Kylie Huffman-Shayeb

Under Arizona law, alcohol and substance use can affect parenting time if it is determined that the use of alcohol or an illicit substance might endanger the child’s physical or emotional health. Under statute, Arizona courts are required to consider a parent’s history of substance abuse when determining parenting time. See A.R.S. § 25-403.03. If …

How Alcohol and Drug Abuse Affects Parenting Time Decisions Under Arizona Law Read More »

In Arizona, child support is calculated using the Arizona Child Support Guidelines, which take into account numerous factors, such as:   The gross income of both parents. The number of children common to the parties. The amount of parenting time each parent has with the child(ren). The cost of health insurance for the child(ren). Any …

How Do Arizona Courts Calculate Child Support? Read More »

Often times, when working through a divorce or a child custody case, the parties will focus on immediate, obvious issues such as making medical decisions or sharing holidays. However, there are a number of different long-term questions that should be addressed when sorting out child custody matters. One question that is commonly neglected, is how …

Claiming Minor Children on Tax Returns After a Divorce or a Child Custody Order Read More »

Under Arizona law, when you want to move with your minor child and you share custody with another individual, the best place to start with looking at the issue is by reviewing any court orders that are in place and any written agreements you have with the nonmoving parent. If the issue of child relocation …

Moving with Your Child When You Share Custody Under Arizona Law Read More »

Occasionally, one party initiates a divorce (or some other type of family law case) and the other party simply refuses to participate. When this happens, it can complicate the process of moving your divorce along through the court system. In this writing, we will discuss what happens when one party does not participate in a …

What Happens When a Party Refuses to Participate in a Divorce or Family Law Case? Read More »

Occasionally, a client will bring up an issue concerning visitation or ownership of a family pet, such as a dog or a cat. The relationships between pet owners and their pets can run very deep, as many individuals cherish their furry friends as much as they would their own children. Unfortunately, when it comes to …

Family Pets Under Arizona Divorce Law Read More »

An Arizona conciliation court can offer different services to preserve the marriage or to resolve controversies between spouses, including conciliation services, temporary orders, mediation, assessments, evaluations, family education, and other such services. See Ariz. R. Fam. L. Pro. 68(a). This writing discusses the rules of procedure regarding the scheduling of a hearing and the use …

What Happens During Arizona Conciliation Court Proceedings? Read More »

Under Arizona law, there are two aspects to deciding where to file a new family law case: (1) venue and (2) jurisdiction.     I. Venue in Arizona Family Law Cases   The issue of venue is relatively straight forward. “Venue” refers to the Arizona county in which the family law case may be filed. Arizona …

Where to File a New Family Law Case in Arizona Read More »

I. Premarital Agreements & Spousal Maintenance Arizona law recognizes and allows for the enforcement of premarital agreements concerning spousal maintenance. See ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 25-202. However, there are limits on what a premarital agreement can accomplish. For example, “[i]f a provision of a premarital agreement modifies or eliminates spousal support and that modification …

Terminating Spousal Support in Arizona Family Law Cases Read More »

Under certain circumstances, in a proceeding for dissolution / divorce or legal separation, Arizona law allows for an award of spousal maintenance, which is sometimes called “alimony” or “spousal support.” See ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 25-319(A). It is important to bear in mind that even if a party qualifies for spousal support, the award …

Obtaining Spousal Maintenance in Arizona Divorce & Legal Separation Cases Read More »