Arizona Divorce Laws

Difference Between Legal Separation & Divorce | Scottsdale Family Law

C.D. Owens

 

Petition for Legal Separation

A person can get a legal separation the way he or she can get a divorce. All they have to do is file a petition for legal separation. And the only difference between a legal separation and a divorce in the final analysis is that in a legal separation, obviously you don’t get a divorce. Now, when people come to us we actually advise against it, except in very special cases.

Legal Separation Examples

For example, I had a case once where a 55-year old couple were splitting the blanket and were in complete agreement that they should have a legal separation because the wife had cancer and the husband was a top executive for Motorola.

Motorola has an outstanding medical plan and so she couldn’t get that kind of coverage if they were to get a divorce because insurance companies are not going to ensure anybody after the divorce. She couldn’t continue to carry his insurance. She could have what we call COBRA, it’s an expensive temporary application for a short period of time, but that’s one reason why obviously you’d decide to have a legal separation. Could be religious. Catholics, they often don’t want a divorce.

Special Situations

Only in special situations do we advise it because they don’t work out, unless it’s something serious like that. They’re going to come back in less than a year probably and tell the judge they want to change it to a divorce. But, it’s one of the things people can always come talk to us about and have up front information before they start trying to make decisions.

By: CD Owens

Petition for Legal Separation

A person can get a legal separation the way he or she can get a divorce. All they have to do is file a petition for legal separation. And the only difference between a legal separation and a divorce in the final analysis is that in a legal separation, obviously you don’t get a divorce. Now, when people come to us we actually advise against it, except in very special cases.

Legal Separation Examples

For example, I had a case once where a 55-year old couple were splitting the blanket and were in complete agreement that they should have a legal separation because the wife had cancer and the husband was a top executive for Motorola.

Motorola has an outstanding medical plan and so she couldn’t get that kind of coverage if they were to get a divorce because insurance companies are not going to ensure anybody after the divorce. She couldn’t continue to carry his insurance. She could have what we call COBRA, it’s an expensive temporary application for a short period of time, but that’s one reason why obviously you’d decide to have a legal separation. Could be religious. Catholics, they often don’t want a divorce.

Special Situations

Only in special situations do we advise it because they don’t work out, unless it’s something serious like that. They’re going to come back in less than a year probably and tell the judge they want to change it to a divorce. But, it’s one of the things people can always come talk to us about and have up front information before they start trying to make decisions.

By: CD Owens

What Will the Judge Decide in My Divorce Case | Arizona

Michael Clancy

 

A judge can decide a number of things in your divorce case. Most commonly, the judge will divide your assets, the judge will divide your debts, and if you have common children with your spouse, the judge will award child support to the custodial parents or outline parenting time in the parenting plan, but each case is different so you’ll need an attorney that will be able to identify all of your legal issues and make sure that they make it into the decree either by consent or through trial. If you’d like to discuss your divorce case with me, feel free to email me.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

A judge can decide a number of things in your divorce case. Most commonly, the judge will divide your assets, the judge will divide your debts, and if you have common children with your spouse, the judge will award child support to the custodial parents or outline parenting time in the parenting plan, but each case is different so you’ll need an attorney that will be able to identify all of your legal issues and make sure that they make it into the decree either by consent or through trial. If you’d like to discuss your divorce case with me, feel free to email me.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

What are the Differences Between Settlement & Litigation in a Divorce Case | Tempe…

Douglas Gardner

 

Divorce Settlement vs. Litigation

There are two basic ways we can help our clients to resolve any divorce case. One is through settlement, and the other is by going to trial. Trial has certain advantages in that you can present your evidence to a judge who is a neutral person and that judge can enter orders that that judge thinks is appropriate, but there are a lot of costs associated with going to trial including the financial cost, but also the emotional cost, and the sleepless nights, and waiting to get ready for trial.

Settlement

Most clients prefer to be able to resolve their case through settlement. Sometimes settlement is the parties talking among themselves and then I, as the attorney, simply draw up that agreement. Sometimes we do an informal settlement where we talk to both parties and the attorneys involved in that. If necessary, we can bring in a professional mediator to help the parties be able to reach an agreement.

Parties are generally much more pleased with an agreement that they’ve been able to negotiate, that they’ve been able to participate in, and reach. And also, the other party is more likely to fall through and comply with an agreement that he or she has negotiated.

Now if you would like more information regarding trial, or mediation, or your divorce case, contact us at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online. If you have more questions on settlement and litigation in a divorce case in Arizona, please contact a lawyer in your area.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

Divorce Settlement vs. Litigation

There are two basic ways we can help our clients to resolve any divorce case. One is through settlement, and the other is by going to trial. Trial has certain advantages in that you can present your evidence to a judge who is a neutral person and that judge can enter orders that that judge thinks is appropriate, but there are a lot of costs associated with going to trial including the financial cost, but also the emotional cost, and the sleepless nights, and waiting to get ready for trial.

