Do we need to agree on everything before we start?

No. Mediation is designed for people who disagree. You just need a willingness to work through issues respectfully.

What if communication is high-conflict?

That is common in post-decree situations. The process is structured to reduce escalation and keep the focus on practical decisions.

Is mediation confidential?

Mediation is generally private, with limited exceptions. We will explain confidentiality clearly before you begin.

Can mediation change our court orders?

Mediation can help you reach an agreement. Whether and how an agreement becomes a formal court order depends on your situation. If you need legal advice, consult an independent Arizona family law attorney.

Do we have to be in the same room?

Often, no. Online mediation and structured formats can reduce stress and keep the process productive.

Peaceful Resolution

Post-Decree Mediation in Arizona

Yes, you can change your divorce or custody orders after they are final, and you can do it without a courtroom fight. Post-decree mediation is how Arizona parents and former spouses adjust child support, parenting time, legal decision-making, and spousal maintenance when life changes. You meet with a neutral certified attorney-mediator, reach an agreement together, and we prepare the court-ready documents that a judge approves making it official.

Jobs change, children grow, and what once worked can stop working. When that happens, an outdated order can create real financial and emotional strain. Mediation lets you update those orders privately and on your own terms, so the decision stays in your hands instead of a judge's.

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When post-decree mediation makes sense

Most people come to post-decree mediation because something has shifted since the decree was signed. Common reasons include:

✔ A change in income. A raise, a job loss, a new career, or a business change that affects what is fair for child support or spousal maintenance.
✔ A parenting schedule that no longer fits. Children get older, activities change, and a plan built for a toddler rarely fits a teenager.
✔ A planned move. One parent relocating for work or family can reshape parenting time and travel between homes.
✔ A shift in the child's needs. New school, medical, or childcare costs that were not part of the original calculation.
✔ An order that is not being followed. When the current arrangement has quietly stopped working and you need it back on paper.
✔ A disagreement you would rather not litigate. You both see the problem and want to solve it without turning it into a court case.

What you can change after your Arizona decree

Most parts of your decree can be revisited when circumstances change, though Arizona treats each type of order differently.

Child support

In Arizona, child support is calculated under the Arizona Child Support Guidelines. ^[1] You can ask to change your order when there is a substantial and continuing change in circumstances, such as a shift in either parent's income, a change in the parenting schedule, or a change in childcare or health insurance costs. ^[2] When a fresh calculation would move the amount by 15 percent or more, Arizona treats that as evidence the change is substantial. In mediation, you and your co-parent work from the same guideline numbers and agree on a figure you both understand, rather than leaving it to a hearing.

Parenting time and legal decision-making

Arizona uses the terms legal decision-making and parenting time rather than "custody" and "visitation." A court changes these orders when doing so serves the child's best interests. ^[3] In most cases you cannot ask to modify a parenting order until at least one year after it was entered, though earlier requests are allowed when a child's present environment may seriously endanger their health. Mediation gives you a calmer setting to rebuild a schedule around who your children have become, instead of arguing it out in front of a judge.

Spousal maintenance

Spousal maintenance, often called alimony, can only be modified or ended if you can show a substantial and continuing change of circumstances. A significant, lasting change in either person's income or financial situation may qualify, while a short-term change usually does not. Unless your decree says otherwise, maintenance ends automatically if either former spouse dies or the person receiving it remarries. However, cohabitation with a new partner does not automatically end maintenance in Arizona.

What generally cannot be changed

The way your property and debts were divided is usually final. Arizona reopens discussions about property division only in narrow situations, such as fraud or other grounds that would justify reopening any judgment. Post-decree mediation focuses on the orders Arizona law lets you revisit: support, maintenance, and parenting.

What Arizona Courts Look for Before Changing an Order

Before any order changes, Arizona asks whether your circumstances have genuinely changed. The standard has two parts, and both matter.

Substantial. The change has to be meaningful, not minor. For child support, an income swing of 15 percent or more is a clear signal the change is substantial enough to act on.
Continuing. The change has to be lasting, not temporary. A brief gap in work usually does not qualify; a long-term change in income or circumstances typically does.

Although parents generally have to wait at least a year after the order was entered before asking to change legal decision-making or parenting time, mediation is an exception to this rule. Even before one year after a divorce is finalized, parents can come to mediation, reach updated agreements, and the court will generally modify the orders accordingly.

How Post-Decree Mediation Works

The process is structured and predictable, and most of it happens on your schedule.

Mediation meetings. You both meet with an Aurit certified attorney-mediator to talk through what needs to change and reach terms you both accept.
Court-ready documents. Your mediator carefully prepares paperwork to reflect your agreement and meet all Arizona court requirements.
Filing and approval. After your modified order has been submitted to the court, a judge will approve it and the changes become official.

Why Families Choose Mediation Instead of Returning to Court

Going back to court to change an order can turn a manageable disagreement into a drawn-out, expensive fight. Litigation is adversarial, public, and slow, and it hands the final decision to a judge who does not know your family

Mediation keeps the process private and keeps you in control of the outcome. Because Aurit offers a flat fee, you are not watching costs climb with every phone call and filing, and most modifications resolve far sooner than a contested court case.

When children are involved, lowering the conflict is not only easier on you. It protects the kids from getting caught in the middle of a dispute between the two people they rely on most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Arizona lets you modify child support, parenting time, legal decision-making, and spousal maintenance when your circumstances change in a substantial and lasting way. The division of property and debt is generally final. Mediation is a private way to make these updates without a court fight.

