We Are Trusted Family And Divorce Attorneys Near You in Chandler, AZ
Are you looking for a top-notch divorce and family lawyer near you? Family and divorce attorney Amy Dohrendorf with the Arizona Law Group has been assisting clients from Chandler, Arizona for over a decade, at our South Price Road office, conveniently located near Sunset Shores Park.
Combined, our divorce attorneys have more than 100 years of legal experience (including family law) representing clients in various practice areas. Our main focus is on family law, divorce, and child custody representation, but we also have expertise in other practice areas. When you need legal representation for your family, you deserve the best. Family law and divorce matters should always be represented by experienced family law attorneys. Don’t hesitate to contact our Chandler office if you are in need of a divorce lawyer in Chandler.
Arizona Law Group, Chandler Divorce Lawyer & Family Law Attorneys
1490 S. Price Rd Suite 118
Chandler, AZ 85286
Phone: 480-813-4800
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Chandler office map and directions
Through the divorce process, your Chandler, Arizona divorce attorney will strategize and develop legal solutions to resolve:
What Matters Do Family Law Attorneys Handle?
Family law attorneys possess the skill, experience, and empathy necessary to guide individuals and families through difficult times. The following are some of the most common types of matters a family lawyer handles:
Divorce and Separation
One of the most well-known matters that family law attorneys handle is divorce and separation. Divorces can be financially, emotionally, and logistically challenging for both parties. A family lawyer’s expertise in this area is invaluable, as they can help couples navigate complicated processes, including property division, alimony, possible relocation, and name changes.
Additionally, in some instances where a couple may not be ready to legally dissolve their marriage, a family attorney can assist with drafting formal separation agreements, enabling the couple to live apart while outlining their obligations and rights during the separation period.
Child Custody and Visitation
Determining child custody and visitation rights is another common area that family law attorneys handle. Parents may seek out their services to mediate custody disputes, establish visitation schedules, or modify existing arrangements due to changes in circumstances. By working with a knowledgeable family law attorney, parents can know that the best interests of their children are taken into consideration and that they are treated fairly throughout the process.
Child Support
Child support issues can arise both during and after the resolution of a divorce or separation. A family lawyer plays a vital role in establishing a reasonable child support agreement that is enforceable by the courts. They can also help parents who wish to modify or enforce existing child support orders, ensuring that each child receives the financial support they deserve.
Spousal Maintenance
Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony, is granted to one spouse to help them maintain their standard of living following a divorce or separation. Factors such as the length of the marriage, the economic and non-economic contributions of each spouse, and the future earning potential of both parties are considered when determining spousal support. Family law attorneys have the experience to negotiate fair spousal support agreements.
Adoption and Surrogacy
Family lawyers can serve as valuable guides through the exciting yet complicated process of adoption or surrogacy, helping you understand your options, rights, and responsibilities. This can encompass a range of legal tasks, including drafting contracts, addressing issues related to parental rights, and ensuring that the interests of all parties, especially the child, are protected.
Paternity
Establishing paternity can have various implications for both the child and the parent. Family law attorneys can help navigate the process of determining paternity, ensuring that the rights of both the father and the child are protected. This can include aspects such as visitation rights, custody arrangements, and child support obligations.
Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders
Unfortunately, domestic violence remains a pervasive issue within families. A family law attorney can provide crucial support and guidance in seeking protection from an abusive partner, advocating for your rights and safety. This may involve securing a restraining order or pursuing more long-term legal solutions.
Guardianship and Conservatorship
In some cases, family members may need to assume guardianship or conservatorship over a child or an incapacitated adult. This can be a complex legal process that involves court appearances, ongoing reporting, and various responsibilities. A family law attorney can guide you through the technical aspects of establishing and maintaining guardianship or conservatorship, ensuring that the best interests of all parties are addressed.
What Must You (And Your Divorce Lawyer) Prove in Your Divorce Case?
Do you know what must be proved to prevail in your case, as the petitioner or, alternatively, as the responding party or defendant? Do you understand what the standard of proof by which exhibits, testimony, and other relevant evidence must persuade the judge in order for you to prevail? Although there are a few exceptions, generally:
- In divorces and family law cases, the standard of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence;
- In criminal proceedings, the state must prove each element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt; and,
- In probate proceedings over the validity of a Last Will and Testament, for instance, the standard of proof is by clear and convincing evidence.
