{"id":2991,"date":"2017-01-09T15:54:07","date_gmt":"2017-01-09T22:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scoresbyfamilylaw.com\/blog\/?p=2991"},"modified":"2019-11-23T22:26:36","modified_gmt":"2019-11-24T05:26:36","slug":"parenting-conferences-in-arizona-child-custody-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scoresbyfamilylaw.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/09\/parenting-conferences-in-arizona-child-custody-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"Parenting Conferences in Arizona Child Custody Cases"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Of all the issues judges must decide in Arizona divorce and paternity cases, the one they take the most seriously is child custody. \u00a0 Although with time on the family court bench judges begin to feel more comfortable making child custody decisions, most judges recognize their own limitations. \u00a0They know they are not child psychologists or counselors, and they know that such professionals are better-equipped to make child custody determinations than they are. \u00a0For this reason, many judges want input from an expert before making that all-important child custody ruling.<\/p>\n<p>A.R.S. Section 25-406(A) allows a judge &#8220;in contested legal decision-making and parenting time proceedings . . . <div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 hundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-overflow:visible;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last fusion-column-no-min-height\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\">[to] order an investigation and report concerning legal decision-making or parenting time arrangements for the child.&#8221; \u00a0This statute gives a judge broad leeway. \u00a0When the parents can afford one, a judge may appoint a psychologist to perform a full custody evaluation, complete with psychological testing, consideration of any and all documents the parents wish to present, and interviews of parents, child(ren), and sometimes many other &#8220;collaterals&#8221; with relevant knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>In most cases, however, the parents simply cannot afford a full custody study. \u00a0In these instances, the judge may order a &#8220;parenting conference.&#8221; \u00a0A parenting conference is an &#8220;investigation&#8221; under A.R.S. Section 25-406(A) which is much more affordable than a full custody evaluation by a private psychologist. \u00a0Doctorate and masters-level therapists approved by the court contract to perform parenting conferences at discounted rates. \u00a0Each parent pays only $300, and payments may sometimes be deferred. \u00a0 There is no psychological testing, and the number of interviews and documents reviewed is limited. \u00a0Typically, the parenting conference provider interviews only the parents and the child or children in question. \u00a0Children who are very young are not interviewed. \u00a0The entire evaluation usually takes only a half-day.<\/p>\n<p>Following the parenting conference, the provider issues a written report. \u00a0The report contains the provider\/evaluator&#8217;s findings as to the relevant child-custody statutory factors. \u00a0The report may also make an ultimate recommendation as to child legal decision-making and parenting time.<\/p>\n<p>A parenting conference is not the same as mediation, but the parenting conference provider typically explores with the parties during the conference whether they are able to reach agreements on the child custody issues. \u00a0When agreements are not reached, however, a parenting conference provider has much more power than a mediator. \u00a0 Mediation is confidential. \u00a0A parenting conference is not. \u00a0In mediation, if the parties participate in good faith but fail to reach agreements, the mediator may only report that the parties participated but did not agree. \u00a0In a parenting conference, however, the ultimate object and goal\u00a0<em>is\u00a0<\/em>the reporting&#8211;specifically the provider&#8217;s findings as to what child custody arrangement would be in the best interests of the child. \u00a0If the parties do not agree, the provider reports her &#8220;best-interests&#8221; and other findings to the court.<\/p>\n<p>A judge is not bound to follow a parenting conference provider&#8217;s recommendations. \u00a0In fact, it is the judge who <em>must\u00a0<\/em>decide these issues in contested cases. \u00a0The authority to <em>decide<\/em> child custody may not be delegated to an expert, such as a child psychologist or a parenting conference provider. \u00a0About\u00a090% of the time, however, judges follow parenting conference providers&#8217; <em>recommendations<\/em>. \u00a0Depending on which side of the case you&#8217;re on, then, the parenting conference provider&#8217;s evaluation and report can either make or break your case.<\/p>\n<p>Arizona child custody statutes now create fairly strong presumptions in favor of joint legal decision-making and equal parenting time. \u00a0Because of this, in my experience, the most common recommendation resulting from a parenting conference is for equal decision-making and equal parenting time. \u00a0When I represent a client seeking joint decision-making and equal time and the opposing party is objecting, I often seek a parenting conference. \u00a0The parenting conference very often yields a recommendation favoring my client&#8211;a recommendation for equal decision-making and parenting time&#8211;and at a cost of only $300, it is the most cost-effective tool I am aware of to &#8220;tip the scales&#8221; in my client&#8217;s favor.<\/p>\n<p>If you are involved in a child custody dispute and a full child custody evaluation is cost-prohibitive, a parenting conference may be a viable alternative.<\/p>\n<p>Copyright \u00a9 2017 by Scoresby Family Law \u2013 J. Kyle Scoresby, P.C. All rights reserved.<div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Of all the issues judges must decide in Arizona divorce and paternity cases, the one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-child-custody"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Parenting Conferences in Arizona Child Custody Cases - Arizona Divorce &amp; Family Law Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scoresbyfamilylaw.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/09\/parenting-conferences-in-arizona-child-custody-cases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parenting Conferences in Arizona Child Custody Cases - Arizona Divorce &amp; 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