Keist Thurston, P.C.

09/17/2026

Before You Litigate, Mediate: A Better Way to Resolve Legal Disputes. Legal disputes are difficult. They cost money. They consume time. They create stress. And perhaps worst of all, litigation can deepen divisions between people who once had meaningful relationships—spouses, parents, siblings, family members, business partners, friends, neighbors, and even fellow Christians.

Before You Litigate, Mediate: A Better Way to Resolve Legal Disputes Legal disputes are difficult. They cost money. They consume time. They create stress. And perhaps worst of all, litigation can deepen divisions between people who once had meaningful relationships—spouses, parents, siblings, fami...

09/08/2026

When Divorce Isn’t the Answer: Understanding Legal Separation in Arizona. A follow-up to A Biblical View of Divorce and Remarriage: Fight for Your Marriage! In my earlier article, I wrote about what we believe Scripture teaches concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage — that marriage is a lifelong covenant made before God, not merely a legal contract that lasts as long as both parties remain satisfied, and that divorce should be a last resort reserved for circumstances in which the covenant has already been fundamentally violated. That article generated more conversation than almost anything else we have written. One question kept coming back to us in different forms: What options exist for a husband or wife who needs protection, structure, or space — but who is not ready, willing, or biblically free to end the marriage itself? For many of the families we serve, the answer is legal separation. It is one of the most misunderstood tools in Arizona family law, and, in our experience, one of the most quietly important. This article explains what legal separation is under Arizona law, how it differs from divorce, and why it matters so much to the clients who walk through our doors.

A follow-up to A Biblical View of Divorce and Remarriage: Fight for Your Marriage! In my earlier article, I wrote about what we believe Scripture teaches concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage — that marriage is a lifelong covenant made before God, not merely a legal contract that lasts as l...

08/28/2026

I probably get asked more than most pastors what God has to say about marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the Bible. At KT Law Firm, we practice family law in the real world. We meet people when marriages are strained, families are hurting, and sometimes when a divorce has become unavoidable or already occurred. As attorneys, our responsibility is to give clients sound legal advice and help them navigate Arizona law. But as a firm whose values are informed by the Christian faith, we also believe it is important to be transparent about what we believe Scripture teaches concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage.

Our starting point is simple: God created marriage. Fight for it with all your might!

A Biblical View of Divorce and Remarriage: Fight for Your Marriage! I probably get asked more than most pastors what God has to say about marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the Bible. At KT Law Firm, we practice family law in the real world. We meet people when marriages are strained, families are...

08/24/2026

At Keist Thurston Law Firm, we take attorney-client privilege seriously. Clients, particularly in family law matters, often rely on parents, significant others, friends, financial professionals, and other trusted advisors for support. While those individuals may play an important role in a client’s life, including them in meetings, emails, or conversations with an attorney may jeopardize the privilege.

Last month, the Arizona Supreme Court clarified an important limitation on attorney-client privilege. In Gelvin v. Parker, 592 P.3d 776 (Ariz. 2026), the Court emphasized that the privilege protects confidential attorney-client communications—and including other people in those communications can ...

03/04/2025

On April 5, 2025, I, Joel Thurston, am hiking the Grand Canyon with some friends to benefit the The Hope Effect. My goal is to raise $10,000 to change the way the world cares for orphans. Find out more at https://www.hopeeffect.com I decided to raise the bar and hike the canyon twice if we raised over $5k, embarking on r5 (south rim to north rim to south rim to north rim to south rim). We have raised over $5k toward our $10k goal. So, on 4/5, I will attempt to embark on the 90 mile double round trip of the Grand Canyon to benefit the The Hope Effect. A generous donor has agreed to match every gift to get us to the finish line. Please consider giving any amount here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/a0ef91da-951b-4f87-b116-6817fb174666 I'm specifically looking for 28 people to sponsor me $1/mile = $90/person. I will post updates on my hike, beginning 4/5/25. Will you be one of 28 sponsors?!

Be sure to mention you are supporting me in the "additional information" part of the donation page prior to submission.... While you are at our Trails and Tribulation website, please register to join the Trails and Tribulation (TNT) team. We have some exciting events this year, the first of which is the r3 Hike for the Hope Effect in April. In May, 4 TNT members are also embarking on the Cocodona 250 trail running race from Phoenix to Flagstaff. You won't want to miss this live stream 250 mile race, beginning May 5th. I'm particularly excited to be running this race together with my son, Joel Thurston II. https://www.aravaiparunning.com/cocodona2/

Here at Trails and Tribulations, we strive to provide encouragement, resources, and relief to suffering children and persecuted Christians, and those who serve them, around the world. We seek to bring attention to those around the world who are in need: the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the stran...

