Arizona Family Law Laws

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

How to Modify Spousal Support | Scottsdale Alimony Laws

Greg Davis

 

Spousal Maintenance in Scottsdale

In Arizona, most people can modify spousal support upon a showing of substantial and continuing changes in circumstances, such as the loss of a job. However, some people execute marital settlement agreements, or property settlement agreements when they are divorcing. Some of these agreements contain non-modifiable spousal maintenance provisions. In those circumstances, spousal maintenance cannot be modified. For more details, please contact me, Greg Davis at Davis Limited, (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

Spousal Maintenance in Scottsdale

In Arizona, most people can modify spousal support upon a showing of substantial and continuing changes in circumstances, such as the loss of a job. However, some people execute marital settlement agreements, or property settlement agreements when they are divorcing. Some of these agreements contain non-modifiable spousal maintenance provisions. In those circumstances, spousal maintenance cannot be modified. For more details, please contact me, Greg Davis at Davis Limited, (602) 279-1900.

By: Greg Davis

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 "Opting Out" Mean | Arizona Family Law

Mitchell Reichman

 

Hi, my name is Mitchell Reichman. I’m a board certified specialist in family law and chair of the Family Law Department at Jaburg & Wilk. Opting out is choosing to resolve a family law dispute outside the traditional judicial system.

Mediation

One method of opting out is choosing mediation as an alternative to resolving disputes. Mediation can only occur by agreement. A judge has no jurisdiction or authority to order people to mediate. It is a voluntary process. There are many potential advantages of mediating a family law dispute.

First, the parties select the person who will be their mediator. Next, the parties can decide which issues will be submitted to the mediator. They have the choice of trying to resolve all of their issues in mediation or perhaps, only some of the issues in mediation where some issues need to be litigated.

Mediation is also an alternative that can be tailored to suit the parties’ particular time schedules. It occurs in a private office and not a public courtroom. What occurs in a mediation proceeding is confidential. Although, if there is an agreement, the agreement will be adopted by the court and then, become public. The parties can also choose to mediate with or without lawyers. Now, there’s a danger to that. There’s a big risk when parties mediate without lawyers and we don’t typically recommend it. But, it is an alternative particularly if there’s an issue that is relatively simple where the parties believe they do not need the presence of their lawyer with them during all of the time with the mediator.

Who Can Attend Mediation?

Also, other professionals can be brought in to a mediation process. Professional financial planners, business evaluation experts, or even mental health professionals can be part of a mediation process. All based on choices made by the parties and not decisions imposed on them by a judicial officer. Given all of these potential advantages, we often find that opting out by engaging in mediation helps us reach our goal of maximizing the probability that our clients obtain a favorable outcome in their family law dispute.

By: Mitchell Reichman

Hi, my name is Mitchell Reichman. I’m a board certified specialist in family law and chair of the Family Law Department at Jaburg & Wilk. Opting out is choosing to resolve a family law dispute outside the traditional judicial system.

Mediation

One method of opting out is choosing mediation as an alternative to resolving disputes. Mediation can only occur by agreement. A judge has no jurisdiction or authority to order people to mediate. It is a voluntary process. There are many potential advantages of mediating a family law dispute.

First, the parties select the person who will be their mediator. Next, the parties can decide which issues will be submitted to the mediator. They have the choice of trying to resolve all of their issues in mediation or perhaps, only some of the issues in mediation where some issues need to be litigated.

Mediation is also an alternative that can be tailored to suit the parties’ particular time schedules. It occurs in a private office and not a public courtroom. What occurs in a mediation proceeding is confidential. Although, if there is an agreement, the agreement will be adopted by the court and then, become public. The parties can also choose to mediate with or without lawyers. Now, there’s a danger to that. There’s a big risk when parties mediate without lawyers and we don’t typically recommend it. But, it is an alternative particularly if there’s an issue that is relatively simple where the parties believe they do not need the presence of their lawyer with them during all of the time with the mediator.

Who Can Attend Mediation?

Also, other professionals can be brought in to a mediation process. Professional financial planners, business evaluation experts, or even mental health professionals can be part of a mediation process. All based on choices made by the parties and not decisions imposed on them by a judicial officer. Given all of these potential advantages, we often find that opting out by engaging in mediation helps us reach our goal of maximizing the probability that our clients obtain a favorable outcome in their family law dispute.

By: Mitchell Reichman

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

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

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