Alec and Lydia Act | Questions and Answers
Plain-language answers to common questions parents are asking about Arizona's Alec and Lydia Act and domestic violence in family court.
By Tali Best Collins, Esq. | Managing Partner, Best Law Firm
Last reviewed: July 2026
Since the Alec and Lydia Act went into effect on June 22, 2026, parents have been calling us with the same questions. Here are the answers. It is a new Arizona law that changed how family courts must handle cases involving domestic violence. For starters, there is a presumption against the abuser that they should get equal parenting time and joint legal decision making. Giving the abuser these rights is against the child’s best interests.
Since the Alec and Lydia Act went into effect on June 22, 2026, parents have been calling us with the same questions. Here are the answers.
It is a new Arizona law that changed how family courts must handle cases involving domestic violence. For starters, there is a presumption against the abuser that they should get equal parenting time and joint legal decision making. Giving the abuser these rights is against the child’s best interests.
It applies to any Arizona family court case alleging domestic violence, whether you are married, unmarried, in the middle of a divorce, or trying to change existing parenting orders. If domestic violence is part of your story and your case is before an Arizona court after June 22, 2026, this law is relevant to your family.
We believe it does. It all depends on your facts, the court, your history, the procedures and what is going on now.
The family court is required to presume that the abusive parent should not have legal decision making or parenting time without limitations. It is presumed to be against the child’s best interests.
Yes, completely. This law applies to all Arizona parents regardless of whether they were ever married. If you and your child's other parent were never married and there has been domestic violence in your relationship, you have the same protections under this law as any other parent in an Arizona family court.
We don’t know for sure. But there is good reason for them to follow it for children’s safety. It will be really hard for a court to ignore all the safeguards since it is now the law announced by the legislature.
Coercive control abusive use of power and control to isolate the victim. It includes controlling money, cutting you off from family and friends, monitoring your phone or location, making threats, and weaponizing the court system to harass, exhaust and financially deplete you. It is now considered domestic violence.
The law presumes it is not safe for the abusive parent to have legal decision-making authority or unsupervised time with the children. The abusive parent then has to prove to the court with strong evidence why that presumption should not apply to them. It will be difficult for the abusive parent to overcome this.
Yes. All of it can now be presented in your case, no matter when it happened or whether it was raised before. Your full story can finally be told.
A final order with children is always modifiable. If circumstances have changed since the order was entered, a modification may be available. Every family's situation is different. The right path forward starts with understanding the specific facts of your case.
Every situation is different. What the Alec and Lydia Act means for your family depends on your case, your orders, and your history. Tali Best Collins handles every new client consultation personally. You do not need to have it figured out before you call. You need your story. That is where we start.
If domestic violence, coercive control, child safety, legal decision making, or parenting time is part of your Arizona family law case, a focused consultation can help you understand what evidence matters and what the court should now be required to consider.
The Alec and Lydia Act resource hub
Coercive control is domestic violence in Arizona
Parenting time and legal decision making
Tali Best Collins is the Managing Partner of Best Law Firm in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she and her colleagues have practiced family law exclusively for over nineteen years. She is a former Judge Pro Tem in Maricopa County Superior Court and co-author of The Divorce Coach with Cynthia L. Best, Founder of Best Law Firm. Tali handles every new client consultation personally.
Best Law Firm | 7025 N. Scottsdale Road Suite 303 | Scottsdale, AZ 85253 | (480) 219-2433 | Talk to Tali
This post is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The Alec and Lydia Act is new law and courts are actively working through how it applies. Reading this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a qualified Arizona family law attorney about your specific situation. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
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