McMurdie Law & Mediation

McMurdie Law & Mediation Cristi McMurdie is the sole partner for the Tempe-based McMurdie Law & Mediation which serves clients in family law, juvenile law and mediation.

Cristi McMurdie & McMurdie Law provides estate planning, family law, and mediation services. We will walk you through every step of the way when planning for the future of your estate, litigating family legal situations, and mediating for a mutual outcome. Cristi has specialized in family law for more than two decades. She also has substantial experience in estate planning. Cristi values sustainin

g and preserving family relationships and their assets. Her conservative approach to clients' legal needs often entails reviewing options that may include mediation first, www.whymediation.com. Opportunities for resolution out of court can occur at many junctures in a case. She can start and finish your case out of court, saving you money and time.

Court scheduling is one of the least-discussed sources of divorce delay. Arizona Superior Court dockets are busy, contes...
09/08/2026

Court scheduling is one of the least-discussed sources of divorce delay. Arizona Superior Court dockets are busy, contested hearings can be set months into the future.

Mediation bypasses this bottleneck entirely. Sessions are scheduled at the parties' convenience (often within days or weeks) and when agreements are reached, they can typically be submitted to the court for approval without a live hearing.

Learn more: https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-timeline-arizona-why-starting-now-matters-for-year-end-planning/
📞 (480) 777-5500 · Tempe, AZ




Legal minimum: 60 days after service. In 30+ years, achieved exactly twice.Cooperative uncontested cases: 4 months is a ...
09/07/2026

Legal minimum: 60 days after service. In 30+ years, achieved exactly twice.

Cooperative uncontested cases: 4 months is a realistic minimum.

Cases with attorneys on both sides: Approximately 1 year on average.

Contested cases: 18 months to 2+ years in high-conflict matters.

What speeds things up?
✔ Starting mediation early
✔ Completing financial disclosures promptly
✔ Agreeing on parenting arrangements before filing

📖 Read the full timeline guide:
👉 https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-timeline-arizona-why-starting-now-matters-for-year-end-planning/
📞 (480) 777-5500 | mcmurdielaw.com/contact-us/



School is underway and for many Arizona co-parents, that means the parenting schedule should have already shifted from s...
09/04/2026

School is underway and for many Arizona co-parents, that means the parenting schedule should have already shifted from summer to school-year mode.

Have you and your co-parent confirmed:
✔ The school-year weekly parenting schedule — including overnights and transitions
✔ Who handles morning drop-off and after-school pickup
✔ How after-school care is handled on each parent's days
✔ The fall break schedule (if applicable in your school district)

If the transition has caused a dispute, mediation can resolve it quickly with a written, formalized agreement.

📖 https://mcmurdielaw.com/back-to-school-co-parenting-agreements-that-actually-work/
📞 (480) 777-5500 | mcmurdielaw.com/contact-us/



September may feel too early to be thinking about Thanksgiving, but for divorced and separated Arizona parents, it's ex...
09/03/2026

September may feel too early to be thinking about Thanksgiving, but for divorced and separated Arizona parents, it's exactly the right time.

September gives co-parents time to:
✔ Review the holiday schedule section of their existing parenting plan
✔ Identify any ambiguities or gaps before they become November arguments
✔ Agree on Thanksgiving, fall break, Halloween, and winter break arrangements
✔ Confirm travel plans and notice requirements
✔ Formalize any agreed changes through mediation

📖 https://mcmurdielaw.com/handling-holidays-and-special-days-after-divorce-with-children/
📞 (480) 777-5500 | mcmurdielaw.com/contact-us/



Divorce is not just a family law matter — it has immediate implications for your estate plan.During and after divorce in...
09/02/2026

Divorce is not just a family law matter — it has immediate implications for your estate plan.

