Arizona Family Law Laws

How Long Does a Legal Separation Take | Arizona

Michael Clancy

 

Legal separation can take a number of months. It can actually take longer than that, but the minimum time in Arizona is sixty days, which is the exact same as a divorce. So, if you were hoping for a quicker disposition of your legal separation, unfortunately you are not able to do that any faster than you would a divorce. But, that’s not the only reason to consider a legal separation. Each case is different. Each case is unique and we’d love the opportunity to talk about that with you. If you’d like more information, contact me.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

Legal separation can take a number of months. It can actually take longer than that, but the minimum time in Arizona is sixty days, which is the exact same as a divorce. So, if you were hoping for a quicker disposition of your legal separation, unfortunately you are not able to do that any faster than you would a divorce. But, that’s not the only reason to consider a legal separation. Each case is different. Each case is unique and we’d love the opportunity to talk about that with you. If you’d like more information, contact me.

By: Attorney Michael Clancy

What is Child Support | Phoenix Family Law

Erik Bergstrom

 

Phoenix Child Support

Child support is simply money paid by one parent to the other parent to assist in covering costs associated with minor children. In most cases, the parent who cares for the children most of the time will receive child support from the other parent. Child support has priority over all other financial obligations and is not dischargeable in bankruptcy.

In Arizona, child support is calculated according to a formula. The amount produced by the formula is the presumptive amount of support, although in appropriate cases, the court can deviate upward or downward from the guideline amount. Extracurricular activity expenses for the children are addressed separately, because the children’s activities typically change over time. A child support order will also assign responsibility for sharing in any medical costs for the children that are not covered by insurance, and will allocate the right to claim each child as a dependent on the parents’ income tax returns. If you would like me to prepare a sample child support worksheet for you, please contact me.

By: Attorney Erik Bergstrom

Phoenix Child Support

Child support is simply money paid by one parent to the other parent to assist in covering costs associated with minor children. In most cases, the parent who cares for the children most of the time will receive child support from the other parent. Child support has priority over all other financial obligations and is not dischargeable in bankruptcy.

In Arizona, child support is calculated according to a formula. The amount produced by the formula is the presumptive amount of support, although in appropriate cases, the court can deviate upward or downward from the guideline amount. Extracurricular activity expenses for the children are addressed separately, because the children’s activities typically change over time. A child support order will also assign responsibility for sharing in any medical costs for the children that are not covered by insurance, and will allocate the right to claim each child as a dependent on the parents’ income tax returns. If you would like me to prepare a sample child support worksheet for you, please contact me.

By: Attorney Erik Bergstrom

What is a Resolution Management Conference | 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.

Resolution Management Conference

A resolution management conference – often called an RMC – is one of the first times the parties will end up going to court. Most of my clients when they come in are scared of court and don’t want to go. So the RMC ends up being their first opportunity to be a party in a lawsuit, and to go to court.  The RMC sounds scary as well. It is not. It is primarily just a scheduling conference.

However, it is an important step in the process towards litigation. It typically is scheduled somewhere between 45 and 60 days after the Respondent files his or her response, and the order setting the RMC will require the parties to have a settlement meeting prior to the RMC.

Settlement Meeting

During the settlement meeting, depending on where the parties are in the litigation process, some people come in already having an idea of what they want to do in order to resolve their divorce. Others do not. That’s a good time to set what are called temporary orders.

Temporary Orders

Temporary orders are the rules or the orders that will apply between that point in time and the final decree.  During the RMC, you will then go to be in the court. They’ll tell the court, These are our issues. This is how long we need for trial. The court will look at its calendar, talk to the parties to find out when it’s good for them, and schedule the trial.

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.

Resolution Management Conference

A resolution management conference – often called an RMC – is one of the first times the parties will end up going to court. Most of my clients when they come in are scared of court and don’t want to go. So the RMC ends up being their first opportunity to be a party in a lawsuit, and to go to court.  The RMC sounds scary as well. It is not. It is primarily just a scheduling conference.

However, it is an important step in the process towards litigation. It typically is scheduled somewhere between 45 and 60 days after the Respondent files his or her response, and the order setting the RMC will require the parties to have a settlement meeting prior to the RMC.

Settlement Meeting

During the settlement meeting, depending on where the parties are in the litigation process, some people come in already having an idea of what they want to do in order to resolve their divorce. Others do not. That’s a good time to set what are called temporary orders.

Temporary Orders

Temporary orders are the rules or the orders that will apply between that point in time and the final decree.  During the RMC, you will then go to be in the court. They’ll tell the court, These are our issues. This is how long we need for trial. The court will look at its calendar, talk to the parties to find out when it’s good for them, and schedule the trial.

