AZ SB1656

Requires Arizona family courts to hold an evidentiary hearing before appointing professional personnel (such as custody evaluators) in legal decision-making and parenting time cases

Mandates courts provide written documentation specifying the scope of appointment, expected costs, required documents, report deadline, and fee apportionment between parents

Requires appointed professional personnel to make audio or video recordings of all interactions with parents and children, and allows parents to make their own recordings

Removes qualified immunity protections for court-appointed professional personnel during their appointment

Allows parents to bring civil actions against appointed professional personnel for ethics violations within four years of the cause of action accruing