Appreciating the ease or difficulty of proving your case is an important aspect of legal strategy, and your family deserves the best representation possible. Another important consideration is which court will have jurisdiction to hear and decide, for example, the petition for dissolution of marriage, modification of child support, the appointment of a conservator for the vulnerable adult, or contentious probate litigation matter.
Every client’s legal concerns involve unique circumstances. Understanding the depth of any legal issue being addressed, having substantial courtroom experience litigating cases, and preparing successful legal stratagems are just some of the things for which our Chandler legal team of family and divorce attorneys is known. We go above and beyond to bring our clients the best possible results in the case, whether it be a civil family law or probate action, or defense against criminal prosecution.
Divorce and Family Law Representation in Chandler
You may already know that Arizona is a no-fault divorce state. The only grounds in a no-fault divorce are that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Neither spouse is required to prove marital misconduct (adultery, for example, or abandonment) for the court to dissolve the marriage. If one party wants a divorce and the spouses do not reconcile, then the Superior Court Judge will dissolve their marriage. Marital misconduct can have an impact on child custody factors, though. And when coupled with marital waste, marital fault may influence property division factors, too.
Along with only a handful of other states, Arizona allows for the creation of a covenant marriage. In the dissolution of a covenant marriage (unless the spouses are in agreement in wanting the divorce), fault-based grounds must be alleged and proved before the divorce can be granted.
For some couples, an alternative to divorce might be annulment, to void the marriage. Another alternative is a decree of legal separation which does not dissolve the marriage but does determine the same issues raised in a divorce. These possibilities should be discussed with an experienced attorney near you.
Working toward a divorce settlement by negotiating a separation agreement with the assistance of your divorce attorney is almost always an efficient and cost-effective process that can save on attorney fees. There are times, however, when litigation and trial are necessary to resolve outstanding issues. Our Chandler divorce attorneys will discuss the legal issues presented in your case, in light of your goals, and the position of your spouse on those issues. We always recommend the strategy best-suited to protecting your rights and achieving your goals.
With every family law petition involving minor children – including cases following paternity establishment between unwed parents – a parenting plan in the best interests of the child will be required. And unless the parents agree on a plan, they may be ordered to give mediation a fair try. In every case, child custody will be ordered with a determination of legal decision-making (often shared) and scheduled parenting time. A Chandler child custody attorney can help assist in custody legal battles.
Find more information concerning family law:
- Divorce;
- Child support;
- Father’s Rights
Of course, child support will also be ordered. Although the Arizona Child Support Guidelines are used to calculate child support obligations, some factors can be negotiated. The court does have some discretion to depart from the Guidelines by increasing or decreasing the monthly support amount, depending upon the circumstances. It could include money to fund a college trust account or to cover the cost of summer camp. An experienced divorce attorney in your area, familiar with the assigned judge’s proclivities can be a real asset.
At the initial consultation, legal alternatives are discussed with your family attorney so that the client can make an informed decision. Preparing for court proceedings, developing legal arguments, strategizing the case, and litigating at trial, these are the things we routinely do at the Arizona Law Group. And we do them well.
When Should I File for Divorce in Chandler?
Deciding to divorce is a very personal decision and one of life’s most difficult choices. No one expects to end up in front of a divorce court judge when they begin their journey down the aisle surrounded by flowers. Sadly, sometimes life takes people in unexpected directions.
If you and your spouse have tried to work on your marriage to no avail, and it’s come to the point that living together is putting a strain on your emotional well-being, it may be time to consider making a change. The first step is speaking to a Chandler divorce lawyer with a strong record of success in representing their client’s interests.
In order to file a petition for dissolution of marriage (divorce) in Chandler, you must meet the following qualifiers:
- Either you or your spouse have lived in Arizona for at least 90 days
- If you have children together, they must have been residents in Arizona for at least 6 months in order for the court to hold jurisdiction
If you file for divorce first, you become the petitioner in the process. Some Chandler child support attorneys assert that this comes with some advantages, such as being the first to list your desired outcomes for your spouse’s response, and being the first side to speak in a divorce trial should it come to that. If your spouse has already filed and you’ve been served with paperwork, that makes your spouse the petitioner and you are the respondent. Respondents have only 20 days to respond after receiving the divorce petition, so it’s important to set up a consultation with a divorce lawyer in Chandler as soon as possible to discuss your options for drafting a response.