No. You do not need to agree on the outcome before you begin. That is what the process is for. You do both need to be willing to sit down and work toward an agreement together.

For legal decision-making and parenting time, Arizona generally requires you to wait at least one year after the order was entered. There are exceptions, including when a child's current environment may seriously endanger their health. Support orders do not carry the same one-year wait.

Yes. Once you reach an agreement, our certified attorney-mediators prepare the modification documents which are then filed with the court. After a judge approves and signs, your modified order carries the same legal weight as any court order.

Aurit offers a flat fee, without large retainers or hourly billing. This fee is personalized to your needs, and the changes you are looking to make to your decree. Call our office to learn more about the flat fee for your post-decree mediation process.

Yes. Aurit meets with clients virtually across Arizona, so you can attend meetings from home or anywhere in the state. In-person meetings are also available at our Arizona offices.

How Aurit Mediation helps you change your orders

Aurit Mediation helps Arizona families update their orders without the cost and conflict of a courtroom. Our certified attorney-mediators handle post-decree changes every day, working at a flat fee with no retainers and no surprise costs. You stay in control of the decisions that shape your family's next chapter, and we prepare the court-ready documents that make your agreement official.

We meet virtually with clients throughout the state and in person at our Arizona locations, so you can attend from wherever you are most comfortable. Because updating an order often comes with a real emotional adjustment for you and your children, we also point families toward trusted therapists across Arizona who help households move through the transition.

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Sources

[1] A.R.S. § 25-320 (Child support; Arizona Child Support Guidelines) | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/25/00320.htm

[2] A.R.S. § 25-327 (Modification and termination of maintenance, support and property disposition) | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/25/00327.htm

[3] A.R.S. § 25-411 (Modification of legal decision-making or parenting time) | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/25/00411.htm

How Aurit Supports You

At The Aurit Center, mediation is not one-size-fits-all. Arizona divorce law touches many areas of family life, and our mediators help you resolve every aspect of your divorce in a structured, legally compliant way. We provide comprehensive mediation services for all core divorce matters, including:

Child Custody

Work collaboratively to create custody arrangements that align with Arizona’s best-interest standards under ARS § 25-403 while minimizing conflict.

Post Decree Mediation

Modify or enforce existing court orders related to parenting time, support, or financial matters when circumstances change.

Child Support Mediation

Resolve child support issues using Arizona’s Child Support Guidelines while maintaining transparency and fairness for both parents.

Spousal Maintenance (Alimony) Mediation

Negotiate fair spousal maintenance terms consistent with ARS § 25-319, without the expense or stress of litigation.

Parenting Plan Mediation

Develop detailed, court-ready parenting plans that address schedules, decision-making, and future flexibility.

Property Division Mediation

Divide assets and debts in accordance with Arizona’s community property laws under ARS § 25-211, including homes, businesses, and retirement accounts.

Virtual Divorce Mediation

Participate fully in the mediation process from anywhere in Arizona through secure, confidential virtual sessions.

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Meet Our Founders and Mediators

Michael Aurit, JD, MDR, and Karen Aurit, MA

Aurit Mediation is dedicated to transforming divorce through compassion. They have guided thousands of families to peaceful resolutions. Our licensed attorney-mediators are experts in Arizona family law, ensuring every agreement is legally compliant and protects your interests.

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Hear what others have to say

See why over 10,000 Arizona families have trusted our proven, peaceful process to navigate their divorce with dignity.

"They made a not-so-easy process seem almost effortless."

Not only is it their knowledge of the process, but it's the way they made me feel during the whole thing.

— Brittany F.

"...highly recommend…"

I would highly recommend The Aurit Center to family and/or friends in need of their services. Michael is truly a professional, and he handled our case with compassion and understanding. During such a difficult life event, Michael and his staff truly made my experience bearable. They are easy to work with and always demonstrate efficiency and courteous attitude. Thanks to all of you for guiding me through the divorce mediation process.

— Dylan D.

"Truly five-star service all the way."

The patience and kindness that was given to me throughout the process made me feel at ease. I felt like family.

— Patrick F.

"They made a not-so-easy process seem almost effortless."

Not only is it their knowledge of the process, but it's the way they made me feel during the whole thing.

— Brittany F.

"...highly recommend…"

I would highly recommend The Aurit Center to family and/or friends in need of their services. Michael is truly a professional, and he handled our case with compassion and understanding. During such a difficult life event, Michael and his staff truly made my experience bearable. They are easy to work with and always demonstrate efficiency and courteous attitude. Thanks to all of you for guiding me through the divorce mediation process.

— Dylan D.

"Truly five-star service all the way."

The patience and kindness that was given to me throughout the process made me feel at ease. I felt like family.

— Patrick F.

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Serving Clients Across Arizona

We provide direct support to co-parents seeking post-decree modifications in Phoenix, Chandler, Tempe, Flagstaff, Tucson, and everywhere between. Find an Aurit Mediation location near you or virtually connect with our expert mediators to discuss updating your court orders

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If you are using an Arizona parenting plan template and need help creating a plan that feels clear, practical, and child-centered, Aurit Mediation can help. We work with parents across Arizona to create parenting plans that support children, reduce conflict, and bring more structure to everyday family life.

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