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Judges are given broad discretion in whether to order spousal maintenance (alimony). It is not guaranteed. Further, the Arizona Supreme Court is directed to establish guidelines based on different factors that are outlined in A.R.S. § 25-319 that will determine the duration and the amount of alimony payments.

Some states require that spouses be married a minimum number of years before either can pursue the other for spousal support, but Arizona is not one of them. Every family law judge is different, but a marriage of less than 10 years may be considered short-term in Arizona.

Permanent spousal maintenance is also awarded in the state of Arizona, but permanent awards are only granted in cases of extreme need where old age, disability, or illness prevents the lesser-earning spouse from supporting themselves. You can expect most awards in Arizona to be temporary or rehabilitative in nature.

However, the ?Rule of 65? applies when the age of the party seeking maintenance plus the marriage length equals or exceeds 65. In such cases, the duration is determined individually.

In most cases, if one partner can prove that they are disabled and cannot work, they may be able to avoid paying alimony. Likewise, there are also situations in which the person receiving alimony is lying about being unable to get a job or keep a job because of their disability.

While there are a number of states that won't award alimony in cases where the length of marriage is too short (e.g., less than a year), Arizona does not impose a minimum time period for spousal maintenance.