Arizona Family Law Laws

Can I Modify Spousal Maintenance | Arizona

Michael Clancy

 

Spousal maintenance can be modified by showing a substantial and continuing change of financial circumstances. Well what does that mean? It can mean any number of things. It can mean that you changed jobs. It can mean you have moved. It can mean you have less parenting time. It can mean that you suffered a catastrophic injury and you’re not able to work anymore. Each case is unique and it requires a specific inspection by the attorney who you hire. Also to consider, if your decree says that spousal maintenance is non-modifiable, unfortunately at that point, the court doesn’t have the power to modify, so the answer to the question then would be no. But again, I would love to talk to you more about your case and if you’d like to talk to me, you can email me.

To modify spousal maintenance in Arizona, contact a Scottsdale divorce attorney.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

Spousal maintenance can be modified by showing a substantial and continuing change of financial circumstances. Well what does that mean? It can mean any number of things. It can mean that you changed jobs. It can mean you have moved. It can mean you have less parenting time. It can mean that you suffered a catastrophic injury and you’re not able to work anymore. Each case is unique and it requires a specific inspection by the attorney who you hire. Also to consider, if your decree says that spousal maintenance is non-modifiable, unfortunately at that point, the court doesn’t have the power to modify, so the answer to the question then would be no. But again, I would love to talk to you more about your case and if you’d like to talk to me, you can email me.

To modify spousal maintenance in Arizona, contact a Scottsdale divorce attorney.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

Sole Legal Custody | Scottsdale Family Law

Alan Cochran

 

Sole Legal Custody in Scottsdale

A parent granted sole custody, now referred to as sole legal decision-making, has the authority to make final decisions regarding the major life decisions affecting the parent’s children. Such as where the children will attend school, the healthcare the children receive, and the extracurricular activities the children will participate in regardless of the opinion of the other parent.

The other parent is still entitled to obtain information regarding his or her children’s performance in school, performance in extracurricular activities and healthcare from the other parent or directly from the provider of those services. Legal custody means the right and responsibility to make decisions for children, barring any specific court orders to the contrary.

Sole legal decision-making provides one parent to make the final decision on big day to day decisions for the children’s care and welfare without consulting the other parent, including education, medicine, and religion.

Why Courts Award Sole Custody

Examples where the court may award sole legal decision-making, would include those times where you have drug and alcohol abuse by one parent or the other, substantial child neglect or abuse claims, or convictions, domestic violence where the children were present, harmed, or in danger. As well as child endangerment, including DUIs while having the children in your car.

Major Decision Exceptions

The visitation parent is expected by the court to conform to big decisions by the sole legal decision-making parent in all day to day decisions when children are with him or her. The exception to that would be private school. Sole legal decision-making parent cannot require the other parent, known as a visitation parent, to contribute to the cost of private-schooling if enrolled without the consent of the visitation parent or the court per the child support guidelines.

School records are also an area where both parents have access to records regarding the children, including medical records, school and extracurricular activity records. Those records are available through the sole legal decision-making parent or from the provider of the service. Except in cases where courts find giving one parent access to records creates a danger to the children. If you are in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at 480-305-8300 to schedule an appointment.

By: Alan Cochran

Sole Legal Custody in Scottsdale

A parent granted sole custody, now referred to as sole legal decision-making, has the authority to make final decisions regarding the major life decisions affecting the parent’s children. Such as where the children will attend school, the healthcare the children receive, and the extracurricular activities the children will participate in regardless of the opinion of the other parent.

The other parent is still entitled to obtain information regarding his or her children’s performance in school, performance in extracurricular activities and healthcare from the other parent or directly from the provider of those services. Legal custody means the right and responsibility to make decisions for children, barring any specific court orders to the contrary.

Sole legal decision-making provides one parent to make the final decision on big day to day decisions for the children’s care and welfare without consulting the other parent, including education, medicine, and religion.

Why Courts Award Sole Custody

Examples where the court may award sole legal decision-making, would include those times where you have drug and alcohol abuse by one parent or the other, substantial child neglect or abuse claims, or convictions, domestic violence where the children were present, harmed, or in danger. As well as child endangerment, including DUIs while having the children in your car.

Major Decision Exceptions

The visitation parent is expected by the court to conform to big decisions by the sole legal decision-making parent in all day to day decisions when children are with him or her. The exception to that would be private school. Sole legal decision-making parent cannot require the other parent, known as a visitation parent, to contribute to the cost of private-schooling if enrolled without the consent of the visitation parent or the court per the child support guidelines.

