Is Alimony off the Table Here?
My wife had an affair, got caught when she got pregnant by her lover, and then separated from me to move in with him. She had the baby and she…
My Husband Cheated on Me Multiple Times. We Don’t Have Any Children. I Want to File for Divorce and Seek Alimony. What Should I Do?
Find the best lawyer you can and start there; meet with a skilled, diligent, honest lawyer and find out about the divorce process, it’s benefits and detriments, its risks and…
Should You Forgive Your Spouse for Cheating? It’s Not That Simple. By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant
There’s no sugarcoating it—infidelity, cheating in a marriage is devastating for most people. It rocks the foundation of everything you’ve built together. It’s the kind of betrayal that makes you question…
The Cause of “Protective Orders Disorder” and How to Prevent It.
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” (Benjamin Franklin) It is undeniable that courts frequently take a "better safe…
What is Good Evidence in Divorce Proceedings, and What Critical Role Does It Play?
In divorce litigation, strong, compelling evidence is the cornerstone of successfully navigating critical legal determinations. When significant issues such as child custody, child support, property division, marital debt allocation, and…
A Better Approach to Acquiring Child Testimonial Evidence in Child Custody Disputes
In Utah child custody disputes, the voices of children are almost always filtered through court-appointed private guardians ad litem (PGALs) and/or custody evaluators. These intermediaries will claim to represent what…
The Prejudicial Impact of False Abuse Accusations on Husbands and Fathers in Utah Divorce and Custody Disputes
Child custody disputes between parents (whether in a divorce case or between unmarried parents) are among the most bitterly fought cases, as parents fight over the right to be integral…
The Overreach of Utah Courts in Ordering Therapy in Divorce and Child Custody Cases
In contemporary Utah divorce and child custody disputes, courts frequently order parents and children to participate in reunification therapy, family systems therapy, or other forms of therapy and counseling. While…
How Do I Get Full Custody of My Child From a Bad Mother?
Ideally, with overwhelming amounts of compelling, objectively verifiable evidence that 1) the mother is unfit to exercise custody of the child; and 2) you are fit to exercise custody of the child. Why overwhelming…
“A Child Is More Honest in His Interview if He Knows the Interview Is Not Recorded” Makes About as Much Sense as “The Runner Goes Faster if He Knows He Is Not Timed.”
The overwhelming majority of judges and domestic relations commissioners in Utah will refuse to have the interview of children who are the subject of child custody disputes recorded by sound-and-visual…
What to Do When Your Ex Is Threatening to Take Me Back to Court to Change Custody or Reduce Parent-Time
I get calls about this frequently from former and from brand new clients: it may have been half a year or more since the child custody case was resolved, either…
Can a Parent Send a Third Party for Child Pick Up for Parenting Time if It’s Not a Part of a Utah Custody and Parent-Time Court Order?
If there is no court order that addresses and controls the question of who can pick up or drop off the children in connection with custody and parent time exchanges,…
Wallace v. Wallace – 2024 UT App 164 – Custody, Non-disparagement
Wallace v. Wallace - 2024 UT App 164 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JAMES DOUGLAS WALLACE, Appellee, v. JOANNA JUNE WALLACE, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220559-CA Filed November 15, 2024 Third…
A Third Party Refused to Return Child to the Child’s Mother, the Sole Custodian. So Mother Called Law Enforcement Seeking Assistance. But They Refused to Get Involved Saying It’s a Civil Matter. Is That True?
I can't speak to what the law is in all jurisdictions, but I can speak to what the law is in Utah on this subject based upon my experience and…
The Voice of Reason in a Discussion of Domestic Violence and Child Custody
On October 31, 2024, the Utah Court of Appeals issued it opinion in the case of Lerman v. Lerman (2024 UT App 155). It is a decision Utah sorely needed for how to…
2024 UT App 43 – domestic violence appeal
State v. Arce - 2024 UT App 43 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, Appellee, v. JOSE FELIPE ARCE, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220006-CA Filed March 28, 2024 First…
U.S. Marriage and Divorce Statistics
My name is Stephanie from flingorlove.com and honestly, I usually wouldn't bother emailing about this, but I researched and gathered as much data and stats as I could about various divorce statistics…
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,…
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…
Nix v. Nix – 2022 UT App 83- insufficient evidence of adultery
2022 UT App 83 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JILL NIX, Appellee, v. ROLAND COMPTON NIX JR., Appellant. Opinion No. 20200691-CA Filed June 30, 2022 Fourth District Court, Provo Department…
Do courts make awards in divorce to “punish” adultery?
Do courts make awards in divorce to “punish” adultery? Great question. Adultery is considered a fault-based ground for divorce and a factor that can be considered when the trial court…
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…
Financial infidelity plagues many households, led by millennials
Guest post: https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/financial-infidelity/ Financial infidelity plagues many households, led by millennials By Ted Rossman Ted Rossman's Twitter profile Mar. 19, 2021 / 3 min read At Bankrate we strive to help you make…
Judge says stay away from my paramour. Can judge do that?
