False reporting refers to knowingly making false reports of child abuse or neglect. Arizona's best-interests statute allows the court to consider whether a parent has knowingly made false reports of child abuse against the other parent as a factor in the parenting analysis.

The key word is knowingly. A parent who sincerely believed their child was being harmed and made a report that was investigated and not substantiated has not made a false report in the legal sense even if the allegation was ultimately incorrect.

False reporting as a litigation tactic is a serious problem in high-conflict cases. Courts are aware of it. A parent who files repetitive unsubstantiated reports in the context of ongoing custody litigation faces credibility consequences that can affect the entire parenting case.