A. Except as otherwise agreed by the parties in writing at the time of the legal decision-making or parenting time order or divorce decree, the parent designated as sole legal decision-maker may determine the child’s upbringing, including the child’s education, care, health care and religious training, unless, on motion by the other parent, the court, after a hearing, finds that in the absence of a specific limitation of the parent designated as the sole legal decision-maker’s authority, the child’s physical health would be endangered or the child’s emotional development would be significantly impaired.

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 25-410

  • including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Legal decision-making: means the legal right and responsibility to make all nonemergency legal decisions for a child including those regarding education, health care, religious training and personal care decisions. See Arizona Laws 25-401
  • Parenting time: means the schedule of time during which each parent has access to a child at specified times. See Arizona Laws 25-401
  • Writing: includes printing. See Arizona Laws 1-215

B. If either parent requests the order, or if all contestants agree to the order, or if the court finds that in the absence of the order the child’s physical health would be endangered or the child’s emotional development would be significantly impaired, and if the court finds that the best interests of the child would be served, the court shall order a local social service agency to exercise continuing supervision over the case to assure that the custodial or parenting time terms of the decree are carried out. At the discretion of the court, reasonable fees for the supervision may be charged to one or both parents, provided that the fees have been approved by the supreme court.