People getting divorced in Maricopa County can now get their day in court, at night.
Maricopa County Superior will schedule hearings at night and Saturdays for cases involving divorce, child custody, orders of protection and other matters that fall under the jurisdiction of Family Court, said a court news release.
Juvenile Court will also have extended hours.
The new night-owl services will only be available at the county’s Northeast Regional Court Facility, 18380 N. 40th St., and at the Juvenile Court Center, 3131 W. Durango — both in Phoenix.
The changes came about, in good part, because parties in cases requested them, said court spokeswoman J.W. Brown.
“People were requesting alternative hours,” Brown said.
The new hours will accommodate working parents and students, “without adding undue financial and emotional stress to the parents and children from daytime conflicts,” said presiding family Judge Norman Davis.
With the new hours, Family and Juvenile courts will hear cases until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every other Saturday — starting Jan. 30. The Family Court schedules hearings at the request of litigants.
In scheduling Juvenile Court hearings, “Judicial officers look for the first available date and time, to assure that pending adoptions, guardianships and similar matters are resolved a timely fashion,” said Juvenile Court Presiding Judge Eileen Willett.
Family Court, among other things, handles enforcement and modification of child support payments, hearings on orders of protection, visitation for non-custodial parents, dispute resolution, family mediation, a self-service center and educational seminars.
Juvenile Court after hours will accommodate proceedings on guardianship, juveniles seeking to live on their own and private adoptions. Extended hour calendars, however, will not be available for juvenile delinquency and cases arising from child abuse or neglect.
Night court is not entirely new to Maricopa County. Initial-appearance court at the Fourth Avenue Jail operates around the clock, so criminal defendants can see a judge within 24 hours of arrest, as required by law.