Court-Appointed Advisor (CAA)

This is a professional appointed by the Court, usually either a psychologist or a social worker, whose role is to interview the parties, the children, and relevant witnesses and make a recommendation to the Court regarding the custodial issues of legal decision-making and parenting time. They are primarily used to investigate situations where the fitness of one or more parents is at issue; however, best interests attorneys are generally preferred over CAA’s in cases where abuse is alleged. They are appointed under Rule 10.1 of the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure.