Mother holding her daughter after she had just gotten out of school.

Arizona Family and Divorce Attorney

Peace of Mind

THAT 29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CAN OFFER

As a practice dedicated to family law, our focus is on what’s right for you, your family, and your future.

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Explore Our Services

Our firm is well versed in all family law matters whether it be divorce, pre or post nuptial agreements, or third-party rights. Below, you'll find some of the services we offer.

Dissolving the Marriage

When you decide the time is right, we're here to get you prepared.

Divorce is not a failure. It happens, and it doesn’t have to have catastrophic repercussions. Having a skilled and experienced lawyer can make all the difference, allowing you some peace as we sort out the more complicated issues. This can be an involved and demanding process, but when the time is right, we can help you emerge from it strong, resourceful, and ready to move on.

Alternatives

In certain cases, divorce may not be the right option. We've outlined your options below:

Legal Separation

A legal separation means going through the entire divorce process (divide property, split finances, oversee child custody, etc.) without officially terminating the marriage, thus preserving the legal marriage. A legal separation is reversible, a divorce is not.

Mediation

Instead of representing one party, we act as a mediator to help dissolve the marriage. Here, both parties have full control over the details of the divorce, not the court. This requires spouses to be on the same page and engage in open communication.

Counseling

If the timing isn’t right, or there is still the opportunity to work on the marriage, counseling may be beneficial and help avoid the need to engage in the legal process. We are happy to recommend counselors we have come to know and trust.

Resources

It’s tough navigating all the divorce information on the internet. Below we’ve outlined a few resources that we consider “must reads”:

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation today.

Everyones situation is unique. Let’s meet and discuss yours!

    Minimize the impact

    DIVORCE IMPACTS CHILDREN. WE CAN HELP MINIMIZE IT.

    Where children are involved, their happiness and well-being are the most important thing. In making decisions, courts will predominately consider the best interests of the children. Keeping the status quo and acting as a united front can be hard to do, especially when communication becomes less cordial or there are less points of agreement. In any issue that comes up, whether it’s deciphering parenting time, figuring out child support, or a relocation issue, we can handle it.

    Child Custody

    There are two types of custody: legal and physical. These will typically be split 50/50, but all situations are different. Each can be adjusted accordingly to have both sound authority over decision making and a practical custody schedule.

    Child Support

    Arizona has set guidelines for how to calculate the amount of child support owed. This may be modifiable due to a substantial and continuing change in circumstance. Below, we’ve linked the Child Support Worksheet used by attorneys and the court for your reference.

    Severance

    Parental rights may be severed with parental consent or by a court finding that there is a sufficient basis for terminating their rights. Typically, this applies to situations where there is neglect, abuse, incarceration, drug abuse, or abandonment.

    Relocation

    You may have gotten a new job opportunity or are looking to move with your child for other reasons. However, one parent may not relocate the child without the Court’s consent. This decision is subject to the court’s discretion and will require proof that the move is in the child’s best interest.

    Resources

    It’s tough navigating all the child custody and support information on the internet. Below we’ve outlined a few great tools provided and used by the Arizona courts:

    • Parenting plans are implemented in every divorce involving children. The Arizona Courts have created an introductory guide of what these plans may look like: Read it here.
    • To see what Child Support would be in your situation, the Court has provided the calculator they use to determine the amount. Child Support can always be negotiated if there is a disagreement, and can be changed if the parties agree to deviate: Use it here.

    Schedule a free 30-minute consultation today.

    Everyones situation is unique. Let’s meet and discuss yours!

      More Than Just Divorce

      FAMILY LAW CAN IMPACT US ALL, NO MATTER THE POINT IN OUR LIVES.

      Family law is an umbrella term for any issues that involve domestic relations. We have represented clients in all stages of their lives, whether it’s planning their nuptials, establishing paternity of a child, or modifying existing agreements as circumstances change. Highlighted below are the topics that are most commonly asked about.

      Third-Party Rights

      These cases involve a third-party, not the parents, who play a significant role in the child’s life. A third-party may be entitled to visitation with the child, should it be in the child’s best interest. This is commonly referred to as Grandparent’s Rights.

      Paternity

      Establishing paternity, also known as Father’s Rights, applies when a child is born outside of marriage. Until paternity is established, a father may not have any rights towards legal decision making for the child or parenting time. Paternity may also be established for child support.

