Bill > SB1330

This bill establishes a right to a jury trial in Arizona family court cases concerning legal decision-making (which refers to a parent's right to make major decisions about a child's upbringing, such as education, healthcare, and religious training) and parenting time (which refers to the schedule of when each parent has physical custody of the child). Specifically, if a parent is awarded less than 35% of the parenting time or does not receive any legal decision-making authority, they can request a jury trial to determine these matters. In such contested cases, the jury would be required to make specific findings on the record regarding factors that are in the child's best interests, as outlined in existing law, and explain why their verdict serves those interests. The bill also mandates that these jury trial requests take priority over other civil cases, aiming to ensure a more equitable distribution of parenting time and decision-making authority between parents.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84867