Parents in Arizona who try to gain custody of their children should be aware of the important documents they need to bring to their custody hearings. Having the relevant paperwork may help boost their case in front of the judge.
A record of pertinent phone calls between the non-custodial parent and the child is one type of document that should be taken to child custody hearings. The record should detail the number of calls that were made, when they occurred and how long they lasted. This information can be submitted to the family court as proof of constant contact or a lack of contact. However, parents should exercise caution as the non-custodial parent may assert that there wasn’t frequent contact because of the actions of the custodial parent, something the family court tends to frown upon.
Parents should also maintain a record of all of the visitations that take place between the other parent and the child. As with the phone logs, the record should include how often they occurred and how long they lasted. They should also detail where the visits took place.
Non-custodial parents may be able to use the information to demonstrate there is a meaningful and constant relationship with the children. Custodial parents could use the information to show that there was no continuous relationship between the other parent and the children.
A family law attorney may assist clients with resolving child custody disputes about visitation or parenting time. The attorney may consider the factors of a case and advise parents of certain legal strategies to pursue to obtain the desired custody terms. The attorney may also advocate on behalf of clients during child custody hearings by presenting compelling arguments and evidence to the family court judge.