Divorce is the process by which a marriage is dissolved and assets are divided.

Legal Decision Making and Parenting Time are the terms used in Arizona to describe what is commonly referred to as Custody and Visitation. These types of cases establish the terms of the co-parenting arrangements between the parents and are determined by the court based upon the best interests of the child.

Child Support is the amount of money a parent is required to pay the parent with primary custody.

Spousal Maintenance is the term used in Arizona to describe what is commonly referred to as Alimony. An award of spousal maintenance depends on the “reasonable needs” of the requesting spouse and is intended to assist the spouse in transitioning towards financial independence where possible.

Collaborative and Mediated Divorces are where the parties agree that they will work together with each other and with the assistance of a third party or team to create an agreement for the terms of a divorce decree. This process is generally faster and less expensive than litigating in court and offers the parties greater flexibility in the process and more control over the outcome.

Third Party Rights generally refers to the process of establishing parenting time for non-biological persons who have acted as a “parent” on behalf of a child. These situations can occur under various circumstances but are more commonly seen in relationships involving grandparents or same sex partners.

Protective Orders, commonly referred to as restraining orders, are court orders which are intended to protect a person from an abuser or harasser. These orders can be assessed against family members, Exes, roommates and even the other parent to an unborn child. These orders can include a protected address such as an apartment, daycare or school and can even be used to restrict the defendant’s access to firearms.

DES Collection Defense refers to circumstances where the State of Arizona, through the Attorney General’s office, establishes a child support order on behalf of a mother against a father but fails to account for parenting time, direct payments, co-habitation or other such issues which may entitle a father to reduce the support amount or arrears balance.

Divorce is the process by which a marriage is dissolved and assets are divided.

For some law firms, the filing of a bankruptcy is the first step in their representation of a client. For us, the bankruptcy filing is a small and calculated part to a greater debt resolution plan. State law specifically identifies assets which are beyond the reach of creditors and it is not uncommon for us to find that clients have not maximized the value of their assets in these protected categories. Prior to entering into any debt resolution plan, our attorneys analyze our clients’ assets and advise which assets are protected, which are not, and which could be moved to maximize their protected status. For some clients, this step could involve only minor changes while for others, the changes could be extensive resulting in significant asset preservation as part of the client’s debt resolution plan. In certain circumstances, proper exemption planning may be all that is required to adequately protect a client’s interests from their creditors.

Chapter 7 is the form of bankruptcy that is most commonly filed for in the United States. Individuals or businesses may file for Chapter 7 if the debts they owe to their creditors become unmanageable. Filing for Chapter 7 allows you to keep some property that is considered exempt to the liquidation of assets, such as a real estate mortgage. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for 10 years after filing. The negative effect of this blemish on your credit report may be preferable, however, to the effect not paying your current bills is having, as filing for Chapter 7 will remove the unpaid debts from your credit report. 

Chapter 13 allows you to retain your assets provided your debtors accept your plan to pay them within 3 to 5 years. This will allow you to stop foreclosures, eliminate your debts after a period of time, and end collection efforts by third party collection agencies. To file for Chapter 13, you do need to have the financial ability to follow the payment plan you have outlined. Chapter 13 filing does remain on your credit report for 10 years, but allows for the discharging of a wider array of debts than allowed under Chapter 7. Our firm employs some of the best bankruptcy attorneys in Phoenix, and can aid in any type of bankruptcy filing, including Chapter 13 and 7.

Debt Negotiation is an alternative to filing for bankruptcy. In this scenario, you and your creditors will agree on a reduced amount that can be paid to settle your debt. Debt negotiation can help you to avoid the credit stigma associated with filing for bankruptcy. While approaching your creditors to settle a debt can be daunting, a lawyer can act as your representative and do all the negotiating for you.

high debt burden can be a stress on your mental health as well as your financial status. Let us help you move toward financial freedom!