The Ins and Outs of Maricopa County Divorces
Maricopa County divorces don’t need to be stressful and complicated. If you negotiate all divorce aspects with your spouse in a friendly manner, you can complete and file the paperwork and handle the whole process without a lawyer.
DoNotPay offers tips and provides efficient assistance with the crucial document in friendly divorce proceedings. We can help you create a comprehensive and reliable divorce settlement agreement!
What You Should Know Before Starting a Maricopa County Divorce
Before filing for divorce in Arizona, you should first get familiar with the following basic terminology:
- A dissolution of marriage is what divorce is referred to in the Grand Canyon State
- A petitioner is a person who has:
- Filed the required forms with the court
- Had the paperwork served to their spouse
- A respondent is the spouse who:
- Has been served with the divorce papers
- Should file a response in 20 days after receiving the documentation
How To Get a Fast Maricopa County Divorce
You should file for an uncontested divorce if you’d like a low-cost and quick divorce. It means that you and your spouse need to reach an out-of-court settlement on all divorce matters, such as:
- Alimony
- Insurance
- Retirement accounts
- Property and debt division
- Child support, custody, and visitation
This type of divorce is less:
- Expensive since you don’t need to hire an attorney to prepare the required divorce papers or represent you in court hearings
- Time-consuming as there’s no need for complicated proceedings once you agree on everything with your spouse
- Complex because you can:
- Take all the necessary steps by yourself
- Go to mediation if you need help working some problems out
- Complete all the divorce forms and the divorce settlement agreement alone
- Appear in court for the hearing where the judge will revise all the papers and finalize the divorce
Find the Maricopa County Divorce Papers
To start a divorce in Maricopa County, you must complete a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (With or Without Children) and file it with the court. You’ll also need to fill out, serve, and file the following divorce forms:
- Family Court Cover Sheet
- Summons
- Preliminary Injunction
- Sensitive Data Sheet
- Notice of Right to Convert Health Insurance
- Parent Information Program Order and Notice
- Affidavit of Minor Children
- Notice Regarding Creditors
You don’t have to hire an attorney to fill out the above-listed forms. You can do it alone by using instructions provided in the documentation available on the following websites:
Serve the Papers to Your Spouse for a Divorce in Maricopa County, AZ
The following table presents the options you can choose to serve your spouse with the necessary divorce papers according to state laws:
| Service of Divorce Papers By | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance (personally) | You can personally serve or mail the court papers to your spouse, but make sure to provide an Acceptance of Service form that your spouse needs to:
Once you get the signed acceptance, you need to file it with the clerk of the superior court |
| Certified mail | Make sure to file the signed certified mail-restricted delivery receipt with the clerk as soon as you get it |
| Registered process server | You can hire and pay for a process server to:
|
| Sheriff’s office | If you opt for this service, you need to:
|
| Publication | If you cannot locate your spouse, you can ask for a judge’s approval to publish a notice in a newspaper |
What Is a Divorce Settlement Agreement, and How To Create It
Once you and your spouse have come to an understanding regarding all divorce aspects, you need to list them in a divorce settlement agreement. The judge will review the document at your final hearing and approve of it if it corresponds with state laws and is fair to both parties.
You can consider the following options to prepare the document:
- Visit a law office—While attorneys can prepare all legal documentation for you, you need to be careful about their fees since they can push up your total divorce cost considerably
- Download online divorce templates—You could use templates available on different websites, but you should check them carefully before doing so. Keep in mind that some templates don’t comply with state laws, and the court may not accept them
- —We can create a reliable divorce settlement agreement swiftly and make sure it protects your and your spouse’s best interest
Turn to DoNotPay for Divorce Settlement Agreements
DoNotPay is a safe method for creating valid divorce settlement agreements. We can ensure that you get a document that fulfills your specific needs and honors state laws.
and:
- Pick our Divorce Settlement Agreement product
- Provide info about your situation by answering the chatbot’s questions
- Choose to have the document notarized online
Stay in the Loop About Divorce Topics
Having the right information about relevant divorce-related matters is the key to a smooth and easy divorce. That’s why you should browse our website to clear up any doubts about divorce procedures.
We provide lots of useful answers to the following questions, among many others:
- Should I go to divorce mediation?
- What grounds can I cite for divorce?
- Who stays in the house during a divorce?
- What are my options for a quickie divorce?
- Could I avoid visiting court during my divorce?
- Should I draw up a shared parenting agreement?
- How high is a retainer I’ll need to pay to a divorce attorney?
- Can I start the divorce process even if my spouse is not in the state?
If you’d like to get familiar with Arizona-specific divorce procedures, we can answer the following questions:
- What’s a no-fault divorce?
- Should I go for a legal separation or divorce?
- How can I get divorced in Pinal and Yavapai counties?
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