By: Jason Castle

Can You Keep Your Spouse's Health Insurance Policy After a Divorce | Scottsdale Divorce…

Greg Davis

 

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act

In most circumstances, you can’t keep your spouse’s health insurance after a divorce. You can, however, convert your spouse’s health insurance to your own plan under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Most people know this as COBRA. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to keep your insurance for another (36) thirty-six months. Unfortunately, it’s also very expensive. For details, contact me, Greg Davis, at (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act

In most circumstances, you can’t keep your spouse’s health insurance after a divorce. You can, however, convert your spouse’s health insurance to your own plan under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Most people know this as COBRA. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to keep your insurance for another (36) thirty-six months. Unfortunately, it’s also very expensive. For details, contact me, Greg Davis, at (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

What is the Importance of Establishing Paternity | Scottsdale Paternity

Chris Hildebrand

 

Establishing Paternity in Scottsdale

Hello, I want to talk to you today about the importance of establishing paternity in the state of Arizona. If you are the father of a child who is born out of wedlock, meaning the child was born and your were not married to the child’s mother, until you establish paternity, you have no legal rights with respect to that child.

Legal Rights for Paternity

The legal rights which I am talking about include the rights to participate in the child’s medical decisions, the rights to participate in deciding where your child goes to school, the rights to decide the extra curricular activities your child will participate and even the rights to participate in your child’s religious upbringing. Until you establish paternity, you have no rights into any of those decisions and you may not have rights to see your child until you establish paternity as well. If you have any other questions about paternity, please feel free to contact me.

If you need to establish paternity in Arizona, please contact a Scottsdale paternity lawyer.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Establishing Paternity in Scottsdale

Hello, I want to talk to you today about the importance of establishing paternity in the state of Arizona. If you are the father of a child who is born out of wedlock, meaning the child was born and your were not married to the child’s mother, until you establish paternity, you have no legal rights with respect to that child.

Legal Rights for Paternity

The legal rights which I am talking about include the rights to participate in the child’s medical decisions, the rights to participate in deciding where your child goes to school, the rights to decide the extra curricular activities your child will participate and even the rights to participate in your child’s religious upbringing. Until you establish paternity, you have no rights into any of those decisions and you may not have rights to see your child until you establish paternity as well. If you have any other questions about paternity, please feel free to contact me.

If you need to establish paternity in Arizona, please contact a Scottsdale paternity lawyer.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Am I Eligible to Receive Alimony | Scottsdale Family Law

Chris Hildebrand

 

Receiving Alimony in Scottsdale

Hello, I want to speak to you today about whether you may be eligible for spousal maintenance in Arizona. The court is going to look at a variety of factors to determine whether you are eligible for spousal maintenance, as well as the amount and duration of that spousal maintenance award.

Although there are many factors the court will look at, as a general overview, usually the more important factors include, the differences in the parties income, the amount of assets that each spouse will take from the marriage and the length of the marriage. Now there is certainly many more factors under the statute that the court will also consider, but in most cases those are the most important factors for the court to consider. If you any other questions regarding whether you are eligible for spousal maintenance in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.

If you still have questions regarding whether or not you are eligible to receive alimony in Arizona, please contact a Scottsdale alimony lawyer.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Receiving Alimony in Scottsdale

Hello, I want to speak to you today about whether you may be eligible for spousal maintenance in Arizona. The court is going to look at a variety of factors to determine whether you are eligible for spousal maintenance, as well as the amount and duration of that spousal maintenance award.

Although there are many factors the court will look at, as a general overview, usually the more important factors include, the differences in the parties income, the amount of assets that each spouse will take from the marriage and the length of the marriage. Now there is certainly many more factors under the statute that the court will also consider, but in most cases those are the most important factors for the court to consider. If you any other questions regarding whether you are eligible for spousal maintenance in the state of Arizona, please feel free to contact me.

If you still have questions regarding whether or not you are eligible to receive alimony in Arizona, please contact a Scottsdale alimony lawyer.

By: Chris Hildebrand

What Happens if I File for Legal Separation, but My Spouse Files for Divorce…

Erik Bergstrom

 

Phoenix Legal Separation & Divorce

The court can only grant a decree of legal separation if it finds that one (1), both parties desire to live separate and apart and two (2), neither party objects to the legal separation. If either party objects to the legal separation, the court will convert the case into a divorce, or dissolution of marriage.

So, if you file for legal separation and your spouse does not agree and instead files for divorce, the court cannot grant a legal separation and the case will be processed as a dissolution of marriage. Other than religious grounds, there are usually not strong legal reasons for pursuing a legal separation instead of a divorce. If you would like more information about the difference between a legal separation and a divorce, please contact me.

By: Attorney Erik Bergstrom

Phoenix Legal Separation & Divorce

The court can only grant a decree of legal separation if it finds that one (1), both parties desire to live separate and apart and two (2), neither party objects to the legal separation. If either party objects to the legal separation, the court will convert the case into a divorce, or dissolution of marriage.

So, if you file for legal separation and your spouse does not agree and instead files for divorce, the court cannot grant a legal separation and the case will be processed as a dissolution of marriage. Other than religious grounds, there are usually not strong legal reasons for pursuing a legal separation instead of a divorce. If you would like more information about the difference between a legal separation and a divorce, please contact me.

By: Attorney Erik Bergstrom

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