During and after divorce in Arizona, you should review and update:
✔ Your will — if it names your spouse as a primary beneficiary or executor
✔ Beneficiary designations on life insurance, retirement accounts, and investment accounts — these pass outside of probate and are NOT changed by the divorce decree alone
✔ Powers of attorney — both financial and healthcare
✔ Healthcare directives and living wills
✔ Your family trust, if you have one

Learn more: https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-timeline-arizona-why-starting-now-matters-for-year-end-planning/
📞 (480) 777-5500 · Tempe, AZ




Whether you've been postponing a divorce filing, need to update a parenting plan that no longer reflects your family's r...
08/31/2026

Whether you've been postponing a divorce filing, need to update a parenting plan that no longer reflects your family's reality, want to address a child support amount that has become unfair, or need help navigating a post-decree dispute — the fall window is ideal.

Why fall?
✔ School schedules provide a more stable backdrop for parenting plan discussions
✔ Acting before the holidays reduces conflict during the most stressful family time of year
✔ September and October court calendars have more availability than spring and summer

McMurdie Law & Mediation offers consultations, mediation, limited scope representation, and full family law services — all tailored to your situation and goals.

📋 Complete our intake form to get started: mcmurdielaw.com/family-law-intake/
👉 Or explore our services: https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-family-law-tempe-az/

📞 (480) 777-5500 | Tempe, AZ



If making time for in-person sessions is difficult, virtual mediation offers a practical solution. McMurdie Law & Mediat...
08/28/2026

If making time for in-person sessions is difficult, virtual mediation offers a practical solution. McMurdie Law & Mediation has conducted professional virtual mediation sessions via Zoom, FaceTime, and other video platforms since well before it became standard practice.

Virtual mediation is equally effective for:
✔ Parenting plan updates and modifications
✔ Child support and spousal maintenance discussions
✔ Post-decree dispute resolution
✔ Holiday and back-to-school schedule planning

The confidentiality, neutrality, and legal effectiveness of a mediation session doesn't change based on whether it takes place in person or online.

📖 Learn more about virtual mediation:
👉 https://mcmurdielaw.com/no-contact-virtual-and-online-divorce-solutions-in-arizona/

📞 (480) 777-5500 | mcmurdielaw.com/contact-us/



For Arizona families pursuing stepparent adoption, the Decree of Adoption is the final legal milestoneThe steps leading ...
08/27/2026

For Arizona families pursuing stepparent adoption, the Decree of Adoption is the final legal milestone

The steps leading to that decree include:
✔ Obtaining consent from the biological parent (or court-ordered termination of parental rights)
✔ Filing the adoption petition with the correct court
✔ Background check of the adopting stepparent
✔ Court hearing, when required
✔ Issuance of the adoption decree

McMurdie Law & Mediation guides families through every step of this meaningful process.

Learn more: https://mcmurdielaw.com/understanding-stepparent-adoption-in-arizona/

📞 (480) 777-5500 · Tempe, AZ



No co-parenting relationship is conflict-free and the best parenting plans acknowledge that reality by building in a cle...
08/26/2026

No co-parenting relationship is conflict-free and the best parenting plans acknowledge that reality by building in a clear process for resolving disputes without immediately returning to court.

Common dispute resolution mechanisms Arizona parents can include in their parenting plans:

📋 Mediation first: Requiring both parties to attempt mediation before filing any court motion on a parenting dispute.
👤 Parenting coordinator: A neutral professional with the authority to make binding decisions on specific co-parenting disputes, without a court hearing.
📬 Decision-making protocols: For joint legal decision-making situations, specifying a clear process

📖 Read about parenting plans and modifications: 👉 https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-family-law-tempe-az/modifications/

📞 (480) 777-5500 | mcmurdielaw.com/contact-us/



In an Arizona divorce, both parties are required to exchange financial affidavits and supporting documentation — includi...
08/25/2026

In an Arizona divorce, both parties are required to exchange financial affidavits and supporting documentation — including bank statements, tax returns, retirement account statements, property records, and business documents.

This is not optional. And deliberately concealing assets or understating income carries serious legal consequences — including the court awarding the concealed asset to the other party entirely.

McMurdie Law & Mediation guides clients through the disclosure process efficiently and ensures they understand what is required.

Learn more: https://mcmurdielaw.com/divorce-family-law-tempe-az/property-division/

📞 (480) 777-5500 · Tempe, AZ



Address

64 E. Broadway Road Ste. 200
Tempe, AZ
85282

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14807775500

Website

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