Phoenix Arizona Family Law Blog

Once you have decided to get divorced, you may naturally worry about how the process will impact your and your young children's futures. After all, in your mind, spending time with the children is far more valuable than any asset you have.

The great news is that you do not have to take your child custody issues to family law court, which can breed animosity and ultimately have a negative impact on the entire family. Instead, you and the other parent can take part in informal negotiations and amicably reach an agreement on how you will handle child custody in the future. Here is a peek at the process of producing a parenting agreement in Arizona.

Divorcing or separating parents in Arizona need to determine child custody. For much of the 20th century, family courts believed that children belonged with their mothers, and judges almost always granted full custody to mothers. Cultural changes in the past decades, however, have shifted views, and family courts increasingly expect both parents to pursue shared custody.

Evolving social attitudes about fathers' important roles as parents have contributed to larger numbers of men receiving more time with their children after the end of a parental relationship. The feminist ideologies that inspired more women to join the workforce and think of lives beyond motherhood also sowed the expectation that fathers would assume a parenting role after a divorce.

Depending on the details, different divorces in Arizona require different strategies. Some high-asset separations may require going to court and seeking witnesses. These individuals are often deemed "experts" who can provide important testimony on a contested issue.

For example, a high-asset divorce involving child custody may require input from a psychologist. This expert could make professional recommendations to the court about a child's welfare. The psychologist may have several meetings with the child and the parents in order to make the right decision about the child's future. In a high-asset divorce involving assets or business-related funds, a family law attorney may require the testimony of a forensic accountant. A forensic accountant looks at the financial data and offers a professional opinion.

Dividing assets during the divorce process is something that most Arizona family law attorneys deal with on a regular basis. However, they are facing a new issue. Cryptocurrency assets are presenting two specific challenges that throw a wrinkle into the equation during high-asset divorces.

The first challenge is actually knowing that they exist. Part of the appeal of cryptocurrencies is the fact that they can be hidden from others. One spouse could make an investment in cryptocurrencies without the other even being aware of it. Online transactions can be followed, but off-line transactions may be impossible to track.