Which Court Will Hear Your Divorce Law Case in Chandler?
Generally, court proceedings for our family law and divorce clients, including those seeking a military divorce, will be heard in the Superior Court in one of Arizona’s 15 counties. Chandler parents who are involved in a dispute over child relocation, for instance, may have their petitions heard in the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
When you have a family law matter and in need of representation in the Chandler area, here at Arizona Law Group, we are always prepared for every possible twist and turn the proceedings may take. Each of us takes our professional responsibilities to heart, including the promise to zealously represent our clients. Our job is to protect each client’s legal rights and obtain the best possible results. Just as we will for you if we accept the case.
Orders of Protection and other civil cases may be heard and adjudicated at a Maricop County Justice Court – San Tan Regional Court center is located within Chandler at 201 E. Chicago Street, Suite 102, Chandler, AZ 85225.
Chandler’s Divorce Settlement Process and ADR
It’s never easy to separate one home into two households, either emotionally or financially. When the divorce involves children, it becomes even more emotionally charged and complex. Arizona family law requires divorcing spouses to attempt to draft a fair divorce settlement agreement with custody arrangements that reflect the best interests of the children as well as an equitable distribution of their marital assets. Most divorcing spouses begin negotiating terms on these issues with their attorneys. An experienced Chandler divorce lawyer can help untangle the separate assets from marital assets and debts that are subject to equitable division. Your attorney from Arizona Law Group will strongly represent your best interests in all negotiations.
When divorcing spouses cannot agree on one or more issues, the next step is to meet with both attorneys in a series of meetings known as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) conference to negotiate contentious issues. If the spouses draft their own divorce settlement agreement with the help of ADR, then there’s no need for a divorce hearing, so the court can cancel any pre-scheduled court date. If they’re still unable to come to mutually agreeable terms after the ADR conference, the case progresses to court litigation. In court, each spouse and their attorneys present their sides to an unbiased judge who’ll make a final decision on all matters in a binding divorce order.
Reaching a Settlement Agreement
Other than making the decision to divorce, the most challenging part of the divorce process for most spouses is reaching a settlement agreement. Emotions become heated when it comes to matters of child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and the division of debts and assets. The process may be fairly simple for spouses with no children and few assets, but for those with children and/or many diverse assets, there may be many contentious issues to resolve. For example, some spouses accidentally commingle property with their spouse that would otherwise remain their separate property. This occurs when one spouse grants access to financial accounts to the other or one spouse makes substantial improvements to the other’s inherited property.
When spouses can forge their own settlement agreement, it minimizes the amount of contention between them going forward and facilitates better communication after the divorce, which is important when spouses share children and must continue a degree of communication in order to make parenting time exchanges and other co-parenting decisions. Con
What is the purpose of a separation agreement?
For spouses who choose a trial separation before making the decision to divorce, a separation agreement can help protect both spouses and their children while they live apart by defining parenting schedules, child support, and in some cases, spousal maintenance to prevent a lower-earning spouse from suffering an unfair financial burden. A separation agreement makes it easier to later proceed to divorce if the spouses aren’t able to reconcile. The separation agreement forms a good basis for a divorce settlement agreement since both spouses may have already agreed on mutually acceptable terms during their separation. This can help minimize the need for contentious court litigation.
What about a partial agreement?
A skilled Chandler divorce attorney takes a resolution-based approach for their clients, including minimizing the need for contentious litigation in court. In cases where spouses agree on some matters and not on others, a partial agreement can help minimize the amount of time spent arguing in court. For example, divorcing spouses may agree on their shared child custody schedule but not on who retains residence in the family home, or they may agree on the division of their assets but not on a custody schedule. When spouses can draft a partial agreement, it means fewer matters to take before a judge and less time, expense, and contention.
What is a Collaborative Divorce?
Some spouses agree to part amicably, and others just want to expedite the painful divorce process. Either way, a collaborative divorce is a good option for divorcing couples who wish to go their separate ways without a contentious court battle. In a collaborative divorce, both spouses agree to meet with their lawyers to navigate the divorce settlement agreement in a series of meetings together with their lawyers to collaborate on the agreement without the need for a trial. If necessary, a professional mediator may attend one or more meetings to help resolve issues by offering solutions that neither party considered.
