Find out if you and your circumstances are eligible for our easy divorce process.
2
Complete the questionnaire
Our questionnaire guides you through filling out divorce paperwork.
3
Review your forms
Review your personalized legal documents before final submission.
4
File for divorce
Take the final step towards your new beginning with detailed filing instructions.
Over 500,000 people have used OnlineDivorce
For over 24 years, we’ve empowered individuals to get quick and stress-free divorces while saving money in the process.
I started my divorce on my own, spending loads of money on lawyer visits in the beginning.
So I decided to google for other ways and using this site was so much more simple!
Wesley H.Missouri
I had a very successful business at the time. So, making sure I had the right forms was
very very important during my divorce. I was so surprised at how easy and smooth this process was.
James V.Texas
After years of a tumultuous marriage, I finally decided that I needed to reclaim my life.
I was looking for how to go about it and came across this site and they simplified and made
the process of divorce easy for me. I never thought it would’ve been possible.
Chloe J.Florida
Stress-free and easy! I was initially gonna hire a lawyer but I found online divorce the
next best option. No muss, no fuss divorce. No big legal words that I’d have to have read
10 times to understand!
Will S.Colorado
California is expensive and divorce can be even more expensive in the end but I can say
that this site payed everything out for me to follow, from child support to alimony.
My ex agreed to go this way as well so it was a much less expensive option for us.
Marco P.California
Because of the whole dissolution of the marriage, I was struggling with two children and
just in limbo with my husband at the time because of child support and alimony. I was a
stay-at-home mom for 10 years. I just want to say that this site helped me sort it out.
Thank you.
Tamara B.Nevada
I live in upstate NY and unfortunately one day I found myself in a situation for divorce.
I was all out of whack, needed answers to take action. Enough was enough so I did it on this
site. Everything was clear to understand, all forms and what to put in which box.
Theresa S.New York
Onlinedivorce.com is the bomb! I mean, using it was so easy to follow. So, if you find
yourself in this situation do your divorce here if possible. Documents for all stages,
alimony, child support and all!
Livy B.Illinois
It's less expensive
Contested divorces can cost on average $11,000 in lawyer fees. OnlineDivorce is fast, affordable, and simple.
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An easy and quick method to prepare for uncontested divorce online and get high-quality divorce papers
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Responsive customer email, chat, and phone support
Divorce with a Lawyer
>$11,000On average
Divorce with a lawyer can be adversarial, lengthy, inconvenient and
costly
Litigated divorces are extremely expensive - $11,000 on average
They take longer to get finalized - up to a few years
Little or no control over the divorce outcome
Litigation ignites more conflicts between the parties
Prolonged court trials negatively affect children
Support for all types of divorces
Every divorce is different, but with Onlinedivorce you
can personalize your assistance for every aspect of your online divorce.
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Online Divorce in Arizona
For those seeking an inexpensive divorce in the state of Arizona, online divorce can be an easy, affordable and fast solution. Online divorce may be appropriate for couples who have an uncontested case. The step-by-step process of preparing divorce documents at OnlineDivorce.com makes it easy for the client. The site helps prepare all the necessary divorce forms and provides detailed written instructions on how to file for divorce in Arizona.
Our divorce document preparation service can assist those who want their divorce papers completed in a quick and stress-free fashion. Arizona has unique divorce forms and filing requirements, and our online system provides the exact forms necessary along with instructions on how to file. We have helped thousands of people prepare their divorce documents for filing.
If the two spouses have an amicable agreement on the terms of the divorce, why should the process get drawn out, and why should money be spent on lawyers? Online divorces are often cheaper, quicker and easier.
Online divorce can be a great option for those who want to save money and have the divorce finalized quickly to return to normal life. An increasing number of people are preparing documents for divorce online because it can be done in the comfort of one’s own home. Even for complex cases that involve children, property or other assets, the online route is possible.
The process at OnlineDivorce.com is 100% secure. We protect the client’s information, and nothing gets filed until the client personally submits the divorce papers to a court. Filing for divorce in Arizona with OnlineDivorce.com can be a simple solution to a difficult situation.
