Family courts in Arizona and elsewhere deal with some of the most sensitive and intensely personal legal matters—those involving families. But are family courts and divorce courts the same? While family courtrooms are filled with divorce proceedings, and divorce-related disputes are the number one type of cases heard in family courts, there are no separate divorce courts.
Divorce is always a difficult process, both emotionally and legally. In the best-case scenario, divorcing spouses agree on all divorce terms, including the division of their marital assets, child custody, child support, and spousal maintenance (alimony).
The divorce process is an emotional time. Divorcing spouses may be uncertain about what’s expected of them, especially during the time period between the initial separation and the divorce hearing. Every divorce in Arizona takes time—including a mandatory 60-day waiting period—but complex, contested divorces can take months or even a year or more to finalize.
Divorce is rarely easy, and an amicable divorce isn’t always an attainable goal. The majority of divorces in Arizona have at least some degree of contention over the separation of marital assets, child custody, or one spouse seeking spousal support from the other.