Settlement

Most clients prefer to be able to resolve their case through settlement. Sometimes settlement is the parties talking among themselves and then I, as the attorney, simply draw up that agreement. Sometimes we do an informal settlement where we talk to both parties and the attorneys involved in that. If necessary, we can bring in a professional mediator to help the parties be able to reach an agreement.

Parties are generally much more pleased with an agreement that they’ve been able to negotiate, that they’ve been able to participate in, and reach. And also, the other party is more likely to fall through and comply with an agreement that he or she has negotiated.

Now if you would like more information regarding trial, or mediation, or your divorce case, contact us at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online. If you have more questions on settlement and litigation in a divorce case in Arizona, please contact a lawyer in your area.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

What Does the Court Consider During a Divorce Case | Tempe Divorce Laws

Douglas Gardner

 

Divorce Case in Tempe Courts

For divorce cases in Arizona, the court is required to enter orders as to three basic issues, or even better, if the parties can reach an agreement on those issues, the court can adopt that agreement as the court order.

Parenting Time

The first issue is the parenting-time arrangement. This agreement should include which parent will have the child during the week, which parent will have the child on weekends, how the children will be divided up for the holidays, and other issues as to the transportation and the division of the children.

Legal Decision Making

The second issue that the court will look at is the legal decision-making for the children. In Arizona, generally the court will give both parties joint legal decision-making, which means that both parties should be involved in making major medical decisions, major educational decisions, and major religious decisions. Only in rare circumstances will the court give one person sole legal decision making of those major decisions for the child.

Child Support

The final issue is child support. In Arizona, we have a guideline adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court that gives us an opportunity to based on your income, the other party’s income, and several other factors we can figure out based on that formula real close what the court is likely to order for child support in each case.

If you’d like more information regarding child related issues in your divorce case please contact me at (480) 733-6800 or you can reach us online.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

Divorce Case in Tempe Courts

For divorce cases in Arizona, the court is required to enter orders as to three basic issues, or even better, if the parties can reach an agreement on those issues, the court can adopt that agreement as the court order.

Parenting Time

The first issue is the parenting-time arrangement. This agreement should include which parent will have the child during the week, which parent will have the child on weekends, how the children will be divided up for the holidays, and other issues as to the transportation and the division of the children.

Legal Decision Making

The second issue that the court will look at is the legal decision-making for the children. In Arizona, generally the court will give both parties joint legal decision-making, which means that both parties should be involved in making major medical decisions, major educational decisions, and major religious decisions. Only in rare circumstances will the court give one person sole legal decision making of those major decisions for the child.

Child Support

The final issue is child support. In Arizona, we have a guideline adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court that gives us an opportunity to based on your income, the other party’s income, and several other factors we can figure out based on that formula real close what the court is likely to order for child support in each case.

If you’d like more information regarding child related issues in your divorce case please contact me at (480) 733-6800 or you can reach us online.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

Prenuptial Agreements - Social Media Clause | Phoenix Divorce Laws

Jason Castle

 

Prenuptial Social Media Clause

Hi. I’m Jason Castle. I’m a partner at Jaburg & Wilk. My practice areas focus on family law and criminal defense. Prenuptial agreements have grown in popularity over the last few years. Prenuptial agreements are agreements that become effective at the date of marriage. They’re very broad in what they can cover.

One example of that is a social media clause which is also fairly new and growing in popularity. A social media clause in your agreement would negotiate prior to the marriage how social media will be utilized during the marriage and in the event of a divorce. You can outline, for example, what can and cannot be posted on social media websites. You can also determine who is going to control photos and information that is recorded during your marriage.

Posting Private Photos & Videos

I recently wrote an article about couples that have engaged in private moments and recorded them on film or camera, and the concerns that arise at the point of a divorce when one of the parties decides to post that information on the Internet for the world to see. In the event that you’ve thought of this beforehand and you had a social media clause, you could preclude that, and you could also include sanctions and methods for you to remove the materials from the Internet once it does occur.

By: Jason Castle

Prenuptial Social Media Clause

Hi. I’m Jason Castle. I’m a partner at Jaburg & Wilk. My practice areas focus on family law and criminal defense. Prenuptial agreements have grown in popularity over the last few years. Prenuptial agreements are agreements that become effective at the date of marriage. They’re very broad in what they can cover.

One example of that is a social media clause which is also fairly new and growing in popularity. A social media clause in your agreement would negotiate prior to the marriage how social media will be utilized during the marriage and in the event of a divorce. You can outline, for example, what can and cannot be posted on social media websites. You can also determine who is going to control photos and information that is recorded during your marriage.

Posting Private Photos & Videos

I recently wrote an article about couples that have engaged in private moments and recorded them on film or camera, and the concerns that arise at the point of a divorce when one of the parties decides to post that information on the Internet for the world to see. In the event that you’ve thought of this beforehand and you had a social media clause, you could preclude that, and you could also include sanctions and methods for you to remove the materials from the Internet once it does occur.

By: Jason Castle

Can I Appeal My Divorce Decree | Arizona

Kathi Sandweiss

 

Hi, I’m Kathi Sandweiss. I’m an appellate lawyer here at Jaburg and Wilk.

