A default judgment may be entered when a properly served respondent fails to respond to the petition within the required time. In Arizona family law, 20 days if served in Arizona, 30 days if served out of state. A default allows the petitioning party to proceed without the other party’s participation.

The court still must have jurisdiction and must enter orders that comply with Arizona law. You cannot obtain unsupported or improper relief through default, especially regarding children, support, or property.

A respondent who receives family law papers should act immediately. Default applications and default hearings can move a case forward on a timeline that does not wait for the non-responding party.

If you have missed a response deadline or a default has been entered against you, contact an attorney right away. There are circumstances where default can be set aside but the window for doing so is not unlimited.