How Do I File for Divorce in Arizona?

Approaching a divorce can feel overwhelming. Along with the emotional toll and practical decisions you need to make, the legal process involves a lot of forms and requirements. But it doesn't always have to be that difficult, and help is available. Here's what you need to know.

Three Paths to the Divorce Process

Basically, there are three different ways to go about filing for divorce:

• Hiring a lawyer. If you are represented by an attorney in your divorce, your lawyer will handle all of the forms and filing—along with all of the other legal matters in your case. An experienced Arizona family lawyer should understand how it all works and what's best for you.
• Do-it-yourself (DIY). In many cases, you can handle the divorce yourself by getting the forms, filling them out, filing the paperwork in court, and following through with the next legal steps.
• Online divorce. There's also an in-between option: filing for divorce online. An online divorce service will provide you with the completed Arizona forms and basically walk you through the process. Some of these companies will also take care of the actual filing, for an additional charge.

The specifics of your situation—as well how much time and money you have—will determine which of these options is best for you. A DIY divorce is the cheapest, but it does require a certain amount of legwork and attention to detail, to make sure you've properly followed all of Arizona's rules for divorce (known as "dissolution of marriage" in the state's laws).

Before Filing for an Arizona Divorce

Before you actually file your Arizona divorce papers, there are several things you need to figure out and prepare.

Do You Meet Arizona's Residency and Jurisdiction Requirements for Divorce?

Before you may file for divorce in Arizona, either you or your spouse must have lived in the state (or been stationed there in the military) for at least the previous 90 days. If you just moved to the state, you'll have to wait to file for divorce until you meet the 90-day residency requirement. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-312 (2023).)

Also, if your divorce is going to address any child custody issues, Arizona must have "jurisdiction"—the legal authority to decide those issues. Usually, your minor children must have lived in the state with a parent for at least six months before the filing date (or since they were born if they're less than six months old). If you don't meet the six-month requirement, you should speak with an experienced family lawyer to find out whether you qualify for any of the complicated exceptions in the law. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-1002, 25-1031 (2023).)

Grounds for Dissolution of Marriage in Arizona

For the vast majority of divorces in Arizona, there is only one legal reason (or "ground") for divorce—that your marriage is "irretrievably broken," which means you believe there's no reasonable chance of fixing it and getting back together. If your spouse denies that your marriage is permanently broken, a judge will need to hold a hearing and decide whether there's a chance of reconciliation. The judge may then pause the divorce proceedings for 60 days and, if either spouse requests it, order a conciliation conference before revisiting the issue. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-312 (2023).)

Arizona's grounds for divorce are different for couples in what's known as "covenant marriages." You should speak with a lawyer if you have a covenant marriage (which is rare) and want to divorce. You won't be able to use the forms and procedures discussed below. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-903 (2023).)

Will Your Arizona Divorce Be Uncontested or Contested?

The best option for a DIY divorce—and basically the only option if you want to use an online divorce service—is to file for an uncontested divorce in Arizona. Arizona has a streamlined procedure for uncontested divorce known as "summary consent decree" process. But before you may file for a summary consent divorce, you and your spouse must have a marital settlement agreement (known as a "separation agreement" in Arizona) that covers all of the issues involved in ending your marriage, including:

• how you'll divide your property and debts
• whether one of you will pay alimony (known as "spousal maintenance" in Arizona) and, if so, how much and for how long, and
• child support, custody, and parenting arrangements (if you have minor children with your spouse).

Also, both you and your spouse must agree that your marriage is irretrievably broken and that the conciliation process is inappropriate or that you've already tried it. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-314.01, 25-317 (2023).)

If you aren't able to agree about all of the issues before you file for divorce, you can turn to mediation for help.

Without a complete agreement, your case will at least start out as a traditional, contested divorce. Unless you're able to reach a settlement agreement later in the process—usually with the help of lawyers—you'll have to go to a divorce trial and have a judge make decisions for you.

Getting and Preparing Arizona's Divorce Forms

In order to start the divorce process, you'll need to find and complete a number of forms (unless you use an online divorce service, which will provide the right forms and complete them for you).

The Arizona Judicial Branch publishes state divorce forms online. But you should know that several counties have their own forms and requirements. Check with the court clerk in your county or check here for online county divorce forms.

There are separate packets of forms for couples with and without children, as well as for summary consent decree process. Unless you're using that streamlined process (which allows both spouses to complete and file the forms jointly), there are usually separate packets for the spouse who will file for divorce (the "petitioner") and the other spouse (the "respondent").

