{"id":7157,"date":"2022-06-15T16:03:05","date_gmt":"2022-06-15T23:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/?page_id=7157"},"modified":"2024-02-21T16:54:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T23:54:04","slug":"child-custody-attorneys","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/","title":{"rendered":"Mesa Child Custody Attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n

Determining child custody and support is one of the most important parts of a divorce or legal separation agreement. Unfortunately, it\u2019s also one of the most contested aspects as well, often requiring extensive negotiations and mediation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even in amicable cases where both spouses are nearly in agreement, it\u2019s a challenge to ensure the child in question isn\u2019t negatively affected by the divorce or separation. The ultimate goal is to place the child\u2019s needs first, ensure they\u2019re fully provided for, and at least leaving the marriage on equal ground — but that\u2019s never an easy task.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even after reaching an agreement, the challenge doesn\u2019t end with the court\u2019s child custody order. In many cases, changes in personal and financial circumstances warrant modifying or amending the original agreement. It\u2019s a relatively simple process when both parties are in complete agreement, but that ideal scenario is rarely the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re negotiating an original child custody agreement as part of your divorce or seeking to modify or amend a court order, it helps to work with an experienced attorney who knows how to navigate the complex legal system. Having a good attorney in your corner is even more valuable if negotiations, mediation, and court hearings are required, as you\u2019ll need an advocate who\u2019s willing to fight aggressively for you and your child\u2019s best interests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Child Custody Agreements<\/span><\/h2>\n

Child custody cases aren\u2019t as simple as saying who gets the child on which days. In addition to addressing living arrangements, a custody agreement needs to address how pickups and dropoffs are handled, how much input each parent has in important decisions, and each parent\u2019s financial obligation to provide for the child\u2019s needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following is a brief overview of the main parts of a child custody agreement. If you have any additional questions, give us a call at (480) 467-4348<\/a>\u00a0 to schedule a consultation and discuss your unique situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Parenting Time<\/span><\/h3>\n

In Arizona, physical custody is often referred to as <\/span>parenting time<\/span><\/a>. Arizona courts strongly believe that children benefit from having a healthy relationship with both parents, so it\u2019s ideal when the custody agreement allows the parents to share parenting time as equally as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, in practice it\u2019s nearly impossible to provide equal time — especially when one parent lives farther away or out of state. In these cases, the goal is to provide a consistent living situation that allows them to perform well in school and extracurricular activities, while allowing for parenting time with the non-custodial parent as much as possible on weekends, holidays, and school vacations.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to addressing a parenting time schedule, a custody plan should also address pickup and dropoff protocol as this often becomes a flashpoint in disputes down the road. Consider addressing topics such as who is responsible for traveling to pick up or drop off, how long you\u2019re obligated to wait for the other parent if they\u2019re not on time, and how you\u2019ll address one-off requests to take the child for special occasions and trips.<\/span><\/p>\n

Legal Decision-Making<\/span><\/h3>\n

Unlike physical custody that almost always has a custodial and non-custodial parent, legal custody is an opportunity for both parents to equally take part in the child\u2019s important life decisions. With legal decision-making authority, the parents can jointly decide where the child will go to school, what church they\u2019ll attend, and what activities they may participate in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When healthcare matters arise, legal custody will determine who can make the final call as to which doctor to see, what treatment to pursue, and what surgeries to undergo.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the vast majority of cases, legal decision-making is shared equally between parents. The only situations where the court may limit a parent\u2019s legal custody are when the parent is convicted of certain felony charges, suffers from alcohol or drug addiction, or is considered a danger to the child (perhaps due to child abuse or domestic violence incidents).<\/span><\/p>\n

Child Support<\/span><\/h3>\n

Once physical and legal custody are determined, it\u2019s time to calculate <\/span>child support payments<\/span><\/a>. In most cases, the non-custodial parent is the only one required to make child support payments, as the custodial parent is expected to provide for the child directly (and subsequently be reimbursed for the other parent\u2019s share of expenses via the child support payments).<\/span><\/p>\n

Calculating child support is an extremely complicated task, as it requires reaching a balance between providing for the child\u2019s needs and not becoming an undue financial burden on the parents. As with determining a custody agreement, it helps to work with an experienced attorney who can guide you through the process and ensure you\u2019re not facing an undue burden.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meet Our Family Law Team<\/span><\/h2>\n

