Arizona Family Law Laws

Alan Cochran - Profile Video | Scottsdale Divorce Attorney

Alan Cochran

 

Attorney Alan Cochran

I take on your case as though it were my case. I’ve been practicing a lot for 25 years primarily in the family law arena. Other areas have been civil litigation, juvenile law, and probate and estate. I’m primarily doing what I do for the best interest of the children. I have a five-year-old, so I’m very into the well-being and the best interest of the children. Clients can expect from me a compassionate, experienced and somewhat aggressive type representation. I represent you and your ideals and your request to the degree that I can under the ethical rules of the law. And gain what we’re able to gain in the process in your family law case.

By: Alan Cochran

Attorney Alan Cochran

I take on your case as though it were my case. I’ve been practicing a lot for 25 years primarily in the family law arena. Other areas have been civil litigation, juvenile law, and probate and estate. I’m primarily doing what I do for the best interest of the children. I have a five-year-old, so I’m very into the well-being and the best interest of the children. Clients can expect from me a compassionate, experienced and somewhat aggressive type representation. I represent you and your ideals and your request to the degree that I can under the ethical rules of the law. And gain what we’re able to gain in the process in your family law case.

By: Alan Cochran

Is There a Difference Between a Legal Separation & Divorce | Phoenix Legal Separation

Joel Hoffman

 

Legal Separation vs. Divorce

This is probably the most asked question at social gatherings. In a legal separation, you still divide your assets and debts, and determine custody, which is now called legal decision-making, parenting time, child support and alimony. Both parties have to agree to the legal separation and if either party objects to obtaining a legal separation, the court will convert your case to a dissolution of marriage.

Religion & Health Insurance

The difference is that when you obtain a decree of legal separation, both parties will continue to be husband and wife, instead of terminating their marital relationship. A husband and wife may choose this option when they want to divide their assets and no longer be responsible for the debts of the other spouse, but want to remain husband and wife for religious reasons or for health insurance purposes.

If it’s for health insurance purposes, you will need to make sure your spouse’s health insurance policy allows you to have continued coverage after the entry of the decree for legal separation. If you have additional questions regarding the differences between a divorce and legal separation, please contact me at Warner Angle, (602) 264-7101 to schedule a complimentary consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

By: Attorney Joel Hoffman

Legal Separation vs. Divorce

This is probably the most asked question at social gatherings. In a legal separation, you still divide your assets and debts, and determine custody, which is now called legal decision-making, parenting time, child support and alimony. Both parties have to agree to the legal separation and if either party objects to obtaining a legal separation, the court will convert your case to a dissolution of marriage.

Religion & Health Insurance

The difference is that when you obtain a decree of legal separation, both parties will continue to be husband and wife, instead of terminating their marital relationship. A husband and wife may choose this option when they want to divide their assets and no longer be responsible for the debts of the other spouse, but want to remain husband and wife for religious reasons or for health insurance purposes.

If it’s for health insurance purposes, you will need to make sure your spouse’s health insurance policy allows you to have continued coverage after the entry of the decree for legal separation. If you have additional questions regarding the differences between a divorce and legal separation, please contact me at Warner Angle, (602) 264-7101 to schedule a complimentary consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

By: Attorney Joel Hoffman

How Much Spousal Maintenance Will I Receive | Arizona

Laurence B. Hirsch

 

Arizona Dissolution of Marriage Law Implications

Hi. My name is Larry Hirsch, and I practice exclusively in the domestic relations group at Jaburg & Wilk. Talking about spousal maintenance, the great grey area in Arizona Dissolution of Marriage Law.

Spousal maintenance has no guidelines. It’s one of the keys that anybody has to understand. So, when a client asks me, what am I going to see receiving spousal maintenance, it’s almost impossible to tell them and there’s lots of reasons why but I want to relate a story. I help teach younger attorneys how to put on divorce trials. I remember one time we were doing this we had a panel of judges who came in to sit at our mock trial. We had five judges. We presented the exact same case, of course, to all five judges. All five judges had a different ruling on how much spousal maintenance the spouse was going to get and how long the spousal maintenance term was going to last. I like to tell that story because clients will ask all the time, how much am I going to pay in spousal maintenance? How much am I going to receive in spousal maintenance? The answer is always: “it depends”. That’s why we call it the great grey area.

