A parent will usually not lose custody of a child unless it is found that having custody is not in the best interest of the child, such as in cases of physical or sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, refusal to co-parent, parent alienation, or a violation of a court order.
Signing Over Your Parental Rights Does Not Stop Child Support.
How to terminate parental rights in Arizona File a Petition for Termination of Parent-Child Relationship. Obtain an order from the court to set an initial hearing. Obtain a Notice of Initial Hearing from the Clerk of Court. Assemble the required paperwork. Serve the paperwork. Attend the initial hearing.
In Arizona, there is no legal presumption favoring one parent over the other. Meaning that the Court starts with the presumption that parents should have joint custody. With joint custody, both parents share the responsibility of major decision-making, as well as physical custody and control of the child.
A mother or father has to be absent at least 6 months to lose their parental rights in Arizona. Both ARS 8-201 & ARS 8-531 say, “Failure to maintain a normal parental relationship with the child without just cause for a period of six months constitutes prima facie evidence of abandonment.”
In most cases, once parental rights are severed, the parent will not get their rights back. Once a decision is made, it is typically final so that the child can have stability in their life. The court system does not make this decision lightly, and it was made with the child's best interest as the top priority.
Scope of Care: Caregivers can be anyone who takes on the role of nurturing and supporting a child, while biological parents specifically refer to those who are related by blood. In summary, while biological parents and caregivers can both be involved in a child's life, their definitions and roles differ significantly.