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.
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.
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.
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.
In Arizona, alimony is called spousal maintenance. There are four specific criteria that the court must evaluate in determining whether a spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance, and the central theme is whether the requesting spouse can provide for his or her reasonable needs.
In determining whether a spouse can meet his or her needs, the court can consider that spouse’s sole and separate property, along with any community property that is awarded to that spouse as part of the divorce. If the court determines that one spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance, the court then considers all other relevant factors, including thirteen specific statutory factors to determine the amount and duration of the award.
The factors that potentially relate to separate property include the following: the ability of the paying spouse to meet his or her own needs and still pay something to the other spouse; the comparative financial resources of each spouse; and the ability of the parties to contribute to the future educational costs of their common children. So, separate property can be considered both when determining if a spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance and if so, the amount and duration of the award. If you would like more information, please contact me.
In Arizona, alimony is called spousal maintenance. There are four specific criteria that the court must evaluate in determining whether a spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance, and the central theme is whether the requesting spouse can provide for his or her reasonable needs.
In determining whether a spouse can meet his or her needs, the court can consider that spouse’s sole and separate property, along with any community property that is awarded to that spouse as part of the divorce. If the court determines that one spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance, the court then considers all other relevant factors, including thirteen specific statutory factors to determine the amount and duration of the award.
The factors that potentially relate to separate property include the following: the ability of the paying spouse to meet his or her own needs and still pay something to the other spouse; the comparative financial resources of each spouse; and the ability of the parties to contribute to the future educational costs of their common children. So, separate property can be considered both when determining if a spouse is entitled to spousal maintenance and if so, the amount and duration of the award. If you would like more information, please contact me.
A child support order is one that’s written by a court through and by the use of a child support worksheet. The worksheet itself contains all the statistical data from which the court is able to derive the basis for the calculation and the amount of the child support.
It covers income of the parties, the amount of access of visitation that the non-custodial parent would have and it covers the visitation periods, which causes the amount of child support to go up and down. So, it’s the worksheet that constitutes the basis for the order and the order itself is a simple concise statement of the court’s direction and order as to the amount of money that is to be paid by the payer. If anybody has any questions about the method of calculation, our details of what goes into the figure that’s placed, they can always call our office. We are happy to provide it.
By: CD Owens
A child support order is one that’s written by a court through and by the use of a child support worksheet. The worksheet itself contains all the statistical data from which the court is able to derive the basis for the calculation and the amount of the child support.
It covers income of the parties, the amount of access of visitation that the non-custodial parent would have and it covers the visitation periods, which causes the amount of child support to go up and down. So, it’s the worksheet that constitutes the basis for the order and the order itself is a simple concise statement of the court’s direction and order as to the amount of money that is to be paid by the payer. If anybody has any questions about the method of calculation, our details of what goes into the figure that’s placed, they can always call our office. We are happy to provide it.
By: CD Owens
Learn about the difference between sole legal decision making from joint legal decision making and joint physical custody of children in Arizona. There are very large differences between sole custody of a child and joint custody. With sole custody, one parent will be able to unilaterally make all major decisions for the children. The other parent is still entitled to obtain his or her children’s medical records, educational records, and counseling records. That other parent just does not have the legal right to decide what medical care his or her child receives, the school the child attends, or the extracurricular activities of the child may participate.
Parents with joint legal custody, on the other hand, have to agree before there are any changes to the children’s school, doctor, and other major decisions affecting the children. Most judges in Arizona award joint legal custody unless the judge determines there has been significant domestic violence, substance abuse, or child abuse.
Call the child custody attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC at (480)305-8300 to speak to one of our child custody lawyers.
Author: Chris Hildebrand
Learn about the difference between sole legal decision making from joint legal decision making and joint physical custody of children in Arizona. There are very large differences between sole custody of a child and joint custody. With sole custody, one parent will be able to unilaterally make all major decisions for the children. The other parent is still entitled to obtain his or her children’s medical records, educational records, and counseling records. That other parent just does not have the legal right to decide what medical care his or her child receives, the school the child attends, or the extracurricular activities of the child may participate.
Parents with joint legal custody, on the other hand, have to agree before there are any changes to the children’s school, doctor, and other major decisions affecting the children. Most judges in Arizona award joint legal custody unless the judge determines there has been significant domestic violence, substance abuse, or child abuse.
Call the child custody attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC at (480)305-8300 to speak to one of our child custody lawyers.
Author: Chris Hildebrand
Prenuptial agreements are generally enforceable in Arizona courts. There are some pre-requisites though that are required before a prenuptial agreement can be enforced by a court. Number one, the court has to find that it was in writing and made in contemplation of marriage. Secondly, it can’t be unconscionable. If it’s unconscionable, that means it’s not fair, certain requirements weren’t made for financial disclosure or the waiver of financial disclosures, or that the provisions of the agreement were repugnant to the sense of justice. Each case is uniquely different and we’d be happy to look at your case individually. If you’d like to talk to us more about that, feel free to email me.