Can a divorce be appealed?

You can appeal really any of your issues that you disputed in your divorce decree, assuming obviously that you didn’t stipulate to your divorce decree. But assuming that there’s been a decree entered after some sort of a conflict – an adversarial proceeding – there’s no reason you can’t appeal.   The time for appeal is the same – 30 days – just as in a civil case.  And the kinds of things that we see people appealing in a divorce are: child custody arrangements, valuation of businesses, amount of spousal maintenance, amount of child support. Any of the things that you might be disputing in your divorce, if you’re unhappy with the result, certainly they can be appealed.  A trial lawyer will be looking for the facts, will be helping you through your case, and trying the case. An appeal is based on the record already made in the trial court.

Will you work with my current divorce attorney?

We like to work with the trial lawyers, including the divorce lawyers and certainly, we have no intention of stealing back your case after the case is decided on appeal. The hope for you, if we’re representing you as the appellant, is to have the matter remanded to the trial court, and at that point, then your divorce will proceed in the trial court.  Not only that, but we really like to have your trial lawyer’s input and have him or her review our briefs before they’re filed.

By: Kathi Sandweiss

Hi, I’m Kathi Sandweiss. I’m an appellate lawyer here at Jaburg and Wilk.

Can a divorce be appealed?

You can appeal really any of your issues that you disputed in your divorce decree, assuming obviously that you didn’t stipulate to your divorce decree. But assuming that there’s been a decree entered after some sort of a conflict – an adversarial proceeding – there’s no reason you can’t appeal.   The time for appeal is the same – 30 days – just as in a civil case.  And the kinds of things that we see people appealing in a divorce are: child custody arrangements, valuation of businesses, amount of spousal maintenance, amount of child support. Any of the things that you might be disputing in your divorce, if you’re unhappy with the result, certainly they can be appealed.  A trial lawyer will be looking for the facts, will be helping you through your case, and trying the case. An appeal is based on the record already made in the trial court.

Will you work with my current divorce attorney?

We like to work with the trial lawyers, including the divorce lawyers and certainly, we have no intention of stealing back your case after the case is decided on appeal. The hope for you, if we’re representing you as the appellant, is to have the matter remanded to the trial court, and at that point, then your divorce will proceed in the trial court.  Not only that, but we really like to have your trial lawyer’s input and have him or her review our briefs before they’re filed.

By: Kathi Sandweiss

What is a Temporary Orders Petition | Scottsdale Family Law

Greg Davis

 

Petition for Temporary Orders in Scottsdale

In Arizona, we have a procedure called a petition for temporary orders. A temporary orders petition asks the court to award spousal maintenance, child support and, or parenting time and decision making authority, with respect to children while the divorce is going on. For more information, contact me, Greg Davis at Davis Limited, (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

Petition for Temporary Orders in Scottsdale

In Arizona, we have a procedure called a petition for temporary orders. A temporary orders petition asks the court to award spousal maintenance, child support and, or parenting time and decision making authority, with respect to children while the divorce is going on. For more information, contact me, Greg Davis at Davis Limited, (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

What Does Dissolution of Marriage & Serving the Petition Mean | Phoenix Divorce Attorney

Jason Castle

 

Introduction

My name is Jason Castle. I’m an attorney at Jaburg Wilk and my practice areas are family law and criminal defense.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

A petition for dissolution of marriage is the initial formal document that starts the legal proceeding. The petition will typically set forth the jurisdiction, which gives the court the power and authority to rule on your issues. Then, it will set forth the issues that you have outstanding.

For example, if you have children you’re going to include that you want decision making power, you want parenting time. It will also set forth what you’re wanting as a final resolution. In a divorce action you’re wanting to get divorced, so you want the marriage to be dissolved.

Serving a Petition

To serve a petition is actually a formal process. In a general sense, it’s to make sure that the opposing party has notice of the action. I get a lot of clients that come in and they want to just hand the other spouse the documents and they think that that’s service. That is not effective legal service. Legal service requires a service processor who is certified to either serve it or for a person to waive service, which is a form they would sign and it would be filed with the court.

By: Jason Castle

Introduction

My name is Jason Castle. I’m an attorney at Jaburg Wilk and my practice areas are family law and criminal defense.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

A petition for dissolution of marriage is the initial formal document that starts the legal proceeding. The petition will typically set forth the jurisdiction, which gives the court the power and authority to rule on your issues. Then, it will set forth the issues that you have outstanding.

For example, if you have children you’re going to include that you want decision making power, you want parenting time. It will also set forth what you’re wanting as a final resolution. In a divorce action you’re wanting to get divorced, so you want the marriage to be dissolved.

Serving a Petition

To serve a petition is actually a formal process. In a general sense, it’s to make sure that the opposing party has notice of the action. I get a lot of clients that come in and they want to just hand the other spouse the documents and they think that that’s service. That is not effective legal service. Legal service requires a service processor who is certified to either serve it or for a person to waive service, which is a form they would sign and it would be filed with the court.

By: Jason Castle

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