At JacksonWhite Law, our attorneys deliver a combination of experience and compassion that ensures a truly unique client experience. In short, our family law team has the experience you need for a successful case, and an unrivaled level of compassionate care that makes complicated family disputes just a little easier to navigate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tim Durkin<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Tim Durkin is the most experienced member of our family law team, having successfully managed cases in every type of family law you can imagine. Tim is able to draw from his depth of experience and is passionate about delivering a level of client care that\u2019s unrivaled in the legal field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jon McAvoy<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Jon McAvoy is a member of the Arizona State Bar, Family Law section, which exemplifies his passion for helping clients through challenging family law cases. Jon has garnered a reputation for providing aggressive representation with compassionate client service.<\/span><\/p>\n

JacksonWhite Law’s Mesa Office<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ready to discuss your case with our compassionate family law team? Our office is conveniently located in the heart of Mesa near the intersection of Main and Center Street. Give us a call at (480) 467-4348<\/a>\u00a0, or request an appointment online and we\u2019ll get back to you as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"mesa<\/p>\n

Address<\/b>: 40 N. Center St, Mesa, AZ 85201<\/span><\/p>\n

Phone number<\/b>: (480) 467-4348<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/span><\/p>\n

Maricopa County Family Court<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"
\nIn Mesa, family court cases take place in the Maricopa County Family Court, which is part of the Mesa Southeast Court Complex.<\/span><\/p>\n

Address<\/b>: 222 E Javelina Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210<\/span><\/p>\n

Phone number<\/b>: (602) 506-1561<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact Our JacksonWhite Family Law Attorneys<\/span><\/h2>\n

Reaching a child custody agreement with an estranged spouse is never easy, but it\u2019s much more manageable with the help of an experienced attorney. Whether you\u2019re expecting a simple, uncontested divorce case or a volatile, contested one, you\u2019ll want an aggressive attorney in your corner who\u2019s willing to fight for you and the child\u2019s best interests. Perhaps even more importantly, you\u2019ll need a compassionate attorney who understands the challenges that you\u2019re facing and is willing to help you navigate the emotional pitfalls of the case as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for experienced, aggressive, and compassionate attorneys to handle your child custody case, give us a call today at (480) 467-4348<\/a>\u00a0. Our family law team is excited to answer your questions, explain the best course of action, and represent you through this challenging process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Call the Family Law Team at (480) 467-4348<\/a> to discuss your case today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction Determining child custody and support is one of the most important parts of a divorce or legal separation agreement. Unfortunately, it\u2019s also one of the most contested aspects as well, often requiring extensive negotiations and mediation. Even in amicable cases where both spouses are nearly in agreement, it\u2019s a challenge to ensure the child […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":0,"parent":7151,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Arizona Divorce Lawyers & Family Law Attorneys - JacksonWhite Law\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-21T23:54:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/\",\"name\":\"Mesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-06-15T23:03:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-21T23:54:04+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Practice Areas\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/practice-areas\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Family Law\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Mesa Family Law Attorney\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"Mesa Child Custody Attorney\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/\",\"name\":\"Arizona Divorce Lawyers & Family Law Attorneys - JacksonWhite Law\",\"description\":\"Tim Durkin, Divorce & Family Law Attorney in Mesa, Arizona\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Mesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer","description":"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Mesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer","og_description":"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/","og_site_name":"Arizona Divorce Lawyers & Family Law Attorneys - JacksonWhite Law","article_modified_time":"2024-02-21T23:54:04+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png"}],"twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/","url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/","name":"Mesa Child Custody Attorney | Custody Modification Lawyer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png","datePublished":"2022-06-15T23:03:05+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-21T23:54:04+00:00","description":"Learn more about child custody agreements in Arizona and how our team of Mesa family law attorneys can help you navigate the custody process.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/files\/2019\/12\/mesa-criminal-defense-location-e1576166814548.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/child-custody-attorneys\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Practice Areas","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/practice-areas\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Family Law","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Mesa Family Law Attorney","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/mesa\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Mesa Child Custody Attorney"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/","name":"Arizona Divorce Lawyers & Family Law Attorneys - JacksonWhite Law","description":"Tim Durkin, Divorce & Family Law Attorney in Mesa, Arizona","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7157"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/111"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7157"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8046,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7157\/revisions\/8046"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-family-law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}