When you have been served with papers & you do not agree with what the other is asking for, you must file a Response or the other party will automatically get what they asked for in the petition.

Dissolution of marriage (or divorce) is a court procedure to end the marriage, provide for child custody, support, visitation, division of community property & debts, & in some cases, spousal maintenance (or alimony). Throughout this document, the words Dissolution & Divorce may be intermingled and construed to mean the same. Either you or your spouse must live in Arizona or have been stationed in Arizona while a member of the Armed Forces for at least 90 days before you can file for a divorce or legal separation.

You may request that the Court waive or defer payment of the filing or response fees. Forms must be completed & signed by you & submitted to the Court

No reasons or “grounds” are required to get a divorce in Arizona, other than one spouses belief that the marriage is irretrievably broken & cannot continue. If either spouse believes the marriage can be saved & is not irretrievably broken, he or she can ask for free marriage counseling through Conciliation Services.

One spouse, called the Petitioner, files a request or a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (along with several other required papers) with the Clerk of Court & pays the filing fee. The other spouse, called the Respondent, is served with the Petition & other papers. If the Respondent does not agree with what the Petitioner has requested in the Petition, the Respondent must file a Response no later than 20 days (30 days if out of state) after he or she was served with the papers. However, if the Respondent agrees with everything contained in the Petition, then a Response is not necessary.
If the Respondent does not file a Response within the time allowed, the Petitioner can apply to the Court to proceed by default because the Respondent has not objected in writing. The Petitioner must then file an Application for Entry of Default with the Court. The Petitioner can proceed with the dissolution by default, if the Respondent does not file a Response within 10 days after the Application for Entry of Default is filed with the Court. The Respondent will not be able to participate nor have his or her desires considered by the Court in granting the Decree of Dissolution.
If the Respondent did not file a Response in time and is “defaulted,” a brief default hearing is held in court in which only the Petitioner is required to be present to testify & submit the Decree of Dissolution for the commissioner or judge to sign.
At any time the spouses may agree on custody, visitation, child support, property & debt division, spousal maintenance or any of the other issues that have not been agreed to earlier. The total agreement approved & signed by both spouses must then be made part of the Decree of Dissolution & presented to the judge or commissioner for approval.