Are You Responsible for the Debts Of Your Spouse in a Divorce?

The answer is: yes and no. The liability of debt is governed by A.R.S. § 25-215. It effectively states that any debt incurred during the course of the marriage that was intended to benefit the marriage is considered “community debt” for divorce purposes. This means that if you and your spouse have credit card debt…

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Listing Fake Father Can Cause Paternity Nightmare

Under Arizona law, when a child is born out of wedlock, the parents may file an acknowledgment of paternity (see form CS-127). Once this acknowledgment is signed and filed, courts operate under the presumption that the man named in the document is the child’s biological father. But what if the man named in the document…

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How Your Separate Property Can Be Transformed into Community Property

When you get divorced, not every piece of property is divided between the parties. Courts make a distinction between separate property and community property. Generally, community property is divided equitably between the spouses during a divorce. This often includes a home purchased by the parties, a car purchased by the parties, joint bank accounts, etc.…

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