School records are also an area where both parents have access to records regarding the children, including medical records, school and extracurricular activity records. Those records are available through the sole legal decision-making parent or from the provider of the service. Except in cases where courts find giving one parent access to records creates a danger to the children. If you are in need of a professional or experienced attorney to represent you and your children’s best interest in any family law matter, please call Alan Cochran at Hildebrand Law PC at 480-305-8300 to schedule an appointment.

By: Alan Cochran

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

How to Change a Child's Last Name in Arizona | Hildebrand Law, PC

 

Changing a Child’s Last Name in Arizona

Parents may decide they want to change a child’s last name. This typically occurs when a child is born to an unmarried couple. The father may want the child to have his last name while the mother may not want to change the name at all. A child’s last name is his or her identity. The child’s last name also reflects the identity of his or her parents. Learn more about changing a child’s last name in Arizona from Arizona child custody attorney, Michael Clancy, of Hildebrand Law, PC.

You can contact Michael Clancy at (480)305-8300 to schedule a consultation.

Changing a Child’s Last Name in Arizona

Parents may decide they want to change a child’s last name. This typically occurs when a child is born to an unmarried couple. The father may want the child to have his last name while the mother may not want to change the name at all. A child’s last name is his or her identity. The child’s last name also reflects the identity of his or her parents. Learn more about changing a child’s last name in Arizona from Arizona child custody attorney, Michael Clancy, of Hildebrand Law, PC.

You can contact Michael Clancy at (480)305-8300 to schedule a consultation.

What is a Wage Assignment | Scottsdale Child Support

C.D. Owens

 

Wage Assignments

A wage assignment is something that the court does when the payer of child support is employed, if he has a job, an employer, somebody who pays him salary twice a month or once a month. The court will issue an order to his employer instructing him to deduct the amount of child support on the court’s order for child support from his salary each time a check is written to him.

So it can be twice a month, once a week, once a month and any changes that the employer wants to make, needs to make has to go through the court. If anyone has any difficulty with that, they are free to call us anytime.

By: CD Owens

Wage Assignments

A wage assignment is something that the court does when the payer of child support is employed, if he has a job, an employer, somebody who pays him salary twice a month or once a month. The court will issue an order to his employer instructing him to deduct the amount of child support on the court’s order for child support from his salary each time a check is written to him.

So it can be twice a month, once a week, once a month and any changes that the employer wants to make, needs to make has to go through the court. If anyone has any difficulty with that, they are free to call us anytime.

By: CD Owens

How Does Visitation Affect Child Support | Scottsdale Family Law

C.D. Owens

 

How Child Custody Can Impact Child Support

Visitation significantly effects child support. For example, if two divorcing parties, a divorcing party agree that their going to be adult about recognizing that a child needs both parents and agree therefore to share visitation, custody of the kids, they will have a week on week off or they’ll have five-two-two weekly application of time and whatever they decide is going to really effect visitation. A 50-50 sharing of the time with the kids with a situation where two people make almost the same amount of money a month, will result in no child support.

If the father however has every other weekend with one day in the intervening week, one night in the intervening week, he’s gonna have substantial child support, particularly if he makes substantially more money, earns more than the mother does. So, it’s a complicated situation, one of the most difficult ones that parents have to make and we’re always there to help them if we can.

By: CD Owens

How Child Custody Can Impact Child Support

Visitation significantly effects child support. For example, if two divorcing parties, a divorcing party agree that their going to be adult about recognizing that a child needs both parents and agree therefore to share visitation, custody of the kids, they will have a week on week off or they’ll have five-two-two weekly application of time and whatever they decide is going to really effect visitation. A 50-50 sharing of the time with the kids with a situation where two people make almost the same amount of money a month, will result in no child support.

If the father however has every other weekend with one day in the intervening week, one night in the intervening week, he’s gonna have substantial child support, particularly if he makes substantially more money, earns more than the mother does. So, it’s a complicated situation, one of the most difficult ones that parents have to make and we’re always there to help them if we can.

By: CD Owens

What are the Different Forms of Child Custody | Scottsdale Child Custody

Chris Hildebrand

 

Types of Child Custody

I want to speak to you today about the different forms of legal custody of a child in the state of Arizona. When we talk about custody, we are really talking about two different aspects of custody as it relates to children.

Physical Custody

The first of which is, how much time the child or children spend in the each parentโ€™s home. We refer to that as physical custody.

Legal Decision Making

But, the other aspect of custody has to do with who gets to make the major decisions affecting the child. For example, the decisions regarding education, such as where the child goes to school, medical decisions, the childrenโ€™s participation in extracurricular activities and even the childโ€™s religious upbringing.

