| Arizona law requires that parents with a custody | | | | the parents can share physical custody, which is when |
| situation submit a parenting plan to the court. The | | | | the child spends time living with the mother and father. |
| parenting plan, also called a custody agreement, should | | | | Once physical custody is decided, the parents should |
| include all of the necessary information about how | | | | make a schedule of when the child is with each parent. |
| parents will continue to care for and provide for their | | | | The schedule should include the everyday schedule |
| children after separating. It is important that parents | | | | which is usually a repeating cycle of custody and |
| take the time to make the best plan for their children. | | | | visitation. The parents should also add in a holiday |
| Here are some helpful ideas for making an Arizona | | | | schedule, vacation time, and special events. |
| custody agreement. | | | | Along with physical custody, parents need to include |
| In Arizona, parents who agree on a parenting plan can | | | | information about legal custody in their Arizona |
| work together and submit it to the court. The Arizona | | | | parenting plans. Legal custody means the right parents |
| supreme court has published some Model Parenting | | | | have to make decisions about and for the children. |
| Time plans, and these are considered to be a | | | | This responsibility can be given to one parent, or both |
| persuasive authority. Parents can look at these plans | | | | parents can share it. Parents should make sure that |
| to get some ideas, but they don't need to choose one | | | | the legal custody is clearly defined so each parent |
| of them. If the parents are unable to cooperate, they | | | | knows what decisions they are involved with and |
| will go to custody court and a judge will decide the | | | | what to do to make decisions about the child. |
| terms and conditions of the plan. Once a plan is | | | | Parents can also add any provisions or stipulations that |
| accepted by the court it becomes a legal document. | | | | they want to the agreement. They should include |
| The first necessary part of the parenting plan is the | | | | anything they think will help the plan work better or that |
| schedule for parenting time. This is usually referred to | | | | will help the parents cooperate. In Arizona, parents |
| as a custody or visitation schedule. It is a calendar that | | | | must include a provision that specifies a procedure for |
| outlines when the child is with each parent, and it | | | | how they will make changes to the plan, and they |
| shows where the child is every day of the year. The | | | | must include information about how they will periodically |
| first step for making this schedule is to decide how | | | | review the plan to make sure it fits the needs of the |
| physical custody will be shared. Physical custody | | | | child. Every county in Arizona has individual |
| means the time the child spends residing with each | | | | requirements about what exactly needs to go in the |
| parent. One parent can be given sole custody, which | | | | plan. Parents should check with their county |
| means that the child spends the majority of time living | | | | courthouse to make sure the plan is complete. |
| with that parent, and the other parent has visitation. Or, | | | | |