There are a myriad of factors that play in to not only whether or not one is entitled to spousal maintenance but more specifically how much spousal maintenance one will receive and for how long.

By: Laurence B. Hirsch

Arizona Dissolution of Marriage Law Implications

Hi. My name is Larry Hirsch, and I practice exclusively in the domestic relations group at Jaburg & Wilk. Talking about spousal maintenance, the great grey area in Arizona Dissolution of Marriage Law.

Spousal maintenance has no guidelines. It’s one of the keys that anybody has to understand. So, when a client asks me, what am I going to see receiving spousal maintenance, it’s almost impossible to tell them and there’s lots of reasons why but I want to relate a story. I help teach younger attorneys how to put on divorce trials. I remember one time we were doing this we had a panel of judges who came in to sit at our mock trial. We had five judges. We presented the exact same case, of course, to all five judges. All five judges had a different ruling on how much spousal maintenance the spouse was going to get and how long the spousal maintenance term was going to last. I like to tell that story because clients will ask all the time, how much am I going to pay in spousal maintenance? How much am I going to receive in spousal maintenance? The answer is always: “it depends”. That’s why we call it the great grey area.

There are a myriad of factors that play in to not only whether or not one is entitled to spousal maintenance but more specifically how much spousal maintenance one will receive and for how long.

By: Laurence B. Hirsch

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

How Do I Enforce Parenting Time | Arizona

Kip Micuda

 

As you might imagine, parenting time or the enforcement of parenting time is an issue that we deal with frequently. There’s a couple ways to deal with it. First, and the way that we prefer, is to be able contact the other party, or perhaps their attorney and try to resolve the issue informally. That can result in an agreement between the parties, it can be approved by the court and you’re essentially done. A more formal process is to file a petition to enforce parenting time. That petition itself is generally, fairly brief and fairly simple. However, the process of getting a court order on that petition can be rather involved and rather significant. If you have any specific questions or have other requests, please don’t hesitate to contact me at Hildebrand Law. The phone number is (480) 305-8300. Thank you.

Contact an Arizona divorce lawyer to begin enforcing your parenting time.

By: Attorney Kip Micuda

As you might imagine, parenting time or the enforcement of parenting time is an issue that we deal with frequently. There’s a couple ways to deal with it. First, and the way that we prefer, is to be able contact the other party, or perhaps their attorney and try to resolve the issue informally. That can result in an agreement between the parties, it can be approved by the court and you’re essentially done. A more formal process is to file a petition to enforce parenting time. That petition itself is generally, fairly brief and fairly simple. However, the process of getting a court order on that petition can be rather involved and rather significant. If you have any specific questions or have other requests, please don’t hesitate to contact me at Hildebrand Law. The phone number is (480) 305-8300. Thank you.

Contact an Arizona divorce lawyer to begin enforcing your parenting time.

By: Attorney Kip Micuda

What is a Parenting Plan in Arizona | Hildebrand Law, PC

Michael Clancy

 

A parenting plan is a court order that tells parents how they need to behave and act around their children. More importantly, it tells the parents when they actually get to see their children. It may include other things like holiday schedule, vacation schedule. It may also have mandated portions regarding unreimbursed medical expenses and child support. Each case is so different and that’s why here at Hildebrand Law, we try to treat each case with uniqueness. And so, if you’d like to discuss this more or decide whether we could help you with your parenting plan needs, please give me a call at (480) 305-8300.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

A parenting plan is a court order that tells parents how they need to behave and act around their children. More importantly, it tells the parents when they actually get to see their children. It may include other things like holiday schedule, vacation schedule. It may also have mandated portions regarding unreimbursed medical expenses and child support. Each case is so different and that’s why here at Hildebrand Law, we try to treat each case with uniqueness. And so, if you’d like to discuss this more or decide whether we could help you with your parenting plan needs, please give me a call at (480) 305-8300.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

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

Douglas Gardner - Profile Video | Tempe Divorce Attorney

Douglas Gardner

 

About Douglas Gardner

Hello, my name is Douglas Gardner. I’m an attorney with Davis Miles McGuire Gardner in Tempe, Arizona. Prior to going to law school and becoming a lawyer, I worked for several years in the accounting industry. My background is initially in finance. Because of that financial background and the accounting background I’ve been able to help a lot clients with difficult cases involving business, or the sale of houses, and the division of assets and debts. Growing up on a farm, you know maybe working hard on a farm doesn’t directly relate to doing well in court, but the tenacity and the determination and the hard work and the long hours that I developed on the farm is something I carried forward into my law practice. Because the clients that come to me probably are experiencing the worst time of their life, I find it very important to have good communication with my clients. I try to keep them up to date on anything we receive from the court and from the opposing party.

