Our juvenile law attorneys represent clients in parental rights termination proceedings throughout Maricopa county from Goodyear to Chandler.
There are occasions when a parent’s rights to their child should be severed or terminated. This is not the same as awarding one parent sole custody or prohibiting visitation. Instead, severance or termination of parental rights results in one parent permanently losing their rights to their child.
Severance may occur if a parent consents or if the Court finds there exists a sufficient basis for a termination of a parent’s rights to their child pursuant to A.R.S. § 8-533. These grounds include abandonment, lengthy incarceration, neglect or abuse, prolonged mental illness, and/or drug abuse. In addition, the person requesting a termination must prove to the Court, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the severance is in the child’s best interests.
In Arizona, severance trials can be lengthy and involve extensive evidence and testimony. A skilled and knowledgeable attorney will help you navigate the complex severance process, and advocate on your behalf. As a former judicial officer serving in the Maricopa County Superior Court Juvenile Division, Nicole Siqueiros-Stoutner regularly presided over trials regarding the severance of parental rights and authored detailed rulings. As an attorney at Sheldon & Stoutner, Nicole brings to her client representation a thorough understanding of juvenile law and procedure.