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A divorce is an emotionally draining experience. Many divorcing spouses focus their attention on the fraught emotional aspects of the divorce—whether it’s anger, sorrow, or relief—and allow some important legal aspects to slip through their fingers. Once the final divorce judgment is in place, many newly divorced spouses confront the reality of post-divorce life…

Arizona’s criminal courts have a reasonable amount of flexibility in sentencing those convicted of crimes. Under a variety of circumstances, a judge may sentence a convicted individual to community service rather than incarceration or fines or in addition to incarceration or fines. The court considers the nature of the crime and the defendant’s criminal…

Intentionally damaging someone else’s property is a crime in Arizona with penalties dependent upon the value of the damaged property. Before the criminal justice system classifies the crime as a misdemeanor or felony, they must first evaluate the property to arrive at a dollar amount. If you or your family member damaged property belonging…

Facing a divorce with child custody as a factor can be an intimidating experience for parents. No parent looks forward to a judge deciding when they can spend time with their own children, but when parents separate or divorce, it breaks one household into two, making a decision for child custody and parenting time…

Law enforcement agencies in Arizona take gun crimes and weapon misconduct charges very seriously. The state’s district attorneys tend to aggressively prosecute them due to the violent and destructive nature of gun crimes and the media’s interest in the escalating numbers of violent crimes involving guns in the U.S. In some cases, misunderstanding of…

Everyone makes mistakes and the college years are not typically when we make our best decisions. But what if a bad choice risks the lives of others and puts your entire future at risk? The Arizona justice system takes drinking and driving very seriously. Over 4,500 drunk driving accidents in a single recent year…

With the exception of child adoption, facing a family court hearing is rarely a joyous occasion. Often, these hearings occur during the worst time in a family’s life as they argue contentious issues such as a divorce agreement, child custody, child support, and alimony. Family court cases may be intensely emotional as well as…

It’s never easy to go through a divorce, but when one or both parties are public figures or the divorce sparks public interest, it’s even more distressing. Even if you aren’t a celebrity or public figure, your very personal divorce may feel like an open book when it requires testimony from many witnesses and…

Alimony is one of the most hotly contested issues in Arizona divorce, often far more so than the equitable distribution of marital assets and even child custody. Alimony—also called spousal support or spousal maintenance—tends to generate powerful emotions in a situation that may already be volatile. No matter what side of the issue a…

In Arizona, some non-violent offenders are eligible for house arrest rather than incarceration in a state or county facility. In most cases, the inmate begins their sentence in jail or prison before becoming eligible for house arrest. House arrest—or home detention—occurs after a conviction and requires the convicted individual to remain at home to…

Many criminal charges in Arizona come with stiff penalties, including time in county jail or prison. Probation is always a more favorable option for a defendant than incarceration. With this alternative to incarceration for a criminal conviction, you can return to your community and remain there as long as you adhere to the rules…

Everyone makes mistakes, but drinking with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or over in Arizona is a serious mistake with significant repercussions. While most people charged with a DUI have immediate—and reasonable—fears of spending time in jail, the shame and stress of a trial, and the financial consequences of their arrest, for…

Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances is a serious offense in Arizona, with mandatory jail time of 10 days or more even for a first offense. Often DUI convictions result in probation for a period of time following the conviction. During the probation period, you may have to complete hours of…

In Arizona, driving while intoxicated comes with stiff penalties. Arizona law enforcement takes drunk driving very seriously. Impaired drivers pose a significant danger to others on the road, killing one American approximately every 45 minutes. Consequences for a first DUI offense in Arizona can bring fines of over $1,250 and ten days of jail…

States like Arizona depend heavily on the transportation industry for their goods and services, and with 6 major interstate highways, the Grand Canyon State is mecca for truck drivers. But what if you want to become a commercial driver in Arizona but have a past conviction for DUI? Everyone makes mistakes, and you may…

People in the United States, including Arizona residents, expect a right to privacy within their own property. The wording of the U.S. Constitution expressly forbids police officers from conducting “unreasonable” search and seizure, which means they cannot enter private property without a warrant. However, for centuries, court cases have attempted to define the parameters…

If your name is not on your child’s birth certificate, Arizona law provides a procedure to add it. Depending on the mother’s marital status and whether the parents agree on paternity, the process can be simple, or it can be more complex. If you are interested in learning how to establish your paternity or…

One of the hardest things you must do when you decide to divorce is to tell your children. However, if you know that divorce is the best decision for your family, you can follow a few tips to help navigate this difficult task: 1. Take Time and Plan the Conversation You have taken the…

You may have heard the term “covenant marriage” in Arizona, which is a type of marriage created by our State Legislature. If you are considering getting married in Arizona, a covenant marriage is an option you may want to consider. However, there are some necessary steps that must be taken for a covenant marriage….

In Arizona, spouses are treated differently when it comes to courtroom testimony compared to unrelated individuals. The marriage contract between two parties is a legal contract as well as an emotional bond. Arizona considers this bond a privilege when it comes to testifying in both criminal and civil cases. Just as in other privileged…