How long does a divorce take in Arizona?

Question

Accepted Answer

At minimum, an Arizona divorce takes about sixty days after your spouse is served: the court cannot hold a trial or hearing on a dissolution petition until sixty days after the date of service or acceptance of process , and before filing, one spouse must have been domiciled in Arizona (or stationed here in the military) for at least ninety days .

A contested case — where one party disputes that the marriage is irretrievably broken — takes longer.

A few additional points from the statutes:

- If one party denies under oath that the marriage is irretrievably broken, the court must hold a hearing on the prospect of reconciliation and may continue the matter for up to sixty days for a further hearing, possibly with a conciliation conference .
- Even in a fully agreed summary consent decree proceeding, the court may not enter the final decree earlier than sixty days after filing .
- Once entered, a decree of dissolution is final when entered, subject to the right of appeal .

The sources set these statutory minimums but do not specify how long a typical contested case takes beyond them, so for an estimate of your specific timeline, consult a licensed Arizona family law attorney.