What's the Difference Between Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage? [Infographic]
What's the Difference Between Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage
Most people are already familiar with the term divorce, a word that describes the ending of a marriage.
In Arizona, the legal term for ending a marriage is "dissolution of marriage", which is the phrase used in Arizona divorce documents.
Aside from a difference in nomenclature, however, divorce and "dissolution of marriage" refer to the exact same thing. Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding Arizona divorce/dissolution of marriage.
Filing for Divorce To file for divorce in Arizona, a party must file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage form. The party who files this form is known as the Petitioner, and the person responding to this petition is known as the Respondent.
Who Can File for Arizona Divorce? As outlined by A.R.S. § 25-312, a spouse must have been a resident of Arizona for at least 90 days to file for divorce.
Are Specific Reasons Needed to File for Divorce in Arizona? Arizona is a no-fault divorce state, so no spouse must give a specific reason for the divorce. Rather, a spouse simply needs to state their belief that the marriage is "irretrievably broken."
The sole exception to the "irretrievably broken" standard applies if the marriage in question was a covenant marriage.
A party who entered into a covenant marriage must prove there are grounds for divorce as defined by A.R.S. § 25-903.
Contact us for a legal consultation if you are in need of an Arizona divorce lawyer who will help you legally end your marriage.
Sources: http://www.azlawhelp.org/documents/azlawhelp_Divorce.pdf https://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/sscDocs/pdf/drda10fz.pdf http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/25/00312.htm http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/25/00903.htm