A.R.S. stands for Arizona Revised Statutes, the codified body of law enacted by the Arizona Legislature. Arizona family law is primarily governed by Title 25, which addresses marriage, dissolution, legal separation, property division, spousal maintenance, child support, legal decision making, parenting time, paternity, interstate support, and child custody jurisdiction.

When you see a citation like A.R.S. § 25-403 in a court order or a filing, it means the court or the attorney is pointing to a specific statute that controls the issue. Knowing which statute applies matters because statutes set the legal standards the court must follow.

Statutes do not work in isolation. They work together with the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure, local court practices, judicial guidelines, case law from the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and the specific facts of each family. A single statute rarely gives you the complete answer.

Throughout this glossary we connect terms to their controlling Arizona statute wherever possible. That connection is the starting point for understanding how the law applies to your situation.