Filing:
OnlineDivorce.com begins the divorce process by presenting a simple online questionnaire. It can be filled out alone or with the assistance of a spouse. A signature from the other spouse must be obtained, after which the divorce forms may be filed at the local court. In Arizona, a petition for dissolution of marriage is usually filed with the Superior Court in the county where the petitioner resides.
The actual filing process is explained in the detailed court-filing instructions that we provide with the completed divorce forms. Clients can also obtain assistance from their local courthouse by calling or stopping by.
If there are any issues with the documents after the initial filing, clients may need to follow up. OnlineDivorce.com helps the client make small adjustments to their forms, as requested by the court, at no additional charge. The goal of the service is always to minimize stress and hassle.
Residency:
Every state has specific requirements where divorcing couples must establish residency before filing for divorce. Arizona is no exception.
One of the spouses must be a resident of the state (or be stationed in this state while a member of the armed services) for at least 90 days before filing for the dissolution of the marriage.
Actions for divorce shall be brought in the county where the petitioner lives at the time of filing.
There is a 60-days waiting period required by Arizona law after the date of service of process (or the date when the respondent accepts service), and no couple can be divorced faster than in 61 days [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 12, Chapter 401 and Title 25, Chapters 312 and 329].
In most cases, a person does not have to prove that residency has been established in any other way besides testifying under oath.
However, in some cases (for example, when the other spouse contests this fact), one can use an Arizona driver’s license or vehicle registration, lease agreements, property deeds, property tax records, or utility records to prove residency in Arizona.
Valid grounds to get divorce in Arizona
Grounds for an online divorce using OnlineDivorce.com are the same as they would be for any divorce within the State of Arizona. Grounds are merely the reason for divorce, and the state must approve them.
There are two primary categories in Arizona: fault and no-fault.
No-fault divorce is where the dissolution takes place without any wrongdoing from either party. In Arizona, that means an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapter 312].
Typically, this would be the only recognized grounds for the dissolution of a marriage in Arizona.
However, Arizona is one of three US states in which covenant marriage is legally recognized. In a covenant marriage, the parties agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept more limited grounds for later seeking a divorce.
Thus, the following fault-based grounds are related to a covenant marriage:
Adultery or infidelity;
Conviction of a felony which requires imprisonment or death;
Abandonment or desertion for at least one year;
Commission of violence against a spouse, child, or another relative;
Living separately and without reconciliation for at least two years;
Living separately for at least one year after a legal separation order is obtained;
The respondent spouse has habitually abused drugs or alcohol;
and both spouses agree to a dissolution of the marriage [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapter 903].
Divorce in Arizona
Custody of the child in Arizona
In Arizona, the court can grant legal and physical custody with both parents (joint custody) or with one (sole custody), based on the child's best interests.
Thus, the court makes its child custody decision after considering numerous factors associated with a child's physical and emotional well-being, including:
The preference of a child old enough and mature enough to contribute to the discussion;
The desires and abilities of both parents to provide an open, loving, and frequent relationship between the child and the other parent;
The desires of the parents;
The child’s adjustment to their home, school, and community;
The mental and physical wellness of the child and the parents;
The relationship between a child and the parents and any siblings;
Any evidence of domestic abuse;
Any coercion or duress utilized in obtaining a custody agreement; and
Which parent(s) have been involved in the primary care of the child.
The court can award joint legal or physical custody if it finds that to be in the child’s best interest. When determining this, the court looks at the following conditions as well:
That neither parent was coerced or influenced by duress into withholding or granting his or her agreement to joint custody;
That the parents can sustain an ongoing commitment to the child; and
That the joint custody agreement is logistically possible.
Grandparents and great-grandparents can sometimes be awarded visitation rights [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapters 401-415].
Divorce in Arizona
Rules for child support in Arizona
Arizona’s standard child support rules and regulations can and do apply in almost every divorce case, barring extraordinary circumstances.
Both parents’ gross incomes and some child-related expenses will be considered when calculating child support. Child support continues until the child reaches age 18, and it may extend until the completion of secondary education in some cases.
