Yes, you can get a divorce in Arizona without ever going to court or stepping foot in the courthouse! In Arizona, there are various ways that a divorce can be finalized.  Whether or not you have to go to Court to get a divorce depends on how your divorce is finalized.

Consent Divorce

If you and your spouse agree on everything, you will be divorced by consent. Neither spouse needs to go to court when divorcing via consent.

Default Divorce

If your spouse does not respond to your divorce petition, you can apply to be divorced by default. When you are divorcing via default and there are no minor children common to your marriage and you are not requesting spousal maintenance, you can file a Motion with the Court requesting that your default divorce be entered without having to attend a hearing. If you are divorcing via default and there are minor children involved and/or you are requesting spousal maintenance, you will be required to attend one hearing before a Court Commissioner who will finalize your divorce. You can schedule the date and time of your default hearing with the Court to coordinate with your schedule. https://affordablefamilylaw.co/faq/how-do-i-get-an-arizona-divorce-by-default.html

Contested Divorce

If your divorce is contested, both spouses will be required to attend various hearings before the Court. You will not be able to schedule these hearing dates and times with the Court. The court dates will be set based on the Court’s schedule. If neither party is represented by an attorney, the first Court appearance you will be required to attend is an Early Resolution Conference (ERC). If one or both parties is represented by an attorney, the first Court appearance you will be required to attend is a Resolution Management Conference (RMC). At either the ERC or RMC, the Judge will often order both parties to attend another meeting. The meeting is usually a mediation session, parenting conference and/or settlement conference. In addition, the Judge will set a Trial/Evidentiary Hearing date, which is a final hearing that both parties must attend (unless you reach an agreement prior thereto.)

At Affordable Family Law, we can assist you regardless of the type of divorce case you are dealing with. Contact us today to learn more about our affordable legal services: 602-283-3800.