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HB 2923

parenting time; expert testimony; qualifications

57th Legislature - First Regular Session Introduced by Rachel Keshel and 1 co-sponsor

Arizona bill establishes mandatory expert qualifications for parenting time testimony in family court to improve evidentiary standards and decision-making reliability.

House Second Reading
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Bill Summary · HB 2923

Legislative bill overview

HB 2923 establishes qualifications and standards for expert testimony regarding parenting time in family law proceedings. The bill sets criteria for who can serve as an expert witness in custody and parenting-related cases, likely to ensure testimony meets professional standards and reliability thresholds.

Why is this important

Child custody decisions significantly impact children's welfare and family lives, making the quality of expert testimony crucial to fair judicial outcomes. By standardizing expert qualifications, the bill aims to prevent unqualified individuals from influencing high-stakes family law decisions while potentially reducing litigation costs through clearer evidentiary standards.

Potential points of contention

  • Professional scope creep: Debate over which credentials qualify (psychologists, social workers, counselors, parent coordinators) and whether standards are too restrictive or too permissive
  • Access to justice concerns: Stricter qualifications could limit availability of affordable experts in rural areas or increase costs for low-income parents seeking custody modifications
  • Judicial discretion: Questions about whether rigid qualification standards remove judges' flexibility to admit helpful testimony based on case-specific circumstances

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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