What is parenting time? | Phoenix Parenting Time Lawyer & Child Visitation Attorney
January 24, 2016

Parenting time in Arizona refers to the amount of time a child spends with each parent. This is often confused with custody, because in many states what we in Arizona call “parenting time” they call “physical custody.” In Arizona, custody refers to decision-making authority only, whereas parenting time refers to actual time spent with the child. The parenting time schedules in Arizona vary widely. It used to be the case that fathers were routinely awarded parenting time every other weekend and one evening per week. This is no longer the standard. Judges in Arizona will now try to figure out the most sensible parenting plan given the parents’ availability and suitability. There are different parenting schedules such as the 5-2-2-5 and the 4-3-3-4 plans, as well as many other plans and variations on standard plans.