Kylie Huffman-Shayeb

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 »

In some situations, grandparents and other third-parties may be able to obtain custody or visitation with a minor child. Arizona law makes it a “rebuttable presumption that awarding legal decision-making to a legal parent serves the child’s best interests because of the physical, psychological and emotional needs of the child to be reared by a …

Grandparents and Third-Party Rights in Arizona Child Custody Matters Read More »

Arizona courts are required, by statute, to make orders about parenting time and legal decision-making based on the best interests of the minor child. See ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 25-403(A). A child’s best interests are determined using eleven (11) factors, one of which considers: “If the child is of suitable age and maturity, the …

The Preferences of Minor Children in Arizona Family Court Cases Read More »