On June 22, 2026, Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2995 into law. It is called the Alec and Lydia Act, named after two children who were shot and killed by their father while he was exercising unsupervised parenting time during a divorce. Their mother, Hope Hooton, fought for this law. It is now in effect.
The Alec and Lydia Act is the most significant overhaul of Arizona's family court domestic violence law in recent memory. It changes what courts must find, what they must put in writing, what they must presume, and what they can no longer ignore when domestic violence is present in a case involving children.
If you are going through a divorce or a parenting dispute in Arizona and domestic violence is part of your story, the legal framework that governs your case changed on June 22, 2026. This series of articles explains what changed, what it means for you, and what to do now.
We have practiced family law exclusively in Arizona for nearly twenty years. We are trauma informed attorneys. We have been fighting these cases before this law existed. Now the law has caught up to what we have always believed.
Read the full series
The story of Alec, Lydia, Hope Hooton, and the tragedy that changed Arizona family law.
Article 2What the Alec and Lydia Act Means for Your Arizona DivorceA plain-language explanation of what the Alec and Lydia Act means in an Arizona divorce or parenting case.
Article 3What Judges Must Now Do When Domestic Violence Is Alleged in an Arizona Divorce with ChildrenThe mandatory obligations Arizona judges now have when domestic violence is alleged in a case involving children.
Article 4Coercive Control Is Domestic Violence in ArizonaA walkthrough of coercive control and why Arizona now recognizes it as domestic violence in family court.
Article 5If You Are a Victim of Domestic Violence in an Arizona Divorce: What to Do NowA practical guide for victims in an Arizona divorce or parenting case involving domestic violence.
Reference pages
These reference pages provide the broader domestic violence definition, the criminal domestic violence statute, and the HB 2995 statutory text behind the Alec and Lydia Act.
Read the HB 2995 statute text behind Arizona's Alec and Lydia Act and the family-court domestic violence changes it made.
Definition GuideWhat Is Domestic Violence in Arizona?Domestic violence in Arizona is broader than physical assault. Learn what conduct and relationships can matter.
Criminal StatuteA.R.S. § 13-3601: Arizona Domestic Violence StatuteRead Arizona's criminal domestic violence statute and the qualifying offenses and relationships.
Questions and Answers
What is the Alec and Lydia Act?
The Alec and Lydia Act is Arizona House Bill 2995, signed into law on June 22, 2026. It is named after Alec and Lydia Mater, two children who were killed by their father during unsupervised parenting time. The law significantly expands protections for domestic violence victims and their children in Arizona family court. It creates a mandatory presumption against awarding parenting time or legal decision making to a parent who has committed domestic violence, requires courts to make specific written findings when domestic violence is alleged, expands the definition of domestic violence to include coercive control, and raises the standard an abusive parent must meet to regain access to their children.
When did the Alec and Lydia Act take effect?
June 22, 2026. The law is effective immediately from the date of signing. Any family court proceeding going forward is governed by the new framework.
Does the Alec and Lydia Act apply to my case?
If you are in an Arizona divorce or parenting dispute where domestic violence is an issue, the new law may apply to proceedings going forward from June 22, 2026. A consultation with Tali can help you understand what the new law means for your specific situation.
What is coercive control under the new law?
Coercive control is a pattern of threatening, coercive, or emotionally abusive conduct that Arizona now recognizes as domestic violence for family court purposes. It includes financial control, isolation, surveillance, stalking, demeaning conduct, threats involving immigration status, and using family court itself as a weapon by filing false or frivolous claims against the other parent.
What does the mandatory presumption mean?
When a court finds that a parent has committed domestic violence, the law now creates a mandatory presumption that awarding parenting time or legal decision making to that parent is contrary to the child's best interests. The abusive parent starts from a restricted position and must overcome that presumption before parenting time or legal decision-making rights may be awarded.
I was told before that what happened to me was not domestic violence. Has that changed?
It may have. The Alec and Lydia Act expanded Arizona's family-court definition of domestic violence to include coercive control, which can include financial abuse, isolation, surveillance, threats, demeaning conduct, and using family court as a weapon. If you were previously told your experience did not meet the legal threshold, a consultation under the new law is worth having.