If a parent has sole legal custody, that parent gets to make all those decisions irrespective of the wishes of the other parent. If the parents share joint legal custody however, both parents must agree regarding those decisions for the child. If you have any other questions regarding custody or parenting time in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Types of Child Custody

I want to speak to you today about the different forms of legal custody of a child in the state of Arizona. When we talk about custody, we are really talking about two different aspects of custody as it relates to children.

Physical Custody

The first of which is, how much time the child or children spend in the each parentโ€™s home. We refer to that as physical custody.

Legal Decision Making

But, the other aspect of custody has to do with who gets to make the major decisions affecting the child. For example, the decisions regarding education, such as where the child goes to school, medical decisions, the childrenโ€™s participation in extracurricular activities and even the childโ€™s religious upbringing.

If a parent has sole legal custody, that parent gets to make all those decisions irrespective of the wishes of the other parent. If the parents share joint legal custody however, both parents must agree regarding those decisions for the child. If you have any other questions regarding custody or parenting time in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.

By: Chris Hildebrand

How Do I Establish Paternity | Scottsdale Family Law

C.D. Owens

 

Establishing Paternity in Arizona

Alleged fathers very frequently deny paternity. They’re facing 18-years of child support, they’re ticked off at the mother, they’re splitting up and frequently they just don’t have anything to do with the mother or any part of her. But, it’s not something he can avoid.

DNA Tests

The court will order him to be tested. DNA tests are just as routine as getting up in the morning for breakfast. The court will order it or the parties will agree together to do it and often can work it out without the necessity of testing but, we very often lend a lot of help to people in that connection by at least getting them to calm down a little bit for a few minutes and consider the matter. We work it out with them and people can call us whenever they like.

By: CD Owens

Establishing Paternity in Arizona

Alleged fathers very frequently deny paternity. They’re facing 18-years of child support, they’re ticked off at the mother, they’re splitting up and frequently they just don’t have anything to do with the mother or any part of her. But, it’s not something he can avoid.

DNA Tests

The court will order him to be tested. DNA tests are just as routine as getting up in the morning for breakfast. The court will order it or the parties will agree together to do it and often can work it out without the necessity of testing but, we very often lend a lot of help to people in that connection by at least getting them to calm down a little bit for a few minutes and consider the matter. We work it out with them and people can call us whenever they like.

By: CD Owens

Can I Appeal a Dissolution of Marriage or Business Valuation | Arizona

Kathi Sandweiss

 

I’m Kathi Sandweiss. I’m the Chair of the appellate practice section at Jaburg and Wilk.

Can I appeal a dissolution?

You can appeal basically any final judgement, and that means you can appeal a dissolution, but it’s not as if you’re no longer divorced. You’re not appealing the fact of the divorce. What you’re appealing typically is about money. It can be about something else, but typically somebody will appeal a distribution of property, for example. And a lot of times that will go back to what the lower court determined was the value, for example, of a business. And the value of that business will then impact how your property is distributed.

How do I know my business was valued correctly during my divorce?

One of the basic errors that someone alleges in the divorce decree, in the dissolution decree is that a business was not valued properly. So, that goes back to a dueling expert standard. My expert witness, say, valued my art practice at $300,000. Your expert witness valued my business at $500,000, and that’ll determine a lot of how much money is distributed to each party. The problem with it is you’re looking at credibility of witnesses, and you don’t want to be in the position of asking the higher court to determine that there was a factual error because that’s a much tougher standard on appeal.

By: Kathi Sandweiss

I’m Kathi Sandweiss. I’m the Chair of the appellate practice section at Jaburg and Wilk.

Can I appeal a dissolution?

You can appeal basically any final judgement, and that means you can appeal a dissolution, but it’s not as if you’re no longer divorced. You’re not appealing the fact of the divorce. What you’re appealing typically is about money. It can be about something else, but typically somebody will appeal a distribution of property, for example. And a lot of times that will go back to what the lower court determined was the value, for example, of a business. And the value of that business will then impact how your property is distributed.

How do I know my business was valued correctly during my divorce?

One of the basic errors that someone alleges in the divorce decree, in the dissolution decree is that a business was not valued properly. So, that goes back to a dueling expert standard. My expert witness, say, valued my art practice at $300,000. Your expert witness valued my business at $500,000, and that’ll determine a lot of how much money is distributed to each party. The problem with it is you’re looking at credibility of witnesses, and you don’t want to be in the position of asking the higher court to determine that there was a factual error because that’s a much tougher standard on appeal.

By: Kathi Sandweiss

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