Either or both parents can be ordered to pay child support without regard to marital misconduct based on the following factors:
The financial resources that the child may have;
The standard of living the child or children enjoyed during the marriage;
The physical and emotional requirements of the child;
The financial resources and any additional debts of both parents;
Any known destruction, concealment, disposition, or excessive expenditure of jointly-held property;
Any extraordinary needs of the child;
The duration of parenting time and any related expenses.
Awards of child support are to be paid through the court unless the spouses agree otherwise. The supreme court shall establish guidelines for determining the amount of child support and review these guidelines at least once every four years to determine appropriate child support amounts and meet the child's basic needs more accurately. [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapters 320, and 500-527].
Divorce in Arizona
Property division in Arizona
Arizona is a “community property” state. Separate property is retained by the owner of the property. Community or marital property (which is property obtained during the marriage) is divided and awarded on an equal basis.
Marital misconduct is not considered in the division of property. The court can consider excessive or abnormal expenditures of community property, as well as any destruction, concealment, or fraudulent disposition of community property when determining division.
At times, the court will place a lien upon one or the other spouse’s separate property to secure child support or spousal support payment. A special note as to the debts and creditors will be provided by statute and must be included with any materials served to the respondent.
Also, at the request of either of the soon-to-be ex-spouses, the court will order them to submit a “debt distribution plan” allocating the responsibilities of all debts. Forms for this are included in the Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapter 318 [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapter 318].
Divorce in Arizona
Rules for spousal support in Arizona
Alimony, which can be sometimes referred to as spousal maintenance, may be decided upon together by the couple before filing, or the court may award it in a contested divorce case.
In Arizona, spousal support can be granted by the court for either spouse for any of the following reasons:
The party seeking alimony does not have sufficient property to provide for their reasonable needs;
Is not able to support the family through suitable employment;
Is the custodian of a child whose age or condition is such that the caretaker should not be required to seek employment outside the home;
Has significantly reduced their income or career opportunities for the benefit of the other spouse;
Has made a significant contribution to the educational opportunities, vocational skills, or earning ability of the other spouse;
They had a long marriage and had reached such an age that they could not get a job that would allow them to support themselves.
Arizona courts do not consider marital misconduct on the part of either party in awarding alimony. Instead, when deciding the amount and duration of spousal maintenance, the factors to be considered include:
The contribution that the spouse seeking maintenance made to the earning ability of the other spouse;
The time for that the spouse would require to obtain education and training for suitable employment;
The spouse’s potential earning capacity;
The standard of living established during the marriage;
The duration of the marriage;
The ability of the spouse providing maintenance to meet current needs while providing the maintenance to the other;
Any financial resources of the spouse seeking maintenance;
Any destruction, disposition, or excessive expenditures of jointly-held property;
The comparative resources of the spouses to include their comparative earning capacities;
The ages of the spouses;
The employment history, earning ability, physical, emotional and overall condition of the spouse seeking maintenance;
The former and current occupations of the spouses during the marriage;
Any vocational skills of the spouse who seeks maintenance;
The ability of both parties to contribute to future educational costs of the children; and
Other factors which the court may deem relevant.
Awards of maintenance will be paid through the court unless the spouses agree otherwise. Maintenance agreements can be made non-modifiable by the consensus of both parties [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapters 319 and 322].
Divorce in Arizona
Mediation support in Arizona
Before filing for divorce, either spouse can ask the court to order mediation for reconciliation or amicable settlement of the controversial divorce issues out-of-court. After a divorce has been filed, either spouse can request that the dissolution of marriage proceedings be transferred to the conciliation court for mediation. Official forms for this request are available from the clerk of any Superior Court.
Additionally, if one spouse denies that the marriage is irretrievably broken, the court can delay the case for up to 60 days and require the spouses to attend a conciliation conference. Finally, there is a required delay of 60 days after the service of papers on the respondent spouse for all divorces [Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 25, Chapters 312, 316, 329, and 381.09].
For those seeking to prepare their divorce papers using OnlineDivorce.com, utilizing divorce mediation can be a great tool to smooth out disagreements and prevent the case from going to court. This can be the simplest way to assure a fast, easy and affordable online divorce.
