Family Law
From custody to divorce to adoption, we can help you understand how family law matters work in Utah.
From custody to divorce to adoption, we can help you understand how family law matters work in Utah.
The decision to get a divorce is never an easy one. Most people do not even begin to consider it as a possibility until they have tried every other option they can think of to save their marriage. A divorce can be a lengthy process that is both emotionally and financially strenuous. This article will [...]
An annulment is the process of legally erasing a marriage. By law, the marriage will be considered as though it never happened. The legal significance of vacating or canceling the marriage is the difference between an annulment and a divorce. What are the grounds for annulment in Utah? Not every marriage can be annulled. There [...]
Legal matters can be difficult to deal with, especially with family law cases. Emotions run high and parties may feel anger or resentment toward each other. As a result, they may behave in a way that will hurt the other party – especially in divorce cases. To protect both parties in family law cases such [...]
This article was updated November 13th, 2019 by Angie Allen The most heated issue in a divorce can be determining custody of minor children. If divorcing spouses are unable to reach an agreement on custody and parent time, then it can take more time for the divorce to be finalized. If, after negotiations and mediation, the [...]
How long do you have to live together to have a “common law marriage” in Utah? The idea of a common law marriage is something most people are familiar with. It is the idea that a couple can live together and after a certain number of years they will be recognized as a married couple, [...]
In Utah, you can choose from a number of grounds for the divorce. The grounds are listed in Utah Code Ann §30-3-1, and they are: (a) impotency of the respondent at the time of marriage; (b) adultery committed by the respondent subsequent to marriage; (c) willful desertion of the petitioner by the respondent for more than [...]
To a certain extent, we are sorry that you are reading this article. If you are reading this article, it means that you, or maybe someone close to you, is seriously considering divorce. Or maybe you are already divorced, and you are considering whether you need to go back to court to get something about [...]
Custody of children and parent time (which used to be called visitation) is probably the most litigated issues in divorce cases. The Utah Legislature has divided custody into two parts: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody determines who has a voice in important decisions about the children, such as religious upbringing, elective medical procedures [...]
If the spouses are unable to reach an agreement on custody and parent time, the judge will probably order them to have a custody evaluation performed. This involves hiring a psychologist or social worker to evaluate both parents and the children and make a recommendation to the judge on custody and parent time. The evaluator makes his or [...]
Patty is happy, but her three children are upset because she and Sam are planning a wedding. “Mom, he’s so unlike dad. Are you sure?” Patty’s sure. Patty has been lonely since Jim died. Sam is very unlike her first husband, who was always calm, logical and frugal. Sam vacations to tropical islands, with two [...]