Reviewed August 2026
Court Hearings in Arizona
In Arizona, divorce and legal separation cases go to Superior Court. A spouse who needs a decision while the case is pending, on temporary custody, parenting time, support, or who stays in the house, requests it through a motion for temporary orders. The Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure govern that motion. This is the statewide rulebook for family cases. A temporary orders request does not wait for the divorce to finish. It sets a workable arrangement for the household while the case stays open. It gets its own hearing, separate from the eventual trial or final resolution. Arizona's Superior Court relies heavily on judges pro tempore and commissioners, not just elected judges, to hear family law calendars. This is especially true in busier counties. Arizona has also moved a meaningful share of its court proceedings to phone and video since 2020. Statewide administrative orders identify which case types are presumed virtual and which are expected in person. Each of Arizona's 15 counties runs its own Superior Court, so the exact steps for filing and scheduling can vary somewhat by county.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how court hearings works under Arizona law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Arizona paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Requesting temporary orders
In an Arizona family case, a party who needs an interim decision files a motion for temporary orders. This can ask the court to set temporary legal decision-making authority, Arizona's term for custody, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, or exclusive use of the home or a vehicle. It applies while the divorce or legal separation is pending. The Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure govern the request and response. These are the statewide rules for every Superior Court family case. The underlying case can take months to resolve. A temporary orders motion puts a working arrangement in place sooner. The motion must be verified or supported by an affidavit. It should clearly state what relief is requested and why it is needed now rather than later.
Judges pro tempore and commissioners
Arizona's Superior Court does not rely only on elected judges for family law matters. Courts also use judges pro tempore, qualified attorneys appointed to hear cases on a temporary or part-time basis. In some counties, commissioners handle family law and other civil calendars too. The Arizona Supreme Court publishes pro tempore appointment orders as part of its administrative orders. Which judicial officer hears a given case, and how motions get calendared, depends on the county and division assigned. Parties should check the assignment notice they receive after filing. Maricopa County is the state's largest. There, family law cases are typically assigned to a specific judge or commissioner for the life of the case. The same person generally handles both the temporary orders motion and the eventual trial.
How a temporary orders hearing gets scheduled
After a motion for temporary orders is filed and served, the opposing party can respond under the Rules of Family Law Procedure before the court acts. The court's next step depends on the county and judicial officer. It may set a hearing, resolve the motion on the paperwork alone, or require conciliation or mediation first when children's issues are contested. Scheduling practice, including how quickly a hearing date becomes available, varies by county. Each Superior Court division manages its own family law calendar. Some counties use a standardized Resolution Management Conference early in the case. This can affect when a temporary orders hearing is set relative to other case events.
Virtual and in-person hearings
Arizona courts have operated under statewide administrative orders on remote appearances since the pandemic. That guidance identifies which hearing categories are presumed virtual and which are expected in person. Courts describe a virtual or remote hearing as one attended by phone or video rather than in the courtroom. The same rules of conduct apply either way. Whether a specific hearing, such as a temporary orders hearing, will be virtual or in person depends on the case type and local court practice. The court provides access information before the hearing. A party can generally choose to appear in person even for a presumptively virtual hearing. They should notify the court in advance if that is the plan.
What happens at a temporary orders hearing
A temporary orders hearing is narrower than a trial. The judicial officer decides what arrangement should apply while the case remains open, not the whole case. Depending on the county's practice, that can mean a shorter evidentiary hearing with limited testimony. Some are decided on the motion, response, and any attached declarations, without live testimony. Typical subjects are interim legal decision-making authority and parenting time, temporary child or spousal support, and who has use of the home or a vehicle. Whatever the court orders stays temporary. It can be replaced once the case reaches its final resolution. Parties are generally expected to bring recent income and expense documentation to support any support-related request.
Sources: Arizona Judicial Branch, Self-Service Center, Family Law section, Arizona Judicial Branch, Self-Service Center, Virtual Hearings, Arizona Judicial Branch, Self-Service Center, Family Law overview
Not independently confirmed
- The specific rule number for temporary orders under the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure (commonly cited as Rule 47) was not confirmed against a directly fetched copy of the current rules text for this page; confirm the current rule number on the Arizona Judicial Branch rules site.
- The exact scope of what commissioners versus judges pro tempore are authorized to decide in family law cases varies by county and was not independently confirmed for every county.
- Whether temporary orders hearings specifically (as opposed to other family law hearing types) are presumed virtual or in person under current administrative orders was not confirmed; this depends on the county and should be checked with the assigned division.
- Whether Maricopa County's one-judge-per-case assignment practice applies statewide, or is specific to that county, was not independently confirmed for every Arizona county.
Court Hearings in Arizona: frequently asked questions
What is a motion for temporary orders in an Arizona divorce?+
The Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure govern this request. It asks the Superior Court to decide issues like temporary legal decision-making authority, parenting time, support, or use of the home while the divorce case is pending. This is separate from the final resolution and can be requested early. The motion should be supported by an affidavit or verified statement explaining why the relief is needed.
Who hears temporary orders motions in Arizona family court?+
It depends on the county and division assigned to the case. Arizona Superior Court uses a mix of elected judges, judges pro tempore appointed on a temporary basis, and in some counties commissioners handling family law calendars. The assignment notice sent after filing identifies the judicial officer, who typically stays with the case through the temporary orders stage and the final resolution.
Will my Arizona family court hearing be in person or by video?+
It depends on the case type and the court's local practice. Arizona courts operate under statewide administrative orders that presume certain hearing types are virtual, by phone or video, while others are expected in person. The court provides access information before the hearing. Parties can generally choose to appear in person even for a presumptively virtual hearing, as long as they notify the court in advance.
Do I need a hearing to get temporary orders in Arizona?+
Not always. After a motion for temporary orders is filed and the other side responds, the court decides its next step. It may set a hearing, decide the motion on the written filings, or require conciliation or mediation first for contested issues about children. Practice varies by county and by the judicial officer assigned, so timing can differ from one Superior Court division to another.
How long do temporary orders last in an Arizona divorce?+
Temporary orders apply only while the case is pending. They stay in effect until the court changes them or the case reaches a final decree. At that point, the final judgment controls custody, support, and property instead. Either party can ask the court to modify a temporary order if circumstances change significantly before the case concludes.
What can I ask the court to decide before my Arizona divorce is final?+
A motion for temporary orders can ask the Superior Court to set interim legal decision-making authority, parenting time, and child or spousal support. It can also decide who has exclusive use of the home or a vehicle while the case is pending. It creates a workable arrangement, not a permanent resolution, and either side can later ask the court to revisit it.
This page is general information about court hearings in Arizona, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Arizona's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Arizona. Virdix does not prepare or file Arizona divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Arizona.
More Arizona divorce guides
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