In re I.C. – 2025 UT App 20 – thinking of smuggling a child instead of adoption?
In re I.C. - 2025 UT App 20 2025 UT App 20 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF I.C., A PERSON UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS…
2024 UT App 91 – In re R.D. – Juvenile Court Jurisdiction – Parental Presumption
2024 UT App 91 – In re R.D. THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS IN THE INTEREST OF R.D. AND Z.J., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. K.J., Appellant, v. N.J.…
What Could Be the Reasons for Someone to Return to an Abusive Partner After Filing for Divorce and Leaving Them Once Before? Why Would They Also Leave Their Children Behind?
Good reasons? Or any and all reasons? In no particular order: The abuse is not bad enough (or perceived as not bad enough) to justify terminating the relationship. Otherwise stated,…
In re Adoption of J.E. – 2024 UT App 34 – termination of parental rights – adoption
In re Adoption of J.E. – 2024 UT App 34 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF J.E., E.E., AND L.E., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS…
H.B. 194
Another potential law up for consideration in the 2024 Utah legislative session is H.B. 194. This bill would, if passed, amend provisions relating to adoption and child placement by amending the…
The Father of My Child Told Me He Can Unilaterally Give Up His Parental Rights. Can He? He Thinks This Way He Will Get Out of Child Support. Can He Do This?
There is more than one question to answer here. First, does a parent have the unilateral power simply to “give up” his or her parental rights (and accompanying obligations)? No. The…
The Father of My Child Has Visitation Rights Ordered by Court, Yet He Will Be in a Different State During His Visitation Time, but Wants His Aunt to Take Over. Do I Have to Allow His Aunt Visitation While He’s on Vacation?
This is a good question and one that arises frequently in one form or another; a parent either can’t or won’t provide personal care and supervision of the parties’ children…
In Re J.E. 2023 UT App 3, Voluntary Declaration of Paternity
2023 UT App 3 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF J.E., A PERSON UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. D.E., Appellant, v. STATE OF UTAH,…
How Do You Get a Divorce That Involves No Children and No Property or Money if You Haven’t Been Able to Find Your Spouse for Almost 10 Years, and Without Having to Hire a Lawyer?
You probably worry that hiring a lawyer will bankrupt you, and so you’re afraid to get the help a good divorce lawyer could be to you. Before you resolve not…
If your life partner has a low IQ, is divorce an option?
Yes, but not for the reason you may think. In the age of no-fault divorce, you don’t really need to persuade the court to grant you a divorce. Divorce is…
When are my ex’s things deemed abandoned?
I was awarded the house in the divorce. My ex’s things are still here and he/she won’t pick them up. When are they deemed abandoned? Utah Code § 67-4a-201 provides,…
How do I pursue child visitation when I don’t know where the child is?
I’m preparing to begin pursuing child visitation. However, the child’s mother has moved and never told me where, and has cut off contact with me. How can I find out…
In re A.B. – 2021 UT App 91
THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF A.B., A PERSON UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. K.T., Appellant, v.. S.T. AND T.T., Appellees. Opinion No. 20200342-CA Filed August 26, 2021 Third District Juvenile Court, Salt…
How does a divorce and separation from one parent affect children’s future relationships? Can this cause trust issues or commitment issues in the kids’ future relationship?
Can this cause trust issues or commitment issues in the kids’ future relationship? Yes, of course. How? When the children have witnessed and experienced the destruction of their parents’ relationship—a relationship…
What happens to child support if the parent paying moves out of the country?
Assuming that you are asking whether a parent who is, in the course of a United States divorce or child custody proceeding, ordered to pay child support, moving out of…
If my child’s father puts in writing he would never ask for custody of our daughter, would that weight in if later he changed his mind for court?
Would it have any weight? Yes. Would it, on its own, have weight sufficient to bar him from seeking sole or joint custody of the child in the future? No.…
What are the grounds for filing for a divorce in Utah?
First, you need to understand that Utah, like every other state in the U.S. has what are known as a “no-fault divorce law”. No-fault divorce means that you don’t have…
Why should I pay child support if the other parent isn’t asking for it (and doesn’t need it)?
This question doesn’t come up very often, but it does come up. I will answer this question according to the law of Utah, which is the jurisdiction where I practice…
How exactly does shared custody work? Does the child end up being like that kid from Jacqueline Wilson’s “The Suitcase Kid”?
How exactly does shared custody work? Does the child end up being like that kid from Jacqueline Wilson’s "The Suitcase Kid"? The child certainly can be like the child (Andrea) from Jacqueline…
What will a judge do if a mother gives up her full custody right to the father of her kids, wants nothing to do with them, refuses to pay child support, and is willing to quit her job to avoid paying child support?
What will a judge do if a mother gives up her full custody right to the father of her kids, wants nothing to do with them, refuses to pay child…
If a parent disappears for five years, what are his/her chances of winning child custody?
If a parent disappears for five years, what are his/her chances of winning child custody? As long as 1) Dad’s story/situation isn’t worse than Mom’s, and 2) Dad’s not responsible…
What if you don’t get divorced and just move away?
What if you don’t get divorced and just move away? The risks and dangers in just up and moving away from (abandoning) your spouse are manifold. Here are a few…
