Arizona Divorce Lawyers

It depends on how much you two disagree, and we won’t quote a number before we’ve heard your situation. Every temporary order hearing, appraisal, and trial day adds cost. Court filing fees apply, and you can ask to defer them if you get public assistance or your income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, or to waive them if you’re permanently unable to pay. Consultations are free, and we offer monthly payment plans.

At least 60 days from service, because A.R.S. § 25-329 won’t let a judge sign the decree any sooner. If you and your spouse agree on everything, the consent decree can be lodged once that period ends, and the judge then has 21 days to rule or set a hearing. Contested cases run longer, and we’d rather give you a real estimate after reviewing your case than guess here.

No, Arizona doesn’t require one, and some couples with no kids, no house, and a full agreement file on their own. Our opinion is that once a home, a retirement account, spousal maintenance, or children are involved, you should have a lawyer read the decree before you sign it, because the property terms in a decree generally can’t be modified later. It’s your call, and the consultation costs nothing.

Not exactly. Arizona is a community property state, so property and debt acquired during the marriage are presumed to belong to both of you. A.R.S. § 25-318 tells the court to divide it “equitably, though not necessarily in kind.” That’s a fairness standard under Arizona law, not a math formula. Property you owned before the marriage, or got as a gift or inheritance, is generally separate and stays yours.

An uncontested divorce means you and your spouse agree on property, debt, support, legal decision-making, and parenting time, and you both sign a consent decree. A contested divorce means at least one of those is disputed, so the case goes through disclosure, possibly a Resolution Management Conference and mediation, and a trial if nothing settles. A contested case can turn uncontested at any point if you reach full agreement.

No. Arizona is no-fault, so one spouse can end the marriage by showing it’s irretrievably broken, even if the other wants to stay married. If your spouse is served and ignores the case, it can proceed by default. A spouse who denies the marriage is broken can ask for a conciliation conference, which can delay things. Covenant marriages are the exception and need a ground under A.R.S. § 25-903.

Arizona splits custody into legal decision-making and parenting time, and the law doesn’t favor either parent by gender. If you agree, you can file your own parenting plan. If you don’t, a judge decides using the factors in A.R.S. § 25-403 and can order mediation, a custody evaluation, or an interview with the child. We think you two know your kids’ schedules better than a judge. It’s your call.

Yes, as long as you’ve been domiciled in Arizona for 90 days before filing. Your spouse still has to be served and gets 30 days to respond when served outside Arizona. The court can end the marriage either way, but it can only decide property, support, and custody to the extent it has jurisdiction, which depends on your spouse’s ties to Arizona and where the kids have been living.

A covenant marriage is an optional type of marriage in Arizona where the couple agrees to premarital counseling and stricter divorce rules. To end one, you need a ground under A.R.S. § 25-903, such as adultery, a felony with a prison or death sentence, abandonment for a year, abuse, living apart for two years, habitual drug or alcohol abuse, or both spouses agreeing. The regular no-fault standard doesn’t apply.

For who gets what, no. Arizona is no-fault, and property and parenting are decided the same way no matter who filed. Filing first does two things. The preliminary injunction binds the filing spouse when the petition is filed, and the other spouse once served or on actual notice of the order, whichever is sooner. And in Maricopa County, the filer’s ZIP code, or their lawyer’s, picks the court district.