Tempe Divorce Papers: Forms, Filing & Cost (2026)

Every Tempe divorce starts with the same paperwork: a Arizona petition, a marital settlement agreement, required financial disclosures, and a proposed final decree. The forms are free; getting them filled out correctly is the hard part.

This guide walks through every form a Tempe divorce requires, where to get it, how to fill it out, and the most common mistakes that send a packet back from the Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center clerk.

Required Divorce Papers for a Tempe Filing

Arizona requires a standard packet for every divorce filing. Your Tempe case will include the following core documents:

• Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — the foundation document — identifies the parties, asserts Arizona jurisdiction, states the no-fault ground, and asks the court to grant the divorce.

• Marital Settlement Agreement — the contract that resolves property, debts, support, and (if applicable) custody. The court turns this into the final order.

• Financial Disclosure Forms — Arizona's mechanism to ensure full financial transparency between spouses before the court divides anything. Usually a sworn financial affidavit covering income, assets, debts, and expenses.

• Summons — the notice served on the responding spouse (skipped when filing jointly or with a waiver of service).

• Parenting Plan + Child Support Worksheet — required when minor children are involved. Spells out custody, parenting time, decision-making, and the calculated child support number.

• Proposed Decree of Dissolution of Marriage — the order the judge will sign at the end. You draft it; the court approves it.

Several Arizona counties add local forms — typically a case information sheet, a notice regarding minor children, or an e-filing service contact form. The Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center clerk's office is the source of truth for what your specific case needs.

Getting the Right Forms for Your Tempe Divorce

There are three paths to the right Arizona forms — pick based on how much time and attention you want to spend:

• The Arizona courts website (free). Every required form is published as a fillable PDF. You'll need to identify the correct forms for your situation, download them, and fill them out yourself.

• The Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center self-help center (free). Many Arizona courthouses staff a self-help clerk who can hand you a paper packet and answer non-legal questions about which forms apply.

• Online divorce services like Divorce.com™ (flat fee). The service prepares the entire packet from a guided questionnaire, so you never see a blank state form. Saves the most time; not free.

Skip random "free divorce forms" sites. They're often the wrong state, the wrong version, or missing the local addenda your county requires. The Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center bounces these back.

Filling Out Arizona Divorce Paperwork Correctly

The hard part of Arizona divorce paperwork isn't finding the forms — it's filling them out so the Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center clerk accepts them on the first try. A few rules:

• Use legal names, not nicknames. The name on the petition has to match the name on your marriage certificate and on every supporting document.

• State the Arizona residency requirement on the petition. 90 days in Arizona. The petition typically requires a sworn statement that you meet it.

• Cite the no-fault ground. Arizona is no-fault; "irretrievably broken" is sufficient. An uncontested filing should reference this language directly.

• Match dollar amounts across forms. The financial affidavit, settlement agreement, and (if applicable) child support worksheet should all reconcile — clerks check for this.

• Sign and date in front of a notary where required. Several forms — settlement agreements, financial affidavits — require notarized signatures. Don't sign in advance.

• Don't leave any field blank. Write "N/A" or "None" rather than skipping a question. Blanks are interpreted as incomplete forms.

Where to File Your Tempe Divorce Paperwork

Your packet goes to Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center. Arizona supports e-filing through AZTurboCourt (azturbocourt.gov), so most Tempe filers submit electronically rather than walking the papers into the clerk.

Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center
222 E. Javelina Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85210

• Filing fee: approximately $305–$360, paid at submission. Arizona accepts fee waiver applications for filers under income limits.

• E-filing system: AZTurboCourt (azturbocourt.gov). Most Arizona counties now accept the full divorce packet electronically.

• Paper filing alternative: still available in most counties for filers who prefer to walk the packet into the clerk's office.

After You File: Service, Settlement, Decree

Filing the papers is the first step, not the last. After the court accepts your packet, three things still need to happen:

• Service on the responding spouse — accomplished by Acceptance of Service (signed by the spouse), by sheriff, or by process server. Skipped entirely for joint petitions in counties that allow them.

• Arizona waiting period — 60-day waiting period after service. Used to finalize the settlement agreement and exchange any required financial disclosures.

• Submission of the signed settlement + proposed decree — after the wait expires. Most uncontested cases are decided on the documents without a hearing.

• Certified copies of the Decree of Dissolution of Marriage — issued by the clerk after the judge signs. Order multiple; you'll need them for DMV, banks, retirement accounts, and beneficiary updates.

Common Mistakes With Tempe Divorce Papers

Most Tempe divorce papers are rejected for the same handful of reasons. Avoid these and your packet typically clears on the first review:

• Missing signature or notary block. The most common single rejection reason. Every signature line needs to be completed; notary stamps need to be present on forms that require them.

• Inconsistent financial figures. If the income on your financial affidavit doesn't match the income on the child support worksheet, the clerk will catch it.

• Using outdated form versions. State courts revise forms periodically. Always download from the official site within a few days of filing.

• Wrong court/wrong venue. Filings need to go to the correct Arizona court for your county of residence. The Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center handles Tempe divorce cases.

• Incomplete settlement agreement. The agreement should resolve every issue — property, debts, support, custody (if applicable). Vague language gets bounced back.

• Wrong filing fee. Fees change. Check the current schedule at the clerk's office before submitting.

What Tempe Divorce Papers Actually Cost

• DIY (free forms, you fill out): $305–$460 total. Filing fees, notary, certified copies.

• Divorce.com™ (flat-fee form prep + filing): $804–$1459 total. Service fee $499–$999 plus court filing fee.

• Attorney-prepared papers (full retainer): $1,500–$3,500 for uncontested cases; $7,500+ for contested.

The Easiest Way to Handle Tempe Divorce Papers

When the forms feel like too much, Divorce.com™ is the alternative — a guided questionnaire that generates the full Arizona packet, e-files it with the Maricopa County Superior Court, Southeast Regional Center, and gives you a real Case Manager to ask when something feels off. Flat fee.