Alec and Lydia Act
- Effective June 22, 2026
- Amends A.R.S. §§ 25-403.03, 25-404, 25-411
- Applies to new cases, modifications, and active cases
Understanding the Alec & Lydia Act
Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2995, known as the Alec and Lydia Act, into law on June 22, 2026. The Alec and Lydia Act Arizona lawmakers passed this year changes how courts handle domestic violence in custody cases. It expands the legal definition of domestic violence to include coercive control, a pattern of behavior that often leaves no visible mark but causes real harm.
The new Arizona custody law also creates a mandatory presumption against giving custody to a parent who committed domestic violence, and it puts child and victim safety ahead of Arizona’s usual push toward equal parenting time. Parents searching for the Alec and Lydia law Arizona just passed want a straight answer, so the sections below cover each change in plain language, along with what to do if it touches your case.
Four Things the Alec and Lydia Act Does
Financial control, tracking, isolation, and threats now meet the legal definition of domestic violence, not just physical harm.
Once a judge finds a parent committed domestic violence, custody with that parent is presumed to go against the child's best interests.
Where domestic violence is found, the court cannot simply default to equal parenting time. Safety takes priority by law.
Judges must put detailed findings in writing whenever domestic violence comes up, including in temporary orders and modifications.
Who Alec and Lydia Were
Alec was seven. Lydia was six. In May 2024, their mother, Hope Hooton of Surprise, Arizona, lost both children to family violence during an active custody case. The court had granted their father equal, unsupervised parenting time despite a documented history of domestic violence.
Hooton became an advocate instead of stepping back from public life. She worked with Arizona lawmakers to close the gaps her case exposed, including a system that treated domestic violence as one factor among many and defaulted to equal parenting time even when real risk was present. Nationwide, the Center for Judicial Excellence has tracked more than 850 children killed by a parent during a divorce, separation, or custody case since 2008, roughly one child every six days. House Bill 2995 now carries Alec and Lydia’s names into every Arizona courtroom where domestic violence comes up.
What Counts as Coercive Control
Arizona law now defines coercive control as a pattern of violent, threatening, or emotionally abusive conduct by one parent against the other, without consent or a legal justification. Your own testimony can be enough.
- Physical or sexual assault
- Threatening to kill or injure a person, including oneself or a household pet
- Isolating a parent from friends and family
- Damaging property
- Controlling or monitoring finances, economic resources, or access to services
- Stalking, harassment, or using tracking apps and spyware
- Demeaning, degrading, or humiliating words or actions
- Jeopardizing a parent's immigration status
Alec and Lydia Act resources
The Alec & Lydia Act Is Now Arizona Law. Here’s What Every Parent Needs to Know.
KEY DATES
When Did the Alec and Lydia Act Take Effect for Custody?
CUSTODY & PARENTING
How the Alec and Lydia Act Affects Arizona Parenting Plans
HB 2995 ANALYSIS
Overcoming the Mandatory Presumption Under HB 2995 in Arizona
DEFENSE STRATEGY
Defending Against Coercive Control Claims Under the Alec and Lydia Act
DEFINITION GUIDE
Is Coercive Control Illegal in Arizona? Defining the Law
CASE EXAMPLES
Examples of Coercive Control in Arizona Family Law Cases
JUDICIAL PERSPECTIVE
Coercive Control in Arizona Custody Disputes: What Judges Look For
LAW UPDATES
2026 Arizona Custody Law Changes: What Every Parent Must Know
EVIDENCE & PROOF
Proving Domestic Violence and Coercive Control Under HB 2995
CUSTODY PRESUMPTION
Can Abusive Parents Get Joint Custody Under HB 2995?
EMERGENCY ORDERS
Emergency Parenting Plan Modifications Under the Alec and Lydia Act
A Presumption That Now Favors the Child's Safety
If a judge finds that a parent committed domestic violence, this Arizona custody law update presumes that giving that parent custody or parenting time works against the child’s best interests. This presumption is mandatory. The judge has to apply it, not just weigh it as one factor among others.
Three Facts the Court Must Ignore
The child was not present when the domestic violence happened
The child was not present when the domestic violence happened
The child was not present when the domestic violence happened
Does This Affect My Existing Parenting Plan?
Your current order stays in effect on its own. The Alec and Lydia Act does not automatically rewrite it. What changed is what happens if you go back to court, whether that means a new case, a modification, or a temporary order.
If domestic violence happened in your relationship and was never raised in court, Arizona law now lets you bring in that evidence, even if it predates your current order and even if you could have raised it sooner. A parent who already failed to overcome the presumption in an earlier case stays subject to it in any later modification, regardless of what new claims are made.
What to Do Right Now
- Read your current order: Find your signed parenting plan and know exactly what it says about decision-making, schedule, and any existing safety conditions.
- Start documenting: Keep a written record of concerning interactions. Save texts, voicemails, and financial records tied to any coercive control.
- Identify what was never addressed: If domestic violence happened but was never raised in court, that evidence may now be relevant, even if it happened years ago.
- Don't change your order informally: Verbal or written agreements outside of court do not replace your legal order. It stays in effect until a judge changes it.
- Talk to a family law attorney:The presumption, the written findings requirement, and the rebuttal standard are all new. An attorney who knows them can tell you where you stand.
Your Parenting Plan Was Written Under the Old Law. Make Sure It Works Under the New One.
In immediate danger, contact law enforcement or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224).