Phoenix Arizona Family Law Blog

Judges in Arizona and around the country will generally rely on DNA evidence to determine paternity, as the results of these tests are incredibly accurate. DNA tests are usually ordered to identify the biological father of a child in child support cases, but they may also provide crucial evidence when fathers are seeking custody or visitation rights. When alleged fathers in Arizona refuse to cooperate by providing a tissue sample for DNA testing, the Office of the Attorney General may get involved to compel them to do so.

The results of DNA tests can be used to establish paternity years after a child is born. Rock star Mick Jagger and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs were both identified as the fathers of children born out of wedlock in this way. When paternity is established years later, child support may be awarded retroactively. In Arizona, up to three years of retroactive child support can be awarded.

If you browse current self-help book lists, you'd likely find hundreds, if not thousands of choices related to marriage. No two Arizona married couples have exactly the same relationships, but many spouses can relate to other people's experiences. You may have a relative, friend or co-worker who has recently gone through or is currently preparing for divorce. If you talk to them about their situations, you may find that certain issues were problem factors in their marriages.

Regardless of whether you've been married five, 10 or even 30 years, at any given time you might encounter challenges in your relationship. Whether you're able to resolve a particular problem and move on together depends on various issues. If you determine that a particular problem has caused irreparable damage in your marriage, you may be one of many who decide to file for divorce in an Arizona court. In such circumstances, it helps to have a strong support network in place.

During child custody hearings in Arizona, the family court judge has to determine what type of child custody arrangement is best for the children. Parents who have to attend such hearings should make sure that they submit the necessary documents with their petitions to the court to best prove their case. They should also bring copies of these documents to the hearings.

One type of document that is important for child custody hearings is phone call logs. Both parents should maintain a record of all of the phone calls that take place between the non-custodial parent and the children. The phone log should detail when and how often the calls took place and the duration of the calls.

Parents in Arizona who fall behind on child support payments may not be doing so on purpose. However, they may still be labeled a deadbeat by the state or by others who don't fully understand why they aren't keeping up with their financial obligations. It is important to note that individuals of either gender could fail to make child support payments or otherwise make an effort to raise their children.

Those who are struggling to make their child support payments could ask to modify their current support orders. The amount of a support payment is largely determined by a parent's income. Therefore, if an individual experiences a loss of income, it may be reasonable to pay less to a custodial parent each month. Failing to make at least partial payments could result in spending time in jail or not being able to get a passport.