The topic of this article with an Enholm Law, PLLC Arizona Divorce Lawyer is the subject of Covenant Marriage. Covenant Marriage was voted into law on August 21, 1998 and approximately 1% of all Marriages in Arizona are Covenant Marriages. A rebuttal statistic, according to Scott D. Drewianka of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, states that only one-fourth of one percent of couples who seek marriage in Arizona select Covenant Marriage.
An Arizona Divorce Lawyer must be familar with sections 25-901 through 25-906 of the Arizona Revised Statues that pertain to Marriage and Domestic Relations. A couple must enter written agreements that contain specific wording, along with an affidavit stating that they have undergone counseling with a member of the clergy or a marriage counselor. This must be accompanied by a notarized statement from the individual, or group, they have received counseling from. For a consultation concerning entering into covenant marriage, or for the requirements involved in dissolving a covenant marriage, call an Enholm Law, PLLC Arizona Divorce Lawyer today.
Why Covenant Marriage?
Couples enter into Covenant Marriages for a variety of reasons. Many people enter into Covenant Marriages on the grounds of their religious beliefs. A Covenant Marriage carries with it the promise that this is a marriage that is a commitment between couples that will last for a lifetime. Covenant Marriages carry with them the promise of seeking out counseling during times of trouble, discussions concerning the much more difficult process of terminating a Covenant Marriage and the promise that this is truly about “till death do us part”.
Couples who are already married can change their existing marriage to a covenant marriage. This is accomplished by signing a marriage license affidavit along with a “Declaration of Intent to Enter Into a Covenant Marriage” form at the Marriage License Office.
Divorce and the Covenant Marriage
A covenant marriage is more difficult to dissolve than a “regular” marriage. It is not unusual that the court will not even hear a Divorce with a Covenant Marriage unless the couple has been separated for as little as one year and has attended counseling. The Superior Court can only enter an order of divorce to a couple for one of these eight reasons:
- The couple both agree to terminate the marriage.
- A spouse commits adultery.
- The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for at least two years before the filing for divorce.
- A spouse has abandoned the other for at least one year before the filing for divorce, and refuses to return.
- A spouse has physically or sexually abused the other, a child, a relative of either spouse permanently living with them, or has committed domestic violence or emotional abuse.
- A spouse commits a felony and has been sentenced to death or imprisonment.
- The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for at least one year from the date of a legal separation.
- A spouse has habitually abused drugs or alcohol.
Protect Your Rights
There is no replacement for solid legal advice from an experienced and compassionate legal professional. The Enholm Law, PLLC Arizona Divorce Lawyer you speak with has extensive experience with Divorce in Arizona. Enholm Law, PLLC promises clear fee structures, easy payment plans, comprehensive trial plans, excellent communication and ongoing training in all areas of Arizona Family Law.
To protect your rights, and look out for the best interests of your future, Call (602)889-6273 for a initial consultation with an Enholm Law, PLLC Arizona Divorce Lawyer today.
