Recently in Legal Separation Category

If you and your spouse are considering divorce in Arizona, you should know that the state does offer conciliation counseling under ARS§ 25-381. According to the Maricopa County Superior Court, conciliation counseling is brief and has the goal of assisting parties in making an informed and thoughtful decision regarding their marital relationship.

Upon completion of the court’s conciliation counseling services, the parties can be referred to community-based counseling services for further assistance if the two parties express such an interest. The final decision regarding a marriage is made between the spouses themselves, where reconciliation of a marriage is never forced upon the spouses during the counseling process.

The family drama in the Schwarzenegger-Shriver split just got a bit more complicated, as California's former Governor admitted to the media this week that he had fathered a child with one of his household staff members and that he had kept the secret from his wife for 10 years.

The 10-year-old love child is a reason why the 25-year marriage between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver is coming to an end. ABC News reports that the woman with whom Schwarzenegger reportedly fathered the child worked for the family until January of this year.

Schwarzenegger apparently continues to provide for the child financially.

A judge in Marin County, California signed off on the divorce between actors Sean Penn and Robin Wright, making their divorce officially finalized. Their split, which became official on July 27, shows just how complicated a divorce can get.

E! Online reports that "Forrest Gump" star Robin Wright first filed for divorce in December 2007, but withdrew the divorce petition in April 2008. The couple then filed for legal separation in 2009, but their case was later dismissed after the two reconciled. Later that year, Robin Wright's divorce filed the divorce papers for a second time, citing irreconcilable differences.

Phoenix family lawyers not only deal with legal issues relating to divorce, but also represent clients who are going through a legal separation. But what happens if you have filed for legal separation, but change your mind and would instead like to completely end your marriage? Can you convert that request for legal separation to a petition for a Dissolution of Marriage?

In the state of Arizona, the answer is yes. In fact, Phoenix family lawyers say that if you change your mind about legal separation and would like to go ahead with a divorce, the process is very simple. According to the Maricopa County Superior Court's website, the petitioner can file an amended petition to convert the legal separation to a dissolution of marriage under the same came number, as long as the legal separation case is not yet final. Before the case is final, the respondent in a legal separation case may also indicate in the response that he or she wishes to convert the legal separation into a dissolution.

It looks like some of the Gores are having trouble with their marriages. According to New York Daily News, Karenna Gore Schiff, who is the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, recently split up from her husband of 12 years and the estranged couple have been going to marriage counseling sessions.

Perhaps Karenna Gore Schiff will be facing more family law trouble than her father because she has three young children with her husband Drew Schiff. Since the separation, both Al and Tipper Gore have been helping Karenna with the kids who are now ages 10, 8, and 3.

Parents who are involved in the process of divorce or legal separation in Arizona are usually required to attend a parent information program that is intended to teach parents about the impact of restructuring of families on children.

This is a requirement under the Arizona law ARS§ 25-351: "Domestic Relations Education on Children's Issues," which states that each county must implement an educational program that educates families on how judicial involvement can affect children. Under this law, the Superior Court of Maricopa County has implemented the Parent Information Program (PIP).

Al and Tipper Gore may each need a family law attorney when it comes to their legal separation. After 44 years of marriage, the Washington Post reported that the Gores announced in an e-mail that they would be separating.

The e-mail read, "This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration." With a separation, the couple will still remain legally married but will be living apart. Alimony can be awarded during a period of separation, which is one reason why couples may get family law attorneys involved with the separation process.

It's official. Nas is a single man, since the finalization of his divorce last week. BET reports that him and his estranged wife Kelis were able to finalize their divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, but their battle of alimony and child support could be far from over.

Nas and Kelis reportedly filed for legal separation in April 2009, claiming that they had irreconcilable differences. Their separation led to a request for divorce, which was granted after the divorce lawyers stepped in.