The Uniform Child Custody Act is an act that is used in many states, including Arizona. The overall goal is to make it so that custody laws are the same everywhere, making them easier to understand and helping to reduce the amount of disputes that crop up between parents.
After all, child custody rights are some of the most hotly debated areas when a divorce takes place.
The end goal of the child custody laws in Arizona is to give parents options. They should be able to have joint custody if they’d like, and visitation rights are often used. In cases where such a thing is possible, the court works hard to give both a mother and a father rights to see the child and be involved in his or her life. This does not mean that every case ends this way, but the court does want to provide some solution that will not cut one parent out of a child’s life.
The child’s best interests do have to be considered, of course. In cases where a parent is denied access to the child, it can be because the child’s welfare is endangered by that parent.
Under the UCCA, grandparents’ rights are also considered. Usually, grandparents seek visitation rights, though they can seek custody rights in some cases.
You must understand the Uniform Child Custody Act, the local laws in Arizona and the end goal of the court when you are trying to get custody of your child. Make sure you know about your legal options and the rights that are granted to you under the law.
Source: FIndLaw, “Arizona Child Custody Laws,” accessed Dec. 18, 2015