In a bizarre child custody incident, an Arizona man is struggling to cope with his ex-wife's recent actions. The woman allegedly attempted to give their baby away to complete strangers at least four times. She is being charged with child abuse in relation to the incident. The man hopes that he will be able to assert father's rights and gain custody of his daughter.
US Supreme Court case has implications for Native American tribes
The United States Supreme Court will hear a case that has implications for Native American tribes in states across the nation. The brief in this case was prepared in Arizona in relation to a case where the rights of a Native American baby girl, her biological father and her adoptive parents all shall be weighed and examined.
Arizona considering parental rights bill in senate
The rights of noncustodial parents can often be hard to define, especially in regards to how far their children reside from them. Fathers' rights and the rights of any noncustodial parent need to be protected under family law. A senator in Arizona has recently introduced a bill that seeks to expand these laws.
New Arizona family law implemented in 2013
New laws in Arizona are now in effect and will alter how judges handle child custody disputes. Judges' efforts to determine what is in the best interest of the child often include the consideration of a number of factors in order to come up with a child custody order between two parents who cannot agree on their own. The Arizona legislature has recently enacted a law to further guide judges in these situations.
New early paternity tests could expand father's rights in Arizona
In Arizona, in order for unmarried men to assert their father's rights, they will often have to first prove paternity. This generally must be done in order to settle child support disputes, or claim a right to child custody or parenting time. Most often, paternity is determined through a blood test after the birth of a child, but scientific advances may soon make prenatal paternity tests available here in the Phoenix area.
Arizona is among states leading expansion of father's rights
When it comes to child custody and visitation, Arizona courts have historically favored mothers. This has happened for decades throughout the country, as mental-health experts, judges and other professionals tended to agree that while fathers should play some sort of role in a child's upbringing, the child should be brought up in one home and the mother should be the main caregiver. However, father's rights have advanced over the years in Arizona.
Arizona bill would expand fathers' custody rights
In Arizona and in many other states, mothers are typically somewhat favored in custody disputes. This is true both in divorce cases and in the cases of children born to unmarried couples. A bill in the Arizona Legislature, which has passed in the Senate, would grant full custody rights to fathers in out-of-wedlock cases. The father would need to be listed on the child's birth certificate, or both parents would need to have acknowledged paternity, for the case to fall under this potential law.