Divorce in Arizona
Divorce Forms in Arizona
Arizona forms produced by OnlineDivorce.com are court-approved divorce forms. We have automated the process of filling them out to simplify matters and avoid any difficulties that may occur with filling out the paperwork alone. By utilizing OnlineDivorce.com, clients can streamline the process of preparing divorce documents to help both parties move forward with their lives.
How to file for divorce in Arizona
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Meet residency requirements. To be eligible to file for divorce in Arizona, a couple must meet certain residency requirements. According to the Arizona Statutes, either spouse must be a state resident for at least ninety days before filing divorce papers. And if the spouses have minor children, the plaintiff (the party initiating the case) and children must live in Arizona for six months before filing for divorce.
2
Prepare the divorce forms. The plaintiff must gather and complete the initial divorce documents, including the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, Family Court / Sensitive Data Cover Sheet, and other court forms, which may vary depending on the circumstances of the case.
3
File the papers with the relevant court. In Arizona, divorce cases are handled by the Superior Court. To start the divorce process, the plaintiff must submit the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and other necessary forms to the Clerk of the Superior Court and pay a court filing fee.
4
Serve divorce papers to the defendant. After filing the Petition, the plaintiff must notify the other spouse (the defendant) that the divorce process has begun. The plaintiff must deliver copies of the Petition and the Summons to the defendant within 120 days after filing. Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure allow serving the papers via the US Postal Service (with a blank Acceptance of Service form) or directly by a deputy county sheriff or a private process server. The defendant has twenty days from the service date to file a Response with the court.
5
Waiting period. Once all the required divorce forms have been filed with the court, a mandatory waiting period begins. Arizona laws state that the court cannot issue a divorce decree until sixty days after the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is filed, even if the case is uncontested.
6
Participate in a final court hearing. A final court hearing may be ordered at the court's discretion if the spouses do not have children. Otherwise, both parties must attend the hearing. At the uncontested divorce hearing, the judge reviews all the submitted divorce forms and documents, asking some questions about the spouses' Settlement Agreement, Parenting Plan, etc. If everything is completed correctly and the agreement is fair, the judge can enter a judgment finalizing the divorce.
Divorce in Arizona
Filing fees for divorce in Arizona
When an individual files divorce papers, the court will charge filing fees that may vary by county. These costs are in addition to the cost of using OnlineDivorce.com. Clients must check with their local courthouse to determine the exact amount.
How long it will take
Use of the OnlineDivorce.com service usually takes between 30 minutes and two hours or more, depending on the complexity of the case. Clients start by filling out a questionnaire and can either complete it in one sitting or save their progress and complete it at a later date.
Once the documents have been completed, they need to be filed with the other spouse’s signature. More information regarding the finalization of the divorce case is provided once the paperwork has been completed and submitted to the court.
Divorce in Arizona
Here is how OnlineDivorce.com makes completing divorce papers easier:
We provide the full divorce packet required by the local court - clients do not need to drive to their local courthouse to get the blank forms or search for the right divorce forms online. In rare cases, local county forms can vary in color, paper material, size, or bar code, so they may need to be obtained directly from the county clerk's office.
We complete the necessary forms for clients based on their answers given in a simple guided online interview - clients do not need to understand family law or read through complicated instructions to figure out how to fill out the forms themselves.
We give detailed, easy to follow step-by-step instructions for filing a divorce with the court - so the client knows exactly what to do to get his/her divorce finalized.
We provide unlimited technical support - if a client needs assistance through the online process, he/she can always reach out to us via phone, email, or live chat, and we'll do our best to help.
We save our clients time and money - if divorcing spouses agree regarding the terms of their divorce, they typically don’t have to pay thousands to a lawyer to handle their divorce forms and don't need to spend hours trying to do it all by themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regardless of the type and circumstances of a particular case, Arizona family laws do not require the spouses to be represented by a lawyer to obtain a divorce. Thus, the responsibility for arranging the process and deciding whether or not to hire legal representatives rests entirely with the parties.
