FCIC - Spousal Maintenance Guidelines Subcommittee

During the Fifty-fifth Legislature, 2nd Regular Session, the Legislature amended A.R.S. § 25-319(B). The amendment asks the Supreme Court to establish guidelines for determining and awarding spousal maintenance.

The Family Court Improvement Committee (FCIC) is a standing committee of the Arizona Judicial Council and was created by Administrative Order 2019-115 to assist in the development and implementation of policies designed to improve the quality of justice, access to family courts, and efficiency in court operations. That Administrative Order also allows the chairperson, upon approval of the Chief Justice, to create subcommittees to help the committee carry out its responsibilities.

On July 20, 2022, Chief Justice Robert Brutinel established the FCIC-Spousal Maintenance Guidelines Subcommittee (FCIC-SMGS) through Administrative Order 2022-83. The FCIC-SMGS was tasked to study and make recommendations for the guidelines. Additionally, the FCIC was tasked with submitting a final report to the Arizona Judicial Council in June 2023 meeting.