Prenuptial agreements are generally enforceable in Arizona courts. There are some pre-requisites though that are required before a prenuptial agreement can be enforced by a court. Number one, the court has to find that it was in writing and made in contemplation of marriage. Secondly, it can’t be unconscionable. If it’s unconscionable, that means it’s not fair, certain requirements weren’t made for financial disclosure or the waiver of financial disclosures, or that the provisions of the agreement were repugnant to the sense of justice. Each case is uniquely different and we’d be happy to look at your case individually. If you’d like to talk to us more about that, feel free to email me.
A divorce, an annulment, and a legal separation are all very similar in many respects, so there are a couple of important key differences that you should understand. When asked to enter a divorce, annulment, or a legal separation, the court is required to enter specific orders. If there are children involved, the court is required to make orders as to child support. The court is also required to enter orders explaining which parent is going to have the parenting time with the children and which parent, or both parents are going to have the legal decision-making for the child. Even if there are no children involved, the court is required to enter orders as to spousal support. Also, the court is required to enter orders dividing up the assets and debt of the parties. In those respects, a divorce, an annulment, and a legal separation are all very similar.
Now, the differences are also important to understand. In a divorce, the judge is essentially saying, “I now pronounce the parties no longer man and wife”. With an annulment, the judge is saying, “We’re going to pretend that you guys were never really married”. With a legal separation, the parties actually remain married, but the court has divided up all the assets and debts. In a legal separation case, if the parties are able to reconcile the marriage, the court can remove the legal separation, and they are back to being married. If you would like more information, please contact me at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online.
For additional information on divorce, annulment and legal separation in Arizona, please visit a profile and complete a contact form.
A divorce, an annulment, and a legal separation are all very similar in many respects, so there are a couple of important key differences that you should understand. When asked to enter a divorce, annulment, or a legal separation, the court is required to enter specific orders. If there are children involved, the court is required to make orders as to child support. The court is also required to enter orders explaining which parent is going to have the parenting time with the children and which parent, or both parents are going to have the legal decision-making for the child. Even if there are no children involved, the court is required to enter orders as to spousal support. Also, the court is required to enter orders dividing up the assets and debt of the parties. In those respects, a divorce, an annulment, and a legal separation are all very similar.
Now, the differences are also important to understand. In a divorce, the judge is essentially saying, “I now pronounce the parties no longer man and wife”. With an annulment, the judge is saying, “We’re going to pretend that you guys were never really married”. With a legal separation, the parties actually remain married, but the court has divided up all the assets and debts. In a legal separation case, if the parties are able to reconcile the marriage, the court can remove the legal separation, and they are back to being married. If you would like more information, please contact me at (480) 733-6800, or you can visit us online.
For additional information on divorce, annulment and legal separation in Arizona, please visit a profile and complete a contact form.
It is a general rule that an Arizona court must equitably divide all of the spouses community property and debts, without regard to marital misconduct when it enters its final decree of dissolution of marriage. The term equitable is a concept of fairness, depending upon the facts of a particular case.
Consistent with this fairness concept, the court may not order the sale of a community marital residence during the pendency of a divorce proceeding absent an agreement of spouses, a separately filed and consolidated partition action, or circumstances which demonstrate that the residence is at risk of being foreclosed, and neither spouse has the ability to void the foreclosure to preserve existing equity in the residence.
An equitable division of community property is not necessarily or presumptively an equal division of community property. Having said that, an equal division of community property and debts by a court in a divorce proceeding generally will be the most equitable result. However, there sometimes are circumstances that exist which lead a court to unequally divide community assets or debts because the judge determines it is equitable or fair to do so. The court may consider excessive or abnormal expenditures by a spouse, such as those to support gambling habits or drug addiction during marriage, for example.
The court also may consider a spouse’s destruction, concealment, or fraudulent disposition of community, joint, or common property in it’s division of community assets and debts. These particular matters often are referred to as waste, and can result in the court making an unequal division of community assets or debts.
By: Kevin Park
It is a general rule that an Arizona court must equitably divide all of the spouses community property and debts, without regard to marital misconduct when it enters its final decree of dissolution of marriage. The term equitable is a concept of fairness, depending upon the facts of a particular case.
Consistent with this fairness concept, the court may not order the sale of a community marital residence during the pendency of a divorce proceeding absent an agreement of spouses, a separately filed and consolidated partition action, or circumstances which demonstrate that the residence is at risk of being foreclosed, and neither spouse has the ability to void the foreclosure to preserve existing equity in the residence.
An equitable division of community property is not necessarily or presumptively an equal division of community property. Having said that, an equal division of community property and debts by a court in a divorce proceeding generally will be the most equitable result. However, there sometimes are circumstances that exist which lead a court to unequally divide community assets or debts because the judge determines it is equitable or fair to do so. The court may consider excessive or abnormal expenditures by a spouse, such as those to support gambling habits or drug addiction during marriage, for example.
The court also may consider a spouse’s destruction, concealment, or fraudulent disposition of community, joint, or common property in it’s division of community assets and debts. These particular matters often are referred to as waste, and can result in the court making an unequal division of community assets or debts.
By: Kevin Park
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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