Child Visitation Lawyer in Tucson

Parenting Time Representation Rooted in 30 Years of Arizona Family Law

In Arizona, what most parents call “visitation” is governed by statute under the term “parenting time” following a 2012 overhaul of Arizona’s custody laws under ARS § 25-403. The language changed, but what’s at stake didn’t: the time a parent has with their child. Whether you’re establishing a parenting schedule for the first time or seeking to change an existing order, these decisions carry real weight for your family.

Belleau Family Law Group handles visitation rights and parenting time matters for clients throughout Tucson and Pima County. We emphasize mediation and dispute resolution where possible, helping families reach workable agreements without the cost and stress of contested hearings. When court is necessary, we’re prepared to represent you there too.

If you’re facing a parenting time dispute, a modification, or a visitation rights question in Tucson, call Belleau Family Law Group at (520) 645-8500 to schedule a consultation.

Why Tucson Families Choose Belleau Family Law Group

Our founding attorney, Laura Belleau, has practiced family law in Tucson for over 30 years and is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the Arizona State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. That certification reflects demonstrated depth of knowledge in exactly the area your case falls under. She currently serves on the Arizona Supreme Court’s Parenting Time Guide Workgroup, meaning she’s directly involved in shaping how Arizona’s parenting time standards are written and applied across the state. Few attorneys in Tucson bring that level of policy-level familiarity to a parenting time case.

Laura also serves on the State Bar’s Family Law Executive Council and has served on both the Arizona Supreme Court’s Child Support Guidelines Review Committee and Spousal Maintenance Guidelines Committee. She holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a high peer-reviewed designation for legal ability and ethical standards, and has been selected to Super Lawyers for 2023 and 2024. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and serves as its President, with additional roles as National Treasurer on the Executive Committee and Treasurer of the Arizona Chapter. She is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers.

Our team also includes Natalie Evans Parkman, who served as a Children’s Attorney at the Pima County Office of Children’s Counsel from 2012 to 2013, representing children’s interests directly in Pima County family law proceedings. She later served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Arizona Attorney General from 2013 to 2019. That background gives our firm a dual perspective on how Tucson family courts evaluate a child’s interests in parenting time disputes. Belleau Family Law Group has also been recognized as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News & World Report.

How Arizona Courts Decide Parenting Time

Under ARS § 25-403, Arizona courts set parenting time based on the best interests of the child, considering all factors relevant to the child’s physical and emotional well-being. Arizona public policy strongly favors substantial, frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with both parents, unless evidence warrants otherwise under ARS § 25-103(B)(1).

Statutory factors the court evaluates include:

• Parent-child relationship: The past, present, and potential future relationship between each parent and the child
• Adjustment and stability: The child’s adjustment to home, school, and community
• Health considerations: The mental and physical health of all individuals involved
• Willingness to facilitate contact: Which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with the other parent
• Child’s preferences: If the child is of suitable age and maturity, the court may consider their wishes

In contested cases, the court must make specific findings on the record explaining how its decision serves the child’s best interests (ARS § 25-403(B)). Arizona family law also distinguishes parenting time from legal decision-making, which refers to a parent’s authority to make major decisions about a child’s education, health care, and religious upbringing. Courts are required to adopt parenting plans that maximize each parent’s parenting time under ARS § 25-403.02(B).

Building an Enforceable Parenting Plan in Tucson

A parenting plan is the governing document for how parents share time and responsibilities after separation or divorce. Under ARS § 25-403.02, a complete plan must designate legal decision-making as joint or sole, describe each parent’s responsibilities for the child’s personal care and major decisions, set out a practical schedule covering regular parenting time as well as holidays and school vacations, and establish procedures for exchanges. Parenting time arrangements range from a primary-residence model with scheduled time for the other parent to equal or near-equal splits.

We help clients develop detailed, enforceable parenting plans tailored to their family’s circumstances. Courts won’t favor one parent’s proposed plan based on either parent’s or the child’s gender, and if parents can’t agree on any element, the court decides it. Our mediation-forward approach gives clients a structured path to reach agreement on their own terms rather than leaving those decisions to a judge.

Modifying an Existing Parenting Time Order

Life changes after a parenting order is entered, and Arizona law provides a process to address that. Under ARS § 25-411, a parent may petition to modify a parenting time order by showing a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. Common grounds include a parent’s relocation, a significant shift in work schedules, changes in the child’s educational or developmental needs, or safety concerns.

Modifying legal decision-making authority requires a more demanding showing than a modification of parenting time alone. It’s also important to understand that an order for sole legal decision-making doesn’t give the designated parent authority to alter a court-ordered parenting time schedule unilaterally (ARS § 25-403.01(C)). We represent Tucson parents seeking modification when circumstances have materially changed and guide them through what that standard requires in Pima County Superior Court.

Talk With a Visitation Attorney in Tucson

Parenting time decisions shape your child’s day-to-day life. Whether you’re establishing a new schedule, enforcing an existing order, or navigating a modification, Belleau Family Law Group can help you understand your options and move forward with clarity.

We accept consultations from Tucson parents and families dealing with parenting time disputes, visitation rights matters, and related family law questions. Call us at (520) 645-8500 or reach out through our online contact form to schedule a time to speak with our team.