What are the steps involved in filing a divorce?

The party who is filing the divorce will need to fill out a Family Court Sensitive Data Form, Cover Sheet, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, Summons, Preliminary Injunction, Notice Regarding Health Insurance, Credit Notice and if applicable the Affidavit Regarding Minor Children, Parenting Plan, Parents Worksheet for Child Support and Order and Notice to Attend a Parenting Class. Note: Some of these documents will need to be notarized; documents can be notarized at any of our office locations or at your closest bank. Please have documents notarized prior to making any copies of your documents. There is a fee to file a petition for dissolution of marriage. Click here to access our fee schedule.

The petitioning party will need to bring the original packet of forms plus two sets of completed, signed/dated and/or notarized copies of the forms. Do not make copies of any instructions.

The clerk at the counter will assign you a case number, collect the appropriate filing fees and file in the original documents that are necessary to start the divorce. The Clerk of the Court will keep the original documents and will stamp the two sets of copies, one for you to retain for your records and one for service on the other party.

Once the initial papers have been processed, the petitioning party will need to have the respondent served with one set of the copies. If the respondent is in agreement, he/she can sign the Acceptance of Service form contained in the packet either the same day of filing the divorce papers or anytime after the divorce proceedings has begun. If the responding party is not in agreement, the petitioner will need to make arrangements with a Process Server or the Sheriff's Office to have the papers served. Service within the State of Arizona can now be done by certified mail. The respondent has to be the one to sign for it. Appropriate service affidavits will then need to be filed with the Clerk of the Court.

If the party wishes to file their own divorce, they can purchase forms at $0.50 per page at any of our office locations. Click here for office locations. Parties may also download the following forms for free.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) without Children (PDF)

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) with Children (PDF)

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1. We don’t want to be married anymore. If our marriage license was never recorded do we still have to file for a divorce? Who would know we are married if there is no record?
2. How do I file a divorce without an attorney?
3. How much does it cost to file for a divorce?
4. Do both parties have to sign the divorce papers?
5. What are the steps involved in filing a divorce?
6. How do I file for legal separation?
7. How do I file for an annulment?
8. What do I do when I don't know where the other person is to serve him/her?
9. I just got served with divorce papers. What do I do?
10. I was served with divorce papers on June 3. Exactly how many days do I have to respond?
11. I got a notice stating that my case has been placed on the inactive calendar. What am I supposed to do now?
12. I have just moved, how can I update my address with the Court?
13. How soon after my divorce is final can I get married again?
14. My ex is not complying with the decree. How do I make my ex comply?
15. I want to see my child more than the old court order allows. How do I get more time with my child?
16. My ex has custody of our child. I have our child for parenting time, but the child does not want to go back to my ex. Does our child have to go back?
17. I am supposed to pick up my kids this weekend, but my ex says I won’t be allowed to have them. Can the court make my ex give me the kids?
18. I want to know if the judge will read a text message on my phone and listen to a voice mail. This is evidence that my ex is denying me parenting time. I need to know this before the hearing that is cu
19. When can I get an emergency Court order for custody of my child?
20. Will I get to talk to the judge about my emergency petition for custody?
21. If my ex and I were never married does the mother automatically have custody of the children?
22. Where can I get help completing the Parent’s Worksheet to establish or modify a child support order?
23. I've been ordered to take a Parent Education Class, how do I register and pay?