Child Custody and Personality Disorders in Arizona: It Does Not Take Two to Tango

Most people think that a high-conflict divorce necessarily involves two people who are just angry and unreasonable, but that’s not always the case. When one party to a divorce suffers from a borderline, narcissistic, or other type of personality disorder, he or she can pull the entire family into a “knock-down/drag-out” situation.

If you are experiencing difficulties related to child custody and personality disorders in Arizona, an experienced high-conflict custody attorney who has worked on cases involving mental health conditions can help you cut through the drama and address child custody issues through the proper legal channels and procedures.

The Difficulties of Child Custody and Personality Disorders

Negotiating child custody with a narcissist or someone with another form of personality disorder or mental health condition can be extremely difficult and stressful. A person with a personality disorder may lack basic empathy and/or the willingness to compromise for the benefit of the children. He or she may be driven by revenge or the desire to inflict emotional pain and suffering — and appealing to this person’s sense of reason and logic is often to no avail. This may make it difficult or impossible to negotiate a fair child custody settlement, leaving no alternative but to go to trial.

How an Arizona High-Conflict Custody Attorney Can Help

A high-conflict custody attorney can bring many different strategies to the table when dealing with an opposing party with a personality disorder. The actions the attorneys at Frank Amar Matura might take when assisting you with matters related to child custody and personality disorders in Arizona include:

• Sending out subpoenas for medical or counseling records to obtain important information on the person’s physical and psychological background;
• Talking to others who have witnessed behaviors that indicate bad parenting and/or the existence of a personality disorder, and who may be able to testify about those behaviors in court;
• Requesting drug testing if there is a history of drug or alcohol abuse;
• Holding depositions to get insight into the mind of the person being deposed, possibly obtain admissions of guilt, and get clues that may lead to other critical information that can be successfully utilized at trial;
• Requesting the appointment of court experts to conduct interviews, mental health evaluations, psychological testing, or family assessments to assist in diagnosing a personality disorder that may not have previously been formally discovered.

These are a few of the many strategies we typically employ in high-conflict Family Court litigation in Arizona when cases involve people who may have personality disorders. If you find yourself in this situation, you’ll need a strong and experienced advocate — an attorney who will fight hard to protect your interests.

Get Help with Issues Related to Child Custody and Personality Disorders in Arizona 

The attorneys at Frank Amar Matura are strong Family Law litigators and mediators with a wealth of experience both in the courtroom and in settlement negotiations. Our firm handles a wide array of cases, such as divorce, custody, relocation, paternity, child and spousal support, division of property and businesses, modification and enforcement actions, grandparent and non-parent rights, same-sex divorce, and all matters relating to families and children.

If you need legal counsel or representation related to child custody and personality disorders in Arizona, or another Family Law matter, please do not hesitate to contact us today. You can reach us by telephone at 602-922-9989, by email at info@famlawaz.com, or by completing our online contact form. We’d be honored to help you.