Judge says stay away from my paramour. Can judge do that? I became pregnant by my paramour after my husband and I separated. The court order states we are not…
Would you tell someone that his/her spouse is cheating?
Would you tell someone that his/her spouse is cheating? First, I need to make clear that my answer is in my capacity as just a member of the public. If…
What happens after an affair when you have kids?
What happens after an affair when you have kids? I will answer as if this question were asked in the belief that the affair will have a profound effect upon…
What happens after an affair when you have kids?
What happens after an affair when you have kids? I’ll answer as if this question were asked in the belief that the affair will have a profound effect upon child…
Is having an affair illegal in Utah? Not anymore.
Is having an affair illegal in Utah? It used to be, but as of the 2019 legislative session, it's not anymore. Adultery used to be a class B misdemeanor. Utah…
Should people be allowed to file “alienation of affections” law suits?
Allowed to? Yes. I believe that if one can prove that an otherwise happy marriage was destroyed by a homewrecker, one should have a legal cause of action for alienation…
Do most marriages end in divorce because of infidelity or money issues?
I think infidelity, IF you define infidelity broadly, meaning not simply adultery but a general lack of commitment to one another. Lack of devotion, care, and consideration for your spouse…
Hypothetically speaking, would you divorce over adultery, if you have kids?
Not simply because of an affair, no. It is certainly understandable if one desires to divorce a spouse who has committed adultery. The law understands this as well, which is…
What happens if marriage is abolished, since there are too many divorce rates and cheating affairs?
If that happens, then we will then have taken another step—and a big one—on the road to hell. Although the old joke, “the leading cause of divorce is marriage” may…
If someone has an affair with one he/she knows is married, which offense is greater: the adulterer or the home wrecker?
If someone buys kiddie porn from one who is selling it, who is the worse of the two? Neither. They are both criminals. Two people who knowingly engage in an…
If my spouse cheats, and we divorce will I get custody of my children?
In response to the question, “If my spouse cheats, and we divorce, will I get custody of the children because of my spouse’s infidelity?,” the answer is unequivocally “no.” No…
What are some of the major causes behind a divorce?
Lack of commitment/incompatibility. http://www.divorce.usu.edu/files... Survey: Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) professionals Reveal the Leading Causes of Divorce “Marriage is a counter-cultural act in a throwaway society.” —Dr. William H. Doherty,…
Utah de-criminalizes consensual adultery and sodomy
In Utah, it is no longer illegal for two consenting adults to engage in adultery or sodomy (and fornication may be de-criminalized too) House Bill 40 (2019 Utah Legislative Session)…
Is having an affair a misdemeanor or a felony in Utah?
In the jurisdiction where I practice (Utah), the law is: Utah 76-7-103. Adultery. (1) A married person commits adultery when he voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than…
Is adultery a misdemeanor or a felony, or does it depend on the State?
In the jurisdiction where I practice (Utah), the law is: 76-7-103. Adultery. (1) A married person commits adultery when he voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than his…
What useful things can Jeff Bezos’s divorce can teach us
Question: Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie are divorcing. Who do you think will get the custody of their 4 kids? I don’t know enough about the family’s circumstances…
When do you know your spouse is lying?
When you can independently verify it; otherwise, there is, as of yet, no perfectly accurate way to know whether someone is lying. Even the most sophisticated “lie detection” equipment (which…
A list of common, but very good, Utah divorce questions (with answers)
ERIC, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 20+ YEARS. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN TOGETHER 3 OF WHOM ARE STILL MINOR CHILDREN. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT BE…
What is the divorce rate for professional firefighters?
What is the divorce rate for professional firefighters? High. They have a lot of spare time, and idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Lots of infidelity among firefighters. Utah Family…
Questions Working Women and Mothers Often Ask Me About Divorce
ERIC, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 20+ YEARS. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN TOGETHER 3 OF WHOM ARE STILL MINOR CHILDREN. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH HAVE JOBS.…
If somebody’s wife gets pregnant by another man will it be easy for the husband to gain custody of their children?
If somebody’s wife gets pregnant by another man will it be easy for the husband to gain custody of their children? In my opinion, 9.5 times out of 10 the…
Can a wife expect a property to be split equally if she cheated?
Can a wife expect a property to be split between partners if she cheated on her partner in the US (assuming no contract has been signed)? Yes. People who are…
By law does a woman have to pay an abusive ex-husband alimony?
In the jurisdiction where I practice law (Utah), the question is not whether an abused spouse who makes more money than the abuser must pay alimony to the abuser, but…
Who gets the house, if one of us had an affair?
After 1.5 years trying to reconcile after my wife's 5 year affair, we are ending our 20-year marriage. Despite two teenage kids and her being a stay-at-home mom, she had…
If my spouse is cheating on me, will I get full custody of our children?
If I have evidence of my spouse cheating on me, how likely am I to get full custody of my children? Most divorce/custody cases are complicated and rarely are decided…
