What "Family Court" means in Maricopa County
The Maricopa County Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county. Within Superior Court, the Family Court Department (often called the Family Division) handles all family law matters: divorce (dissolution), paternity, child custody and parenting time, child support, and post-decree modifications.
The Family Court Department operates out of multiple Phoenix locations including the Central Court Building and the Old Courthouse — both in downtown Phoenix on West Washington Street and adjacent blocks. Some matters are handled at the Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest Regional Centers depending on case type and venue.
The four main case types
- Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) — ends a marriage; resolves custody, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, and property division.
- Paternity — establishes legal parentage and sets parenting time, legal decision-making, and child support for parents who were never married.
- Modification — changes an existing order (custody, parenting time, or support) based on a substantial and continuing change in circumstances.
- Enforcement / Contempt — addresses a party's failure to comply with an existing order.
Supervised visitation can be ordered in any of these case types.
The lifecycle of a typical contested family law case
- Petition filed — one party files (Petitioner). The other party (Respondent) is served.
- Response filed — the Respondent has 20 days (in-state) or 30 days (out-of-state) to respond.
- Temporary Orders (if requested) — the court can issue interim orders on custody, parenting time, and support while the case is pending.
- Disclosure and Discovery — parties exchange financial disclosures (Form 11 / Form 13) and other relevant information.
- Resolution Management Conference — a status conference with the assigned Family Court judge to set deadlines and discuss settlement.
- Mediation / Settlement Conferences — most cases resolve before trial through negotiation, mediation, or settlement conferences.
- Trial — for the small percentage of cases that don't settle, a bench trial (no jury in family court) before a Superior Court judge.
- Final Decree or Final Orders — the court enters final orders resolving the case.
- Post-decree — modification and enforcement matters can be brought as needed.
Where supervised visitation enters the process
Supervised visitation can be ordered:
- At Temporary Orders — interim supervised parenting time while the case is pending
- In the Final Decree / Final Orders — long-term supervised parenting time as part of the parenting plan
- By Modification — changing an existing parenting time order to add or remove supervision
- By Emergency Order — when an immediate safety concern arises
For procedural detail on requesting it, see our guide to requesting supervised visitation in Arizona.
Key Maricopa County judicial officers and roles
Beyond the judge, several other professionals may be involved in a family law case where supervised visitation is at issue:
- Family Court Judge or Commissioner — issues orders, presides at hearings and trial
- Court Appointed Advisor (CAA) — investigates and reports to the court on best interests of the child
- Best Interests Attorney (BIA) — represents the child's interests as an attorney
- Therapeutic Interventionist — clinical professional working with the family on relationship issues
- Parenting Coordinator — appointed to help parents implement parenting orders post-decree
- Supervised Visitation Provider — a TruVisit Phoenix-style neutral third party present at visits
The appointment of these professionals is governed by ARFLP Rule 65.
Working with the court system as a parent
A few practical realities of the Maricopa County Family Court process:
- Cases take time. A divorce in Arizona has a mandatory 60-day cooling-off period from the date of service. Contested cases routinely take 6–12 months. Modifications can take similar time.
- Most cases settle. The vast majority of family law cases never reach trial. Settlement, mediation, or stipulated agreements resolve the bulk of disputes.
- Documentation matters. Family Court is driven by evidence — and good evidence is documented. Keep records.
- Professional supervision strengthens your record. Whether you're asking for supervised visitation or subject to it, having a professional, certified provider produces a credible documentary record the court relies on.
About TruVisit Phoenix reports
Our session reports are written in objective, non-editorial professional language, timestamped throughout, and formatted to meet the documentation standards used by the Maricopa County Superior Court Family Division. Reports are typically delivered within 48–72 hours of each visit to your attorney, directly to you, or to the court — depending on the order and your preferences.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which judge has my case?
Once a case is filed, the court assigns a Family Court judge or commissioner. The assignment appears on case documents and is searchable through the public case lookup on the Maricopa County Superior Court website.
What is the difference between a judge and a commissioner in Family Court?
Both can hear family law cases. Judges are appointed by the Governor; commissioners are appointed by the presiding judge. For practical purposes, an order from a commissioner has the same effect as an order from a judge.
Do I have to go to court for supervised visitation if both parents agree?
Even when both parents agree, an enforceable order has to come from the court. The parties can submit a stipulated agreement for the judge to sign — no contested hearing required. Many supervised visitation arrangements start as stipulations.
Does TruVisit Phoenix work with self-represented (pro se) parents?
Yes. Many of the parents we work with are pro se. We don't provide legal advice — but we do explain how our service works, what our reports look like, and what to expect logistically. For legal questions, we always recommend consulting an Arizona family law attorney.