Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): A meeting with a neutral person who helps the parties try to reach agreement, such as through mediation, a resolution management conference, or a settlement conference.
Child Support: Court-ordered financial support paid by one parent to the other parent to help cover a child’s needs.
Community Property: Property, assets, and debts earned or acquired during the marriage that are “equitably” (fairly) divided in a divorce.
Date of Service: The date the other party officially receives copies of the petition. In a divorce, this is usually the date community assets and debts are valued for division. See also “Service of Process.”
Decree of Dissolution: The final court order that ends a marriage and sets out each party’s rights and responsibilities.
Default Judgment: What the court may order if the other party doesn’t respond to the petition.
Dissolution of Marriage: The legal term for divorce in Arizona.
Disclosure: The process where both sides exchange certain documents and information, as outlined in Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure Rules 49 and 91(m).
Discovery: The process where one party can ask for additional documents and information from the other party.
Hearing: A court date where the judge listens to the parties, reviews evidence, and makes decisions.
Legal Decision-Making: Who gets to make important choices for the child (like school or medical care). This is one part of child custody in Arizona—see also “Parenting Time.”
Motion: A formal, written request asking the judge to make a decision.
Parenting Time: When each parent spends time with the child(ren). This is one part of child custody in Arizona—see also “Legal Decision-Making”
Party: A person involved in a court case.
Petition: The document that starts a family law court case and lists what a person is asking the court to order. The person filing is called the “Petitioner.”
Resolution Management Conference: A court date where the judge tries to help the parties reach agreements. No evidence is used.
Response: The other party’s official answer to the petition, saying what they agree or disagree with in the petition. The person filing the response is called the “Respondent.”
Separate Property: Property owned before marriage by one spouse or received individually during the marriage, like an inheritance; generally not divided in divorce.
Service of Process: Officially delivering court papers to the other party; there are only a few approved ways to do this with the petition. See also “Date of Service.”
Settlement Conference: A required meeting with a judge or lawyer before trial to see what agreements can be made, if any.
Spousal Maintenance: Financial support one spouse may pay the other after legal separation or divorce. Formerly called “alimony.”
Temporary Orders: Short-term orders from the judge while your case is still going on.
Trial: A final court hearing to resolve all remaining issues in the case.