The plain-English summary

Arizona Rule of Family Law Procedure 65 governs the appointment of professionals in family law cases. When an Arizona Superior Court appoints someone — a parenting coordinator, a court-appointed advisor, a best-interests attorney, a therapeutic interventionist, an evaluator, or a supervised visitation provider — Rule 65 sets the framework for that appointment.

This page is not legal advice TruVisit Phoenix is a supervised visitation provider, not a law firm. This page is an educational overview only. For advice about your case, consult an Arizona-licensed family law attorney. For the current authoritative text of the rule, see the official Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure published by the Arizona Supreme Court.

What kinds of professionals does Rule 65 cover?

Rule 65 contemplates several categories of court-appointed professionals in family law cases:

  • Parenting Coordinators — appointed in high-conflict cases to help parents implement and interpret parenting orders
  • Court Appointed Advisors (CAAs) — appointed to investigate facts and report to the court on best interests of the child
  • Best Interests Attorneys (BIAs) — appointed to represent the child's best interests as an attorney
  • Therapeutic Interventionists — clinical professionals working on relationship repair
  • Evaluators — typically psychological professionals conducting parenting capacity evaluations
  • Other professionals the court may appoint as needed — including supervised visitation providers

How the appointment works

Under Rule 65 (and the related rules), appointments are typically initiated by:

  1. The court on its own motion — a judge decides a particular professional is needed in the case
  2. A party's motion — one parent asks the court to appoint a professional
  3. Stipulated agreement — both parents agree to a particular professional and submit a stipulation for court approval

The order of appointment generally specifies:

  • The identity of the professional (or the type of professional, with the parties to select)
  • The scope of the appointment — what the professional is being asked to do
  • The duration of the appointment
  • Allocation of fees between the parties
  • Reporting requirements — what gets reported to the court, in what format, and how often

Where supervised visitation fits

Supervised visitation providers are not always formally "appointed" under Rule 65 — many supervised visitation orders simply require the parties to engage a qualified provider, with the parties left to select one. When the court does formally appoint a specific provider, Rule 65's framework applies.

Either way, the supervised visitation provider's role is documented in the order: scope (supervised visits and/or monitored exchanges), frequency, duration, reporting obligations, and which party is responsible for cost.

Key practical implications for parents

  • The order controls. Whatever the court order says about the supervised visitation arrangement governs. Read your order carefully.
  • You usually have provider choice. Most Maricopa County orders specify the requirement ("professional supervision") without naming a specific company. Both parties are free to select a qualified provider.
  • Fee allocation is in the order. Whoever the order says pays, pays. Disputes about allocation are addressed by motion back to the court.
  • The supervisor's records may be subpoenaed. TruVisit Phoenix's reports are built to withstand subpoena and possible testimony.
  • The supervisor is neutral. By design and by professional obligation. The supervisor does not advocate for either party.

Reading your court order — what to look for

If your order references supervised visitation, here are the specifics worth identifying:

  • Type of supervision — full supervised visitation? monitored exchange? therapeutic visitation? a combination?
  • Frequency — how often are visits ordered?
  • Duration — length of each visit; total duration of the supervised arrangement
  • Location requirements — does the order specify a type of location? a specific geographic area?
  • Conditions on visits — restrictions on topics of conversation, prohibited items, gifts, etc.
  • Reporting — who receives reports? how often? in what format?
  • Cost allocation — who pays
  • Modification / step-down criteria — what would trigger a change in the arrangement?

If your case involves multiple appointed professionals

Complex family law cases sometimes involve several Rule 65 professionals simultaneously — a parenting coordinator, a court-appointed advisor, a therapeutic interventionist, and a supervised visitation provider. Each has a defined scope under the appointment order. Coordination among them is typically managed by the parties' attorneys or, in pro se cases, by the parties themselves with direction from the court.

What this means in practice for working with TruVisit Phoenix

If your order references "professional supervised visitation" without naming a provider, TruVisit Phoenix can be that provider. We work routinely with court orders out of the Maricopa County Superior Court Family Division. Our intake process includes a review of your order — we'll flag anything ambiguous and make sure our reporting format matches what your order requires.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a court order to use TruVisit Phoenix?
Most of our cases come with a court order, but it isn't strictly required. Some parents engage us voluntarily — for example, to demonstrate good faith to the court before a hearing, or as part of a stipulated agreement before an order is entered. Call us at (480) 470-6470 to discuss your situation.
Can the court order us to use a specific provider?
Yes. Courts sometimes appoint a specific provider, particularly in cases where a particular provider has prior involvement or specialized capacity is needed. More commonly, the order simply specifies the requirement and leaves provider selection to the parties.
What if we can't agree on a provider?
When the parties can't agree, the court can intervene and either appoint a specific provider or order alternative dispute resolution to resolve the disagreement. TruVisit Phoenix is regularly selected as a neutral choice in cases where the parties couldn't agree on others.
Are TruVisit Phoenix supervisors qualified under Rule 65?
Our supervisors are trained, background-checked, and experienced in the documentation standards used by the Maricopa County Superior Court Family Division. The specific requirements an appointed professional must meet depend on the appointment order. We're happy to provide credentialing information to your attorney or to the court on request.