Arizona Family Law Services

Arizona is a community property state, which means assets and debts acquired during the marriage are generally divided equally. We work to ensure that division is accurate, fair, and fully accounts for all marital property — including real estate, retirement accounts, business interests, and debt.

When children are involved, divorce proceedings also address legal decision-making and parenting time. We handle both the financial and parenting components of dissolution with the same level of care and attention.

For clients seeking an uncontested dissolution, we can help structure an agreement that protects your interests and meets Arizona's legal requirements. For contested matters, we are prepared to advocate for you through negotiation, mediation, or litigation.

Legal decision-making can be sole or joint. Joint legal decision-making means both parents share the right to make decisions about education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Sole legal decision-making grants one parent that authority. Courts consider the best interests of the child, including each parent's ability to cooperate and communicate.

Parenting time schedules vary widely depending on the family's circumstances, the children's ages and needs, and each parent's work schedule and proximity. We help clients develop realistic, workable parenting plans — and advocate for arrangements that genuinely serve their children.

We represent parents in initial custody proceedings, modifications, and relocation disputes. When parents cannot agree, we are prepared to present your case to the court.

While the guidelines provide a formula, the inputs matter enormously. Errors in income calculation, failure to account for all relevant expenses, or an inaccurate parenting time schedule can result in a support order that is significantly too high or too low.

We ensure that support calculations are accurate and that all relevant factors are properly presented to the court. We also handle requests to deviate from the guidelines when the standard calculation would be unjust or inappropriate given the family's circumstances.

Child support orders can be modified when there is a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. We represent clients in both establishing initial support orders and seeking modifications.

Relevant factors include the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity and employability, the standard of living established during the marriage, the requesting spouse's financial resources, and contributions to the other spouse's career or education.

We represent both spouses seeking maintenance and those opposing it. Whether you are pursuing a maintenance award or defending against one, we provide a clear-eyed assessment of the likely outcome and advocate effectively for your position.

Spousal maintenance orders can also be modified or terminated when circumstances change significantly. We handle post-decree maintenance matters as well as initial proceedings.

To modify a custody or parenting time order, you generally must show a substantial and continuing change in circumstances since the last order was entered. We help clients evaluate whether their situation meets this threshold and build the strongest possible case for modification.

When the other party is not complying with a court order — whether by withholding parenting time, failing to pay support, or violating other terms — Arizona courts have tools to enforce compliance, including contempt proceedings, wage garnishment, and other remedies.

We move quickly on enforcement matters because delays can cause real harm. If your rights under a court order are being violated, contact us promptly.

Grandparent visitation rights are available under specific statutory conditions, including when the parents' marriage has been dissolved for at least three months, when a parent is deceased, or when the child was born outside of marriage. The court must find that visitation is in the child's best interests.

In more significant cases, a non-parent may seek custody (legal decision-making and parenting time) by showing that placing the child with a parent would be significantly detrimental to the child. This is a high standard, but we have experience navigating these complex proceedings.

We represent grandparents and other third parties who have meaningful relationships with children and are seeking to protect those relationships through the legal process.

Prenuptial agreements are entered before marriage and can address property division, spousal maintenance, and other financial matters in the event of divorce or death. To be enforceable in Arizona, they must be in writing, signed voluntarily, and not unconscionable at the time of enforcement.

Postnuptial agreements serve similar purposes but are entered after the marriage has begun. They can be useful when circumstances change — a new business, an inheritance, a change in financial position — and the parties want to address those changes in writing.

We draft agreements that are clear, enforceable, and reflect the parties' actual intentions. We also review and advise on agreements drafted by others.