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    A.R.S. § 25-381.16

    How Arizona Conciliation Hearings Are Conducted

    Verified May 17, 2026 • 57th Legislature, 1st Regular Session

    A designated person conducts the conciliation conference, submits a report to the director, and the director reports the results to the judge. The judge may call on specialists. Communications during the proceeding are confidential and cannot be used against either party in later civil or criminal cases.

    Title 25, DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

    azleg.gov

    What This Statute Says

    This section is the operational heart of the conciliation court. Hearings are conferences, not trials. A trained designee leads them, reports to the director, who reports to the judge. And what is said in the room generally stays in the room.

    A. A person designated by the judge of the conciliation court shall conduct an informal hearing as a conference or series of conferences to effect a reconciliation of the spouses or an amicable adjustment or settlement of the issues.

    A.R.S. § 25-381.16

    When This Statute Comes Into Play

    This rule controls when:

    • A couple is participating in their first conciliation conference.
    • The judge wants to bring in a child psychologist, addiction counselor, or other specialist.
    • A later divorce or other case threatens to use statements from the conciliation hearing.

    What This Means for Arizona Families

    The confidentiality protection is essential to honest conversation. Spouses talking about money problems, infidelity, parenting failures, or substance use will only speak openly if they know the statements will not surface later. This section locks that protection into the statute itself.

    Reconciliation is rare once a divorce filing is on the table, but the Court of Conciliation has helped many Arizona couples either repair the marriage or part on better terms. Either result has estate-planning consequences. Our FAQ on how divorce affects your Arizona estate plan covers the updates that follow a finalized dissolution; if you reconcile, the same plan needs a different review. The Arizona community property presumption and any premarital agreement the spouses signed both shape what is on the table during conciliation. An Arizona family law attorney working with an estate planning attorney can keep the two tracks coordinated regardless of which way the petition resolves.

    A. A person designated by the judge of the conciliation court shall conduct an informal hearing as a conference or series of conferences to effect a reconciliation of the spouses or an amicable adjustment or settlement of the issues. B. At the conclusion of the hearing the designated person shall submit a report to the director of conciliation who shall review it and shall report the results of the hearing to the judge of the conciliation court. The judge of the conciliation court may, and on request of one or both of the parties shall, order further hearings in pursuance of this article. C. To facilitate and promote the purposes of this article, the court may, with the consent of both of the parties to the action, recommend or invoke the aid of appropriate resources such as physicians, psychiatrists, social agencies or other individuals or agencies including clergymen of the religious denomination to which the parties belong or may request. No reports of any such individual or agency available to the court shall be filed with or become a part of the records of the case. Any such aid shall not be at the expense of the court or of the county unless the county board of supervisors shall authorize such aid. D. Hearings or conferences conducted pursuant to this article for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation of the spouses or an amicable adjustment or settlement of issues shall be held in private, and the court shall exclude all persons except the officers of the court, the parties, their counsel and witnesses. Hearings or conferences may be held with each party and his counsel separately and, in the discretion of the judge, commissioner or counselor conducting the hearing or conference, counsel for one party may be excluded when the adverse party is present. All communications, verbal or written, from the parties to the judge, commissioner or counselor in a proceeding under this article shall be deemed confidential communications, and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the party making such communication.
    View on azleg.gov

    This page provides general legal information about Arizona statutes and is not legal advice. For guidance on how this law applies to your situation, speak with a qualified attorney.

    Related Questions

    How does estate planning work for blended families and second marriages?

    Estate planning for blended families requires intentional structure because default legal rules often do not match your wishes. A trust can provide for a surviving spouse while protecting children from previous relationships.

    How does divorce affect my estate plan in Arizona, and how do I update it?

    A.R.S. 14-2804 automatically revokes wills, trusts, and POAs favoring a former spouse — but ERISA retirement plans, life insurance, IRAs, and POD/TOD accounts are not covered and need manual beneficiary updates. Sign new POAs, update every beneficiary form, and reconcile your plan with the divorce decree.

    How do I keep my ex-spouse from getting anything when I die?

    Arizona law automatically revokes most ex-spouse beneficiary designations after divorce under A.R.S. 14-2804. But it does not cover 401(k)s, pensions, or real estate titles. Update those manually, along with your will, trust, and powers of attorney.

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