divorce can be a very complicated process, which is why you need an attorney from Canterbury Law Group. From filing the petition or responding to a petition until the final hearing, our expert team will prepare an aggressive and thorough case for your Scottsdale divorce.

Canterbury Law Group handles all types of family law matters including:

  • Divorce & Legal Separation
  • Child Custody & Parenting Time
  • Paternity Issues
  • Child & Spousal Support
  • Orders of Protection
  • Emergency Orders
  • Modifications
  • Decree Enforcement
  • Appeals
  • Grandparent Visitation
  • Non-Parent Custody Rights
  • Relocation & Custody Issues
  • Multi-State Legal Representation

When children are involved in your Phoenix family law case, the outcome is even more crucial. Do not waste any of your precious time and efforts. Be sure to begin this legal process with your trusted Scottsdale legal team at Canterbury Law Group. Call us today to schedule your consultation.

Appeals, Child Custody & Parenting Time, Divorce & Legal Separation, Family Law
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