Annulment vs. Divorce: The Basic Differences
Although annulment and divorce may seem similar in that they involve the dissolution of a marriage, there’s a crucial distinction between the two:
- Annulment declares that no valid marriage existed to begin with essentially erasing any record of the union taking place.
- Divorce, on the other hand, terminates a legitimate and recognized marriage between two individuals.
This distinction has a significant impact on how the processes are carried out, and the outcome for the individuals involved.
The primary reason someone might pursue an annulment in Arizona is if they believe their marriage was not valid to begin with. Some common reasons for declaring a marriage invalid include:
- One or both spouses were already married at the time of the union (bigamy)
- The spouses are closely related by blood (incest)
- One spouse was under the legal age to marry
- The marriage was entered into fraudulently (e.g., one spouse hid critical information to secure the marriage)
If an annulment is granted, it’s as if the marriage never took place. Even a lengthy marriage of many years can be annulled if it meets one of these criteria:
“Superior courts may dissolve a marriage, and may adjudge a marriage to be null and void when the cause alleged constitutes an impediment rendering the marriage void.”
Meeting Arizona’s Divorce Requirements
The first step in filing for divorce in Arizona involves meeting specific residency requirements. The state mandates that either you or your spouse must have lived in Arizona for a minimum of 90 days before filing for divorce. If one spouse is an active member of the military and stationed in Arizona, then they must have been stationed here for 90 days prior to filing paperwork.
Service of Process and Responding to Petitions
Before your case can advance, you’ll need to properly serve your spouse with copies of the divorce petition and summons. Service of process ensures both parties are aware and given the opportunity to respond to the impending divorce. Once served, the other party must respond within 20 days if they are in Arizona or 30 days if service is out-of-state.
Uncontested Divorce vs. Contested Divorce
An uncontested divorce in Chandler can streamline the process, as it requires divorcing spouses to agree on all matters in writing. This includes spousal maintenance, asset division, parenting time, legal decision-making authority, and child support obligations. By coming to a mutual agreement on these issues, you can avoid a prolonged legal battle and minimize the impact on your emotional well-being and finances.
However, if you and your spouse cannot reach an agreement on these matters, the divorce is considered contested and proceeds through the phases of litigation. This can result in a more complicated and time-consuming process, highlighting the importance of having a knowledgeable divorce attorney by your side.
Protective Orders and Injunctions in Chandler
Orders of protection and injunctions against harassment (OOP and IAH, respectively) may be obtained from a judge of the Chandler Municipal Court. In a pre-divorce situation where there is a threat of domestic violence, for example, one spouse (the victim) may obtain an OOP to keep the other spouse away and prohibit contact and communication. Violating the OOP can result in immediate arrest by Chandler police or other law enforcement.
In a vulnerable adult situation, for instance, an OOP may be obtained to keep an abusive person from contacting an elderly victim and from visiting that victim’s residence.
Contact Our Team of Experienced Family & Divorce Lawyers at Our Chandler Office Location
If you, or someone you care about, live in or near the Chandler area and need to speak with an understanding professional about divorce and family law matters, then call us at 480-813-4800 to schedule a confidential consultation with an attorney. You can also email us with a question, too. We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible with no strings attached. If you have a question, contact us and get your question answered by an experienced Arizona family law attorney serving Maricopa County, Pinal County, and all of Arizona. Here at Arizona Law Group, we expect nothing but the best for our clients, and will work tirelessly to ensure they get the best possible outcome for their case.
What Our Clients Have to Say:
“Amy Dohrendorf at Arizona Law Group guided me through the difficult divorce process and we arrived at a great result. Amy listened attentively to my details, helped me see the legal view, and led me on a winning strategy focused on resolving critical issues. Amy was pleasant to work with, a great communicator, and a compassionate guide; Arizona Law Group is efficient and organized with a clear map of the steps and transparent online billing. I strongly recommend you consider Amy and her team to secure your best possible outcome.”
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Duane Enger
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“When I walked into [SLG] … I was put at ease! Starting with [my case manager who] explained the process of my case in a way that I could understand, to my attorney Amy [Dohrendorf], who took me step-by-step at what was the best action to take for my case. I was always informed … and every time I called with a question [my case manager] answered the phone and was able to help me or find the help I needed….”
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Areas of Practice in Chandler, AZ
Family Law |
Chandler Criminal Defense |