However, law experts typically warn against such a 'DIY' approach when a contested divorce is at issue or if the spouses have not yet reached an agreement concerning marital property, child-related matters, or finances, i.e. when the case is considered rather complicated.
In contrast, the spouses who do not contest the case can often handle a divorce without a lawyer, saving considerable sums.
The same rules govern a Pro Se divorce (the legal definition for a DIY divorce) as a legally-assisted proceeding. The self-represented litigant has to take the same steps attorneys typically do to manage the process.
Therefore, the parties who would like to handle a divorce without a lawyer should get the needed information and legal forms and then complete and file them following the Arizona rules of family law procedure.
There are several mandatory stages of getting a divorce in the state of Arizona:
The spouse initiating the case (the plaintiff) shall fill out the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and the other initial divorce forms and file them with the Superior Court’s Clerk.
The plaintiff must make several copies of the forms, one of which will be left with the Clerk of Court. Besides, the plaintiff must pay a court filing fee, and thus the divorce case officially starts.
The next stage is called service of process, i.e., giving appropriate notice of the divorce action to the other party. In Arizona, serving copies of the Petition and the Summons to the defendant can be accomplished by mail (with an attached Acceptance of Service form), with the Sheriff's Office assistance, or by hiring a private process server. As a last resort (for example, if the second spouse's whereabouts are unknown), the plaintiff may use service by publication. In any case, the plaintiff must serve the defendant with the divorce documents within 120 days of the date of filing the petition.
After all the required documents have been submitted to the court, Arizona family law requires a mandatory 60-day waiting period until a divorce can be finalized.
The expenses associated with any dissolution of marriage in the state of Arizona start with the court filing fee (which is about $300, slightly varying from county to county), which is mandatory for almost all plaintiffs.
All the other costs mainly depend on whether the spouses decide to handle a divorce by themselves or hire specialists, like attorneys, counselors, mediators, appraisers, coaches, and others.
An average uncontested divorce is considered more affordable than the average contested legally-assisted process. However, lawyers' fees also vary greatly, so it is hard to evaluate the potential expenses without considering the particular divorce case and its peculiarities.
The spouses must start a divorce action where they currently live, not where the marriage occurred.
Arizona laws establish the specific residency requirements the couple needs to meet to apply for divorce within the state. Under the Arizona Statutes, at least one of the spouses must be a state resident and live in Arizona for at least ninety days before filing for divorce.
Once served with the copies of divorce papers, the defendant has to file their response with the court, keeping a deadline.
In the state of Arizona, the defendant has twenty days to file a response to a petition for divorce. Filing the response allows the defendant to put forward their demands and protect their interests in a divorce proceeding. If they do not respond within the established time limit, the plaintiff may request a default judgment by the court.
Even though the spouses are not required to hire high-priced attorneys and have the right to handle their divorce without legal assistance, they still have to pay a court filing fee to start the action.
Thus, in theory, an entirely free divorce is only available for plaintiffs who not only arrange a do-it-yourself divorce but, along with it, are eligible to ask the court for a fee waiver due to financial hardship.
To apply for a fee waiver, the plaintiff needs to disclose their financial information to prove to the court their inability to pay and complete the Request to Waive Court Fees form.
The most common legal forms usually required to be filed to start an uncontested divorce in Arizona include Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, Summons, Affidavit of Service, Acceptance/Waiver of Service, Decree of Dissolution of Marriage. If the spouses have minor children, they may also need to file a Parent's Worksheet for Child Support Amount, Child Support Order, and Joint Custody Parenting Plan.
Child support case
Sample Documents by State
Please note that your final forms, documents and
filings may be different depending on your state.
Coming soon! If you want to have a look at sample forms for your state and
you cannot find them here, please just give us a call or send us an email.
You are Qualified
You qualify to use OnlineDivorce.com to start your divorce online.
Please note that although you are currently not in agreement with your spouse regarding your divorce,
you will need to agree before you get your divorce paperwork. Our guided process is designed
to walk you through all the important issues in a divorce so you can come to terms.
To begin the process to complete your official divorce forms online, please press the “Continue”
button below.
