Tempe Arizona Family Law Blog

When two people go through a divorce, one spouse will likely suffer financially as a result. This is because married couples tend to be financially dependent on each other. If you are considering divorce but you are worried about the way that you will be negatively affected from a financial perspective, you must take the time to understand how spousal maintenance works.

Spousal maintenance, otherwise known as spousal support or alimony, is governed on a state level. Arizona takes a needs-based approach when deciding whether to award spousal maintenance to a spouse, meaning that the outcome will depend on your circumstances. The following is an overview of what you need to know if you want to gain spousal maintenance in Arizona.

If you decide that you want to ask for a divorce, your first instinct may be to talk to your friends or family members who have gone through it. You want to find out what it was like for them and learn what steps you should take. You want to know not only what mistakes to watch out for but how to get this process going.

It can help to talk to those who have done this before, but be very careful about taking direct advice from them. You can't compare two divorce cases. They are all unique, depending on the specific facts of the case. Let's consider come of those facts.

Tension, hostility and anger usually come as part of the territory when going through a divorce. This is why it is common for one spouse to want to leave the family home during the process. They will likely see many positives to this: It will prevent the children from being witness to arguments between their parents, it will allow both spouses to spend time apart and it will enable the divorce process to move forward more smoothly.

These positive outcomes are usually true for most couples who live apart during the divorce proceedings. However, it is important to recognize that the person who has chosen to move out may experience many negative ramifications. The following are some reasons why you should think twice before moving out during a divorce.

State laws can vary when it comes to family law issues. This is why it is important that you pay attention to the law that applies to the state you are living in. Arizona, like the majority of states, has adopted the Uniform Child Custody Act (UCCA). This means that Arizona child custody laws are compatible with other states that have adopted the UCCA, and therefore, interstate child custody conflicts are minimized.

If you have recently gone through a separation or divorce and you have children with your ex, it is important that you understand the intricacies of the law when it comes to child custody. While the general rule is that the courts will make a ruling on what is deemed to be in the best interests of the child, there are more specific principles that you should be aware of.