Child Support

questions & answers

Question: if Im not married to my daughters mother but have been supporting her for 16 years if I leave do I need to pay alimony to her?

Answer: Common law marriage does not exist in Arizona. In order to be considered married in Arizona, a couple must obtain a license to marry and have a ceremony as approved by the laws of Arizona, to make the relationship legal (called solemnization). (A.R.S. § 25-111) Arizona is a community property state, so in the case of a married couple, generally, each spouse is responsible for the debts that the other spouse incurs. But because common law marriages do not meet the legal requirements of a valid marriage, there is no community property between the two people, and also no responsibility for paying the debts of the other person, as long as neither person has guaranteed the debts of the other.