Legal Question in Family Law in Arizona

What are the laws concerning Reasonable Visitation?

My daughter was supposed to visit her Dad in CA. (we're in MT) this summer, for three months. She decided she only wanted to visit for a month instead, because we have family outtings planned, and I would also like her to be her for my upcoming wedding. Her Dad got really mad and wouldn't accept the month (wants the whole three), and said forget it, he didn't want to see her at all then. He had her all last summer, but hadn't seen her four years previous to that, by his choice. She is 11 years old, and he does pay court ordered child support. Do I have to make her go for the whole summer, or even at all, if she doesn't want to? He has Reasonable Visitation as ordered by the State of Arizona in our divorce. I have full custody, but he's threatening to sue for custody. How often exactly do I have to let her see him with Reasonable Visitation?


Asked on 4/12/98, 1:46 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Sullivan Mark R. Sullivan - Attorney at Law

Reasonable visitation

I don't know how the Arizona court would define reasonable visitation, but in your case the standard every other weekend, alternating holidays, and a length visit in the summer won't apply. A question I have of you is, did either of you move to modify the decree and have reasonable visitation defined when you moved to another state? In some states, you can lose custody by withholding visitation without a very, very good reason. Either of you can have the court define what reasonable visitation is for this case and sooner or later one of you will find the need to go back to court for that reason and probably an adjustment of child support.

If we have not met face to face and agreed to my representation of you in a written agreement signed by both you and I, then I am not your lawyer. Any comments made here are not legal advice but presented in the spirit of this bulletin board as general information only.

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Answered on 5/01/98, 11:27 am


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