Tucson Family Law Blog

When you and your spouse married, you knew you were entering a complicated union. Your love was not limited to your spouse because he or she also had a child from a previous relationship. It may not have been your ideal situation, but the more time you spent together as a family, the more you wondered about the possibility of adopting your spouse's child as your own.

Aside from the emotional aspect of solidifying your relationship with the child, there are legal reasons for wanting to adopt a stepchild. For example, if anything should happen to your spouse, you would probably have no legal right to make decisions for his or her child. Your stepchild also has no automatic right to inherit from your estate. With these and other benefits in mind, adoption may seem like the most reasonable decision.

Arizona grandparents may have serious concerns over what will happen to their relationship with their children in the event that the marriage ends or there are disputes over extended family visitation. Grandparents have an important role in the life of their grandkids, and it is a relationship worth protecting.

There are cases in which it is possible for a grandparent to seek and receive visitation rights. In rarer cases, it might be possible for a grandparent to receive custody rights of their grandkids. If you want to know how to maintain access to your grandkids and keep a strong relationship with them, it is helpful to seek a full understanding of your legal rights.

In Arizona and family courts around the world, it is becoming increasingly evident that decisions made during the divorce process are more likely to succeed when couples work through the process together. Negotiations and agreements settled outside a courtroom often have more relevance to the couple's unique situation, and spouses are more likely to abide by them if they had a hand in preparing them.

If you and your spouse are planning to divorce, you may have special concerns about the division of property. Arizona divides community property equally, but you and your spouse may have definite ideas about how you want to split what is yours. Courts encourage couples to take this step before coming to court, and you may benefit from some suggestions for achieving success in your negotiations.

The divorce process can be confusing and difficult, both emotionally and financially. However, just because you are preparing for divorce doesn't mean the process has to feel like a war with your spouse.

You and your spouse might have varying views regarding the best method for addressing matters such as property division, child custody and child support. If you and your future ex-spouse are willing to find common ground, you may benefit from using the procedure of collaborative divorce versus traditional divorce litigation in Arizona.