Arizona: A No-Fault Divorce State
Each state in the United States sets its own guidelines when it comes to acceptable grounds for divorces. All states offer no-fault divorces in some capacity, meaning a couple can file for divorce by simply deciding they no longer want to be married, but each state sets its own guidelines for how it carries out its divorces, with some allowing for the option of fault divorces and others requiring a period of separation before filing.
Only seventeen states within the country are true no-fault states, meaning they allow only for no-fault divorces. As of 2023, these states are California, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Hawaii, Florida, and Colorado.
All other states offer both at-fault and no-fault divorce options.
The state of Arizona is generally a no-fault divorce state. This means that, in a typical marriage, a spouse can file for divorce simply on the grounds of the marriage being irretrievably broken, rather than needing to prove that either spouse did something to cause the divorce. The fact that Arizona allows for covenant marriages prevents it from being considered a true no-fault divorce state. Covenant marriages prevent no-fault divorces. Couples can only file for an at-fault divorce or legally separate in certain circumstances.
No-fault divorces are beneficial because they don’t require the parties to spend time, money, and resources investigating each other to establish blame or wrongdoing. Moreover, the couple will not be denied a divorce as a result of failing to prove such wrongdoing or blame.
Rideout Law Group handles cases throughout the entire state of Arizona, with offices located in Scottsdale and Lake Havasu City. Our attorneys are experienced in handling divorce cases. For a free consultation, call 480-584-3328.