Arizona Family Law Blog

People in Arizona who are getting a divorce may do so because of religious differences, financial issues or marriage at too young an age. These were only a few of the reasons cited by the 31 women and 21 men in a survey by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. All of the people who participated in the survey had been in a program called PREP 14 years earlier that taught conflict resolution and communication skills to couples.

The most common factor cited by people who divorced was a lack of commitment with three-quarters mentioning it. More than half said infidelity was a factor, and it was the top reason cited as the final straw that ended the marriage. Just behind infidelity was too much arguing.

Parents in Arizona who get a divorce might also have to work out a parenting schedule. They should not treat this as an opportunity to get back at one another because they are angry about the divorce. The parenting schedule's purpose is for the child to be able to build a healthy relationship with both parents post-divorce.

With this in mind, parents should think about what will be convenient for the child and not for them. They should consider the logistics of where each of them lives and the distance from the child's school. They should also consider the child's activities outside of school. Older children sometimes want to have a say in the schedule. Particular considerations may need to be in place for children with special needs.

Getting a divorce can be worthwhile for an Arizona spouse who's in a toxic or abusive relationship. It can also be a good decision for someone who's simply ready to move on with their life. However, money can play a role in determining when to actually go about ending a marriage. At a minimum, it can be difficult to make ends meet on half the money that used to be available to cover household expenses.

When a person chooses to get a divorce, it may require the help of many different types of professionals. A therapist could be necessary to deal with the emotional fallout while an accountant may be needed to handle the financial impact of the separation. In addition, an attorney is often necessary for navigating divorce-related legal issues.

Research suggests that parents in Arizona and throughout the country share custody of their children if possible. This is true even if the child is a toddler. Generally speaking, allowing a child to stay overnight with a mother or father is not going to harm their development. Furthermore, having both parents share custody can be good for the family as a whole. Children in such an environment had fewer mental, physical and behavioral problems.

They also tended to have better relationships with their parents and others in their lives. Finally, shared custody led to children with less stress and greater satisfaction in their lives. These conclusions were based on an analysis of 54 studies. Researchers said that children were better off in joint custody situations even when the parents experienced conflict in their own relationships. That result was based mostly on the fact that noncustodial fathers didn't see their children as often when they didn't have custody.