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In Arizona, either spouse can serve the divorce papers, although the petitioner cannot serve the papers personally. The petitioner must pay a fee if they choose to use a process server. The petitioner may also be able to ask the sheriff's office to serve the papers for free.

The first step in the divorce whether it be a contested or uncontested divorce, or in other family law cases is the filing of the petition with the Superior Court Clerk, who also completes the summons. These court documents must be served on the other party.

If you were served while in the state of Arizona, you must file a response to that divorce petition within (20) days of the date that the process server gave those documents to you. Not the date they were filed, but the date the process server served you with those documents.

If served by a person other than a sheriff or deputy sheriff, the return must be promptly filed with the court and be accompanied by an affidavit establishing proof of service. If the server is a registered private process server, the affidavit must clearly identify the county in which the server is registered.

?Generally, service of process must be made by a sheriff, a sheriff's deputy, a constable, a constable's deputy, a private process server certified under the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration §7-204 and Rule 4(e), or any other person specially appointed by the court.

Rule 4.2(c) states: ?the party may serve the person by mailing the summons and a copy of the pleading being served to the person at that address by any form of postage-prepaid mail that requires a signed and returned receipt.? Once the filing party receives the signed, return receipt, he or she must file an affidavit ...