      Prenuptial Agreements

      A prenuptial agreement lays out all property each individual owns before the marriage and specifies how it will be treated during the marriage or upon divorce. This can benefit those with large amounts of wealth, business investments, investments, debt, or obligations from previous marriages.

      Postnuptial Agreements

      A postnuptial agreement is similar to a prenuptial, only it’s implemented after the marriage has taken place. These can be useful as circumstances change, like when a spouse takes on new debts or investments. There is no time limit on when you can or should enter into a post-nuptial agreement.

      Modifications

      Modifications are a natural and necessary part of family law because children are always growing, and life is changing. With these changes come different needs. Any agreements made in settlement or by the courts can be modified. We are routinely involved in representing clients looking to modify child support and custody, spousal maintenance, and other specifics.

      Schedule a free 30-minute consultation today.

      Everyones situation is unique. Let’s meet and discuss yours!

        Meet the Firm

        The McGill Law Firm has provided exceptional legal services for 28 years. Handling a wide variety of cases from the simplest separations to litigating the most high conflict divorces, including international matters in the Hague Convention. As a firm exclusively dedicated to family law, we understand the sensitive nature of these matters and are always working towards solutions for our clients. Our expertise includes foundational family law matters, child support and custody, spousal maintenance, pre and post nuptial agreements, complex property division and business valuations, and paternity matters.

        Tailored to You.

        You can expect a tailored, personal experience knowing you’ll always be able to reach out to us.

        Peace of Mind.

        There’s a lot of unknown territory, we’re here to help you navigate this time and emerge stronger.

        Lasting Support.

        Having a trusted attorney means knowing you can always come back, we’re here for you.

        The Southwest Business Center Building
        Attorney Patrick McGill

        Patrick J. McGill

        Admitted to the Arizona State Bar in 1994, Patrick has exclusively practiced family law for nearly thirty years. He has been trusted to represent judges and lawyers in the Valley, as well as a variety of professionals from business owners to doctors, engineers, and accountants. Before becoming an attorney, Patrick served in the United States Marine Corps from 1980 through 1986.

        Attorney Emily McGill

        Emily N. McGill

        After graduating from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and passing the Arizona State Bar in 2022, Emily joined her father’s law practice after working in the firm for three years as a legal assistant. While in school, she worked with the City of Tempe in business development, as well as boutique firms focused on commercial real estate, contracts, and business.

        Frequently Asked Questions

        Over the years, we get asked the same handful of questions. To either answer some of these same questions you may have or spark new ones, we’ve provided some answers.

        It is not required that someone moves out of the house but is commonly done because of the inability to get along. Staying in the same house can sometimes be a good idea to save money or keep everyday life normal for children but is not required.

        In today’s age, it’s hard to keep anything a secret. When it comes to divorcing, a misappropriation of funds will always be noticeable and found during the Discovery process. It will then be brought into the community and divided equally.

        The court looks to a variety of factors, all listed under Arizona Revised Statutes § 25-319(B). These factors include the standard of living established during the marriage, the duration of the marriage, the age, employment, and earning ability of the spouse seeking payment, if the paying spouse has the ability to meet the financial needs of the other, and many more. To get a better idea of your situation, we recommend scheduling a free 30-minute initial consultation.

        By Arizona law, a parent who exercises joint legal decision making only has to provide written notice to the other parent that they’re moving if that move is out of state or more than 100 miles away from their current location within the same state.

        When it comes to parenting, the best solution is always what works best for you both and what you can agree on. However, that isn’t always as simple as it sounds, and the courts can issue temporary child custody agreements and parenting plans. The courts tend to make these orders permanent if they have been working for the parents, so it’s important to discuss these issues early.

        The simple answer is no. When a spouse is served with divorce papers, they have either 20 or 30 days to respond. If they fail to respond, the next step is for your attorney to file an Application and Affidavit of Default, resulting in a much quicker divorce proceeding. This process tends to highly disfavor the unresponsive spouse.

        We're ready when you are,
        contact us today.

        We offer free 30-minute consultations to get an idea of your situation and see if we’re the right fit.


          Address

          4500 S. Lakeshore Dr. Suite #300
          Tempe, AZ 85282

          Contact

          Reception
          Tel: (480) 768-9301

          Office Hours

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          9:00 am – 5:00 pm