What makes a divorce official in Arizona?
A divorce becomes official in Arizona when a judge signs the final decree. The judge will divorce you either in paperwork called a “Consent DecreeWhen the parties agree on all issues in a divorce, they draft and submit a Consent Decree. The Consent Decree should contain all the parties’ agreements on all the outstanding issues. Where children are involved, a Parenting Plan must be included with the Consent Decree. If…Read more about Consent Decree” (used where the spouses agree to all terms of the divorce) or “Decree of DissolutionThis is the document that actually divorces a couple. It will state that it ends the marriage and returns the parties to their status as single persons. It will also divide the property, determine spousal maintenance (if any), and the children's issues--either directly in the…Read more about Decree of Dissolution” (used where the judge must decide the outstanding issues). The legal decree officially dissolves (ends) the marriage, and the Court restores the parties to their status as single persons.