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Referrals to out of state attorneys
- I often get requests for referrals for a family law attorney in another state. The best place for out of state referrals is American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and click on "locate an attorney". AAML is the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which maintains very high standards for membership and which has members in most states. Even if a specific AAML member is unable to take on a family law case, it's a cinch that the AAML member will refer your case on to a highly competent family law attorney in that state.
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New edition of Arizona Family Law Rules Handbook
- The newest (2008) edition of the Arizona Family Law Rules Handbook (published by Thompson/ West) is now available. This edition includes the rules changes that went into effect January 1, 2008 and has a discussion of pending changes that may be adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court this year.
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Maricopa Family Law Judge Rotations 2008
- Maricopa County Family Court Judge reassignments 2008-rotations occur June 16-18, 2008 except as noted.
Judge Gregory Martin's calendar, which has been recently handled by Judge pro tem Susan Brnovich, is taken by Judge Alfred Fenzel. This rotation occurred in mid-April.
Judge Fenzel's calendar (in SEJD) is taken by Judge Ed Bassett. This rotation occurred in mid-April.
Judge Robert Budoff's calendar is taken by Judge Robert Miles.
Judge Kenneth Mangum's calendar is taken by Judge Michael Gordon.
Judge Ballinger's calendar is taken by Judge Carey Hyatt (NE)
Judge Brian Hauser's calendar is taken by Judge Paul Katz (NE).
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Arizona Family Law Rules -- the latest
- The family law rules continue to be updated and refined. Some changes and corrections to the Rules took effect January 1, 2008; other changes are part of a pending rules petition, and if adopted by the Supreme Court, will take effect January 1, 2009. To make things even more complicated, there will be additional changes which will kick in January 1, 2010.
It is crucial for Arizona family law attorneys to keep track of Rules changes through CLE offered by the State Bar or by monitoring the Supreme Court's Rules Forum website.
Frankly, the Supreme Court Rules Forum site is not the easiest thing to navigate. But this is the only site I'm aware of that has the most current versions of the pending (2009) Rules changes.
The easiest way for an attorney to monitor the changes is the Thompson/ West volume "Arizona Family Law Rules Handbook", 2008 edition.
Of course the other Thompson/ West products such as the Arizona Family Law and Rules volume (the paperbound volume we all receive every year) also has the most current version of the Rules, but the Handbook listed above includes a discussion that points out WHAT rules changed, and how, and what changes are pending for the coming year.
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Department of Child Support Enforcement
- The Department of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) has a new website at http://www.AZDES.gov./DCSE. The new website includes a huge FAQ section and interactive means to check on personal case information for IV-D and DES cases. Information and assistance is available for locating the non-custodial parent; establishing legal paternity; establishing a child support order; enforcing child support orders, and collecting child support payments.
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Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure
- The Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure (ARFLP) were developed by a Supreme Court Committee designed to improve Arizona's family court system. Family court and domestic relations cases statewide will operate under the new Rules of Procedure for Domestic Relations Cases. The Rules were adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court in October, 2005 and became applicable to all family court cases starting January 1, 2006.
The Rules are being constantly reviewed, and comments about them, or proposals for changes or improvements, should be addressed to the State Bar of Arizona Family Law Practice and Procedure Committee.
A complete version of the Rules, and the suggested forms associated with the new Rules, are available at the original Rules website at http://www.supreme.state.az.us/drrc/
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Arizona Child Support Guidelines
- The latest version of Arizona's child support guidelines were effective January 1, 2005, as the result of the usual four-year review and revisions which are mandated by federal law.
The Arizona Supreme Court has recently appointed a committee to update the Guidelines, in accordance with federal law. That committee website is found at ChildSupportGuidelinesComm
Meetings of this committee started in April, 2008 and are scheduled throughout 2008. Meeting information, a membership list, agendas and minutes can be found on the website.
One change to the 2005 Guidelines is a "presumptive termination date" for the end of child support payments. The presumptive termination date will be the date child support ends for the youngest of all the children included in this child support order, which is usually May 31 of the year the child is expected to graduate high school, or the child's 18th birthday, if that comes later.
The monetary schedules to the Guidelines were updated and those changes alone will result in different levels of child support - some higher, some lower - at different levels of income.
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