Select the packet that best fits your situation. Each packet includes instructions to guide you through the process. When completing the forms, respond to each question honestly and completely. If you have a separation agreement, attach it to the petition. Fill out the forms on a computer if you can. If not, write or print neatly and legibly.

Filing Divorce Papers in Arizona

Once you've assembled and filled out the necessary forms, make at least three copies. Usually, you'll bring the papers in person to the court clerk's office in the county where the petitioner lives. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-401(13) (2023).) You might be able to file your paperwork by mail in some counties.

Courts charge a fee for filing divorce papers. These filing fees vary from county to county in Arizona, but they're usually between $200 and $300. The fee to file for a summary consent decree divorce is 50% of the combined fees for filing a divorce petition and a response. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-314.01(B) (2023).)

If you can't afford to pay the filing fee, you can submit an application for a waiver or deferral with your other paperwork.

Check with the clerk's office in your county (either under Superior Court or Family Court) for locations, special filing instructions, and local filing fees.

When you give your documents to the clerk of court, they will be stamped with the date and time. Your signature on the petition (and some other forms) must be notarized, but the court clerk will do this for you at no cost if you're filing in person.

Arizona's Requirements for Serving and Responding to Divorce Papers

Service of process is an essential part of the American legal system because it ensures that everyone has notice about what's going on and an opportunity to participate in the process.

In a regular divorce, the petitioner must serve the respondent with the divorce papers. There are different ways to do this:

• If your spouse is cooperating with the process, you may simply mail or hand over the copies and have your spouse sign an Acceptance of Service form (in front of a notary).
• Otherwise, you may arrange have a deputy sheriff or other authorized process server deliver the papers personally.
• Or you may send the documents by mail or national courier service, as long as it requires a receipt signed by your spouse.

Ask the court clerk about special procedures if you aren't able to find or serve your spouse by the normal means, or if your spouse is incarcerated or out of the country. (Ariz. Rules Fam. Law Proc., rules 40, 41 (2023).)

Also in a regular divorce, your spouse (the "respondent") will have 20 days to file a response to the divorce petition after being served (or 30 days if served out of state). Without a response, the petitioner may be able to get a default divorce decree—which will usually include everything requested in the petition. (Ariz. Rules Fam. Law Proc., rules 24.1, 44 (2022).)

If you're filing for a summary consent decree divorce, you won't need to serve the papers, and your spouse won't need to file a separate response. That's because the two of you already completed and signed the combined petition and response. Just make sure that you both have copies of all the documents you filed with the court. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-314.01(A) (2023).)

Next Steps in Your Arizona Divorce

Depending on the issues and agreements in your divorce, both you and your spouse might need to file an Affidavit of Financial Information and exchange certain documents about your income, assets, and debts. If child custody is an issue, you'll also have to include information about recent treatment for substance abuse, anger management, or domestic violence, as well as any protective orders or criminal charges involving a household member.

These disclosures must be served within 40 days after the response to the divorce petition was filed (or after a joint petition for a summary consent decree divorce was filed in Maricopa County), unless you and your spouse have a written agreement to waive the requirement. (Ariz. Rules Fam. Law Proc., rule 49 (2023).)

If you have minor children, you will also have to complete a parenting education class unless the judge decides it wouldn't be in your best interests or that of your children. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-352 (2023).)

How Long Does It Take to Get a Final Divorce in Arizona?

The process for getting your final divorce in Arizona will depend on whether your case is contested or uncontested. If you're getting a summary consent divorce, you generally won't have to attend a court hearing to get your final divorce. A judge will simply review your paperwork and sign the consent decree if everything is in order. However, you'll have to wait 60 days (from when you filed the summary consent petition) before the court will enter your final consent decree. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 25-314.01(D); Ariz. Rules Fam. Law Proc., rule 45 (2023).)

With a contested divorce, the process could take much longer, because you'll need to go through the "discovery" process to gather evidence (including reports from experts like child custody evaluators or appraisers). There may also be various court hearings along the way before you get to the trial itself.

More Resources on Divorce in Arizona

AZCourtHelp has more information about the divorce process in Arizona, including court locations and FAQs. The "Self-Service Guide for Divorce Cases," from the Arizona courts, also provides extensive information about representing yourself in a divorce case. If you need legal assistance but can't afford standard attorney's fees, you may apply for legal help through AZLawHelp.