10/22/2024

Our QDRO attorney, Bob Harrian, recently sent out the following important communication regarding services offered by our firm.

I hope this message finds you well. As you may already be aware, Keist Thurston, PC, has undergone some recent changes that we are excited to share with you.

As you may know, Attorney Richard Underwood is now with our firm. Rick focuses his practice area on drafting QDROs and concentrates his services on the division of Executive Plans, Stock Options, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Stock, Kelly Offsets, and Employee Stock Purchase Plans. Rick also calculates the present-day value of pension plans.

Attorney Robert Harrian focuses his practice area on drafting dividing orders on all types of plans, including 401(K) Plans, Deferred Compensation Plans, ESOP Plans, Military Retirement Plans, Railroad Retirement Plans, CSRS, FERS, Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), and City of Phoenix Employee Retirement System, along with many others.

Attorney Jeremy Goad focuses his practice area on drafting QDROs and dividing orders for 401(K) Plans, Deferred Compensation Plans, Military Retirement Plans, CSRS, FERS, Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), and City of Phoenix Employee Retirement System.

In summary, Rick, Robert, and Jeremy all focus on the division of marital assets relating to retirement and executive plans throughout all stages of the dissolution process and can assist you in drafting language for your decrees/property settlement agreements.

I’m writing to offer you and your colleagues a valuable opportunity to expand your understanding of Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) with a complimentary Continuing Legal Education (CLE) session.

As you know, QDROs play a critical role in divorce proceedings, ensuring that retirement benefits are divided fairly and legally. However, navigating the intricacies of pension division can be challenging, especially when it comes to ensuring the correct language is in the consent decrees.
To help you stay ahead in this specialized area, I’m offering a free 1-to-2-hour CLE session covering:
The fundamentals of QDROs, including drafting language for your consent decrees.
Key pension plan types and their division methods.
Tips for effectively managing complex retirement asset cases.

The session is designed to be interactive and informative, providing practical insights that you can immediately apply in your practice.

I would be happy to schedule a free session at your convenience. The conference can be either in person or via webinar. We prefer at least five attorneys/legal paraprofessionals attend the training. If you are a sole practitioner, please reach out to your colleagues to ensure at least five people can attend the training. Following the training, each attendee will get a certificate for their CLE credits.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of this opportunity or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you enhance your knowledge of this important legal tool.

10/02/2024

https://www.ktolawfirm.com/2024/09/corporate-transparency-act-cta/

09/26/2024

https://www.ktolawfirm.com/2024/09/corporate-transparency-act-cta/

If you have no interest in any business, you may stop reading now and disregard. If, however, you have any interest in a business, please continue reading. We are writing to inform you of significant legal changes brought by the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which became law as part of the Anti-...

03/19/2023

Two weeks from today I'll join with a group of hikers for Grand Canyon r3 2023. We are hiking from the south rim to the north rim and back to the south rim (approx. 50 miles) in one day to raise money for the Hope Effect, and join in their mission to change the way the world cares for orphans. KTO Law Firm is sponsoring the hike and will match all donations dollar for dollar up to $5,000. Our goal is to raise $10,000 this year for the Hope Effect. However, if we raise $15,000 by March 31, 2023, I will attempt to hike r5, 100 miles. So, click on the link below to give any amount to support our friends at the Hope Effect, and have your donation matched up to $5,000 as long as you give by March 31, 2023. 😬😁

https://www.hopeeffect.com/hike-for-hope?fbclid=IwAR2tvFM3wT7Tt1CjURVGnQQoUVRjejgVE8n43BGO8Su2ZiE-7aV9R4wpdV4

Support the group of hikers who are hiking the Grand Canyon to change the way the world cares for orphans!

08/31/2022

http://ktolawfirm.com/listening-well/

The 20th century philosopher and theologian, Paul Tillich, said that the first duty of love is to listen. At KTO Law Firm, we believe he is right. The best way we can serve you is to listen to you before advising you. In order to provide you with appropriate legal counsel, we must listen to…