Legal Question in Family Law in Arizona

Dad refuses to follow court orders

I need advice on how to stop the father of my child from harassing everyone involved in my child�s life. Father refuses to communicate with me after being charged with domestic violence last year, I have sole custody and he has visitation. When he doesn�t agree with something (a common occurrence) he asks grandparents, school administration, child�s friends parents and others to interpret the standing court order � he will ask one after another until he gets an answer that is inline with his position. His actions have caused child�s school administration to threaten dis-enrollment of child from school. At my request a family court advisor was appointed to our case to work as a third party to communicate between father and myself, however, father refuses to communicate with court advisor and continues to complicate my daughter�s life by harassing those mentioned above. I have paid the advisor over $1000.00 in fees. Both the court advisors and the court order specify that the advisor has the right to move forward with or without the cooperation of both parents, advisor continues to stall and issues continue to arise. I am desperate and feel that the legal system has failed to protect my child�s rights.


Asked on 7/31/99, 3:00 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jonathan Schiff Self employed

Re: Dad refuses to follow court orders

As far as the school threatening the dis-enroll the child, is this school public or private? If it is public I seriously doubt that the school could legally do that as they are under an affirmative legal obligation to education your daughter. If the school is private, check the handbook to see if actions by third parties are cause to terminate the child from the school.

As far as his asking other parties for their interpretation of court orders, it's the court's interpretation that matters not what the child's camp counselor or the candlestick maker thinks. If the calls are causing you real problems in the community, you might be able to get a restraining order (or for that matter the parties being called could file telephone harrassment charges depending on the law in your jurisdiction--I am in Ohio where a person can request that they not be called by specific individuals and then can file charges if the request is unheeded).

I would check with a local lawyer as to your options here.

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Answered on 8/04/99, 8:37 am


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