Parents in Arizona child custody cases may feel that they face unfair circumstances in family court. Mothers may be concerned that their meaningful concerns are not taken seriously while fathers may worry that they will face discrimination on the basis of their gender. Both parents may face the conflicts that come from attempting to maintain their careers while supporting their children at the same time. Even dedicated parents can run into difficulties when dealing with changing financial circumstances.
While some fathers may face judges with old-fashioned thinking about gender roles and child care, joint child custody is increasingly common across the country. Due to strong evidence that supports the involvement of both parents in a child’s life, many family court judges have a preference for some form of shared custody. Fathers who actively seek custody are more likely to find a favorable outcome in court. While over 80 percent of custodial parents are women, most of these cases reflect situations in which the fathers did not seek a more active role.
Child support can also present its own difficulties. Support orders are issued on the basis of the non-custodial parent’s income at the time of the hearing. Serious financial problems, disabilities and other major changes can seriously affect a paying parent’s income. However, the child support order won’t automatically change, and debt can begin to rack up as a result. Parents could even face jail time for contempt of court for failing to pay their child support obligations.
Non-custodial parents who are experiencing financial hardships and are no longer able to fulfill their support obligations can take action to avoid these consequences. A father’s rights attorney may be able to help parents to file for a child support modification that can reflect a parent’s changed income and circumstances.