For the latest Arizona Laws, visit AZ State Legislature - Title 25 - Marital and Domestic Relations
25-381.18 . Dissolution of marriage or legal separation, annulment, maintenance; stay of right to file; jurisdiction as to pending actions
A. During a period beginning upon the filing of a petition for conciliation and continuing until sixty days after the filing of the petition for conciliation, neither spouse shall file any action for annulment, dissolution of marriage, or legal separation, and, upon the filing of a petition for conciliation, proceedings then pending in the superior court shall be stayed and the case transferred to the conciliation court for hearing and further disposition as provided in this article, but all restraining, support, maintenance, or custody orders theretofore issued by the superior court shall remain in full force and effect until vacated or modified by the conciliation court or until they expire by their own terms.
B. If, however, after the expiration of such period, the controversy between the spouses has not been terminated, either spouse may institute proceedings for annulment of marriage, dissolution of marriage, or legal separation by filing in the clerk's office additional pleadings complying with the requirements relating to annulment of marriage, dissolution of marriage, or legal separation respectively, or either spouse may proceed with the action previously stayed, and the conciliation court shall have full jurisdiction to hear, try, and determine such action for annulment of marriage, dissolution of marriage, or legal separation under the laws relating thereto, and to retain jurisdiction of the case for further hearings on decrees or orders to be made therein. The conciliation provisions of this article may be used in regard to post-dissolution problems concerning maintenance support, visitation, contempt, or for modification based on changed conditions, in the discretion of the conciliation court.
C. Upon the filing of an action for annulment, dissolution of marriage, or legal separation and after the expiration of sixty days from the service or the acceptance of service of process upon or by the defendant, neither spouse without the consent of the other may file a petition invoking the jurisdiction of the court of conciliation, as long as such domestic relations case remains pending, unless it appears to the court that such filing will not delay the orderly processes of such pending action, in which event the court may accept the petition and the filing thereof shall have the same effect as the filing of any such petition within such sixty days after service or acceptance of process.
