Legal Question in Family Law in Arizona

It is good that you at least have some kind of court-ordered (???) shared custody agreement. Clearly, you will want to get that revised if you want him more days out of the week or if you want to relocate out of state. Also you don't state your child's age, which could make a difference as well (such as, are they school age yet? teen or preteen?). If you are seriously thinking of moving to Utah, you will need to write, sign, date and deliver a letter to him by certified mail-return receipt-restricted delivery (if anyone else lives in his household) at least 60 days before your planned move, stating your plans in as much detail as possible, including where you would live initially, where the child would attend school, who would live with you, what kind of support network you would have (extended relatives, friends, etc.), where you plan to work and/or attend school, that kind of thing. You need to read the relocation statute: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/25/00408.htm. If he doesn't agree to the relocation (which it sounds like he wouldn't if he's trying to blackmail you into staying put), he can request a hearing with a judge. But that's his responsibility. Best of luck to you!

I WOULD NOT LEAVE ARIZONA WITHOUT A PLAN IN PLACE or without filing for appropriate Court orders. If you do, you are putting yourself in a difficult position to then seek primary custody.

We can certainly help you consider and then pursue your options. This is obviously a very important matter, and you should not go in alone.

We have three attorneys. We charge from $220 per hour to $250 per hour. Our retainers can run as low as $500 for demand letters/phone calls, $1200 plus costs for uncontested matters, or from $2,000 to $4,000 for most contested matters. We can also structure assistance to help you represent yourself if your prefer, whether by the project or by the hour.

Please remember that a retainer is just a prepayment of time, and is not an estimate as to the total costs of the matter. If I finish within the retainer, then I refund any unearned amounts.

One of our attorneys can explain the issues and procedures better in person. As you can imagine, there is too much to cover via email. We offer free 1/2 hour consultations, in which we can discuss your matter in detail.

Please call us directly to discuss the specifics of your matter, or contact my assistant Alicia or my paralegal Jennifer to schedule your free 1/2 hour consultation.

/s/ Rich J. Peters

R.J. Peters & Assoc., P.C.

1422 North 2nd Street, Suite 100

Phoenix, Arizona 85004

602-254-7251

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see our website at www.familylawaz.com