We also work very hard in any case to try to find a way to resolve the case and avoid having to go to trial, if it’s at all possible. Because we try to resolve most cases through agreements early on in the case, I will aggressively represent those clients, but I’ll smile while doing it, because often we can get agreements quicker, faster, and cheaper if we do it in a friendly and courteous fashion.

However, sometimes friendly and courteous doesn’t work and we have to be much more aggressive as we prepare for trial and we will aggressively pursue your case to make sure that you get a fair outcome and that the judge fully understands the factors that support your case. Well, sometimes I say that I’m the “Jiminy Cricket” up on their shoulder whispering the voice of reason to them and clients then can take the emotions that they’re feeling, and the decisions that want to emotionally make, but also combine that with what I’m telling them as far as the financial decision, and the legal decision, and the logical decision they need to make. I’ve been asked by people that work for judges to come in and represent them in divorce cases and that was a tremendous compliment, because they are able to be in the courtroom and see many many attorneys and they called me to represent them in the case. I was recently was called by an opposing counsel in a prior divorce case because that person now was going through divorce case and was looking for me to help represent them in the case.

Davis Miles McGuire Gardner

So if you’re looking for an aggressive attorney to represent you through a difficult divorce, or a complex family law case of any kind, give us a call at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online. I look forward to meeting with you and discussing the strategy of your case that we can use to bring your case to an appropriate settlement, or if necessary to bring your case through litigation and trial.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

About Douglas Gardner

Hello, my name is Douglas Gardner. I’m an attorney with Davis Miles McGuire Gardner in Tempe, Arizona. Prior to going to law school and becoming a lawyer, I worked for several years in the accounting industry. My background is initially in finance. Because of that financial background and the accounting background I’ve been able to help a lot clients with difficult cases involving business, or the sale of houses, and the division of assets and debts. Growing up on a farm, you know maybe working hard on a farm doesn’t directly relate to doing well in court, but the tenacity and the determination and the hard work and the long hours that I developed on the farm is something I carried forward into my law practice. Because the clients that come to me probably are experiencing the worst time of their life, I find it very important to have good communication with my clients. I try to keep them up to date on anything we receive from the court and from the opposing party.

We also work very hard in any case to try to find a way to resolve the case and avoid having to go to trial, if it’s at all possible. Because we try to resolve most cases through agreements early on in the case, I will aggressively represent those clients, but I’ll smile while doing it, because often we can get agreements quicker, faster, and cheaper if we do it in a friendly and courteous fashion.

However, sometimes friendly and courteous doesn’t work and we have to be much more aggressive as we prepare for trial and we will aggressively pursue your case to make sure that you get a fair outcome and that the judge fully understands the factors that support your case. Well, sometimes I say that I’m the “Jiminy Cricket” up on their shoulder whispering the voice of reason to them and clients then can take the emotions that they’re feeling, and the decisions that want to emotionally make, but also combine that with what I’m telling them as far as the financial decision, and the legal decision, and the logical decision they need to make. I’ve been asked by people that work for judges to come in and represent them in divorce cases and that was a tremendous compliment, because they are able to be in the courtroom and see many many attorneys and they called me to represent them in the case. I was recently was called by an opposing counsel in a prior divorce case because that person now was going through divorce case and was looking for me to help represent them in the case.

Davis Miles McGuire Gardner

So if you’re looking for an aggressive attorney to represent you through a difficult divorce, or a complex family law case of any kind, give us a call at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online. I look forward to meeting with you and discussing the strategy of your case that we can use to bring your case to an appropriate settlement, or if necessary to bring your case through litigation and trial.

By: Attorney Douglas Gardner

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

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