Arizona calls it 'dissolution of marriage,' not divorce, and its rules on property, timing, and grounds differ enough from other states that knowing them early changes how you prepare.
Arizona is a community property state under Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes: with limited exceptions, income and property acquired during the marriage belong equally to both spouses, and courts generally divide it equally regardless of whose name is on the account or who earned it. Property owned before the marriage, or received individually as a gift or inheritance, is usually treated as separate property — but only if it stayed separate and wasn't mixed with shared funds, which is where many disputes start. Debts follow the same community rule, so a credit card opened during the marriage is typically a shared obligation even if only one spouse used it.
Arizona is also a no-fault state: the only ground is that the marriage is 'irretrievably broken,' and courts don't weigh blame in deciding property or support. One notable exception is covenant marriage, a legal option a small number of Arizona couples choose at the time of marriage (it requires premarital counseling and a signed declaration). If your marriage is a covenant marriage, dissolving it requires proving a specific ground — such as adultery, abandonment, abuse, or a period of living apart — rather than simply stating the marriage is broken, so confirm early which type of marriage you have.
Filing happens in Superior Court in the county where you live, and at least one spouse must have lived in Arizona for 90 days before filing (with an exception for active-duty military stationed in the state). Arizona also imposes a mandatory 60-day waiting period: a judge cannot finalize the dissolution until at least 60 days after the other spouse is formally served with the petition, even if both of you agree on every term.
Because Arizona treats most marital property and debt as jointly owned, thorough documentation is what lets you tell separate property apart from community property later. Start gathering: recent tax returns, pay statements, and statements for every bank, retirement, and investment account; mortgage and property tax records for any real estate; vehicle titles and loan statements; and a list of debts with account numbers and balances. If you're claiming something as separate property — an inheritance, a pre-marriage asset, a personal injury settlement — collect the paper trail showing when you got it and that it stayed apart from shared funds, since Arizona courts look closely at whether separate property was 'commingled.'
Keep copies of every letter from the other spouse's attorney and every document your own attorney sends, from the very first one. In Arizona's process, correspondence often carries the deadlines and proposed terms that shape the case, and having them organized in one place — rather than scattered across email and paper — makes it much easier to respond on time and to spot when a deadline is approaching.
Arizona courts decide custody — called 'legal decision-making' and 'parenting time' — based on the best interests of the child, considering factors like each parent's involvement, stability, and the child's relationships. Child support generally follows the Arizona Child Support Guidelines, a formula based primarily on both parents' incomes and the parenting time split; courts generally require a completed Parenting Plan for cases involving children. Many Arizona counties also require parents to complete a court-approved parent-information class before a decree involving children can be finalized, so check your county's requirement early rather than discovering it at the last step.
Spousal maintenance (Arizona's term for alimony) isn't automatic — it depends on factors like the length of the marriage, each spouse's ability to become self-sufficient, and the standard of living during the marriage. Confirm current guidelines with a local family law attorney or your county's self-service center, since practices vary somewhat by county.
1) Confirm your residency status and, if relevant, whether your marriage is a covenant marriage — both affect which forms and grounds apply. 2) Build your document set early, separating community property records from anything you believe is separate property, with dates attached. 3) Because the 60-day clock only starts once the other spouse is served, understand how and when service will happen, since it directly affects your earliest possible finalization date. 4) If children are involved, look up your county's required parent-education class and get it scheduled rather than leaving it for later. 5) Save every letter and notice as it arrives, noting its date and any deadline it sets, so nothing slips past you during the waiting period.
Arizona is a community property state, and courts generally divide community property and debt equally. Separate property — owned before the marriage or received individually as a gift or inheritance — is usually excluded, but only if it wasn't mixed with shared funds. Confirm specifics with a local family law attorney.
Arizona law requires at least 60 days between when the other spouse is served with the petition and when a judge can finalize the dissolution, even in agreed cases. Contested or complex cases commonly take longer; check current timelines with your county's Superior Court.
Covenant marriage is an option some Arizona couples choose at the time of marriage, requiring premarital counseling and a signed declaration. If you're in a covenant marriage, dissolving it generally requires proving a specific ground rather than simply stating the marriage is broken — check your marriage paperwork or with the court to confirm your status.
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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and differ by jurisdiction — confirm specifics with a local family lawyer or your court's official website. If you use SortMyDivorce, your letters stay confidential — never shared, never sold.