Will ORS automatically adjust the child support withheld from my paycheck when my child support obligation changes? By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

Will ORS automatically adjust the child support withheld from my paycheck when my child support obligation changes? The short answer to this question is no. ORS will not automatically review…

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Does Utah Law Require Divorced or Single Parents to Pay Child Support in the Form of College Tuition?

Does Utah law require divorced or single parents to pay child support in the form of college tuition for their children? Require it? No. Utah does not require divorced or single…

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When Does Child Support End Under Utah Law? Once a Child Reaches Majority? Sooner? Later?

This question perennially arises at graduation time, and it’s graduation time when I write this post. Unless your Utah-issued decree of divorce contains provisions for child support that deviate from…

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What does “child support” mean in Utah?

There are actually three different but related types of child support in Utah for divorced and unmarried parents who obtain child support orders either through administrative means or through a…

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The Case for Fault-Based Divorce: A Perspective from the Trenches of Family Law

As a legal assistant at a family law firm (and as a soon to be law school graduate), I see firsthand how the current no-fault divorce regime can create problems…

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What Are the Chances My Child’s Father Will Get 50/50 Custody in Utah if I Only Knew Him for a Few Months Before Getting Pregnant and He Was MIA Until He Was Ordered to Pay Child Support?

If you are a fit parent (not abusive, not neglectful, not suffering from any disability that renders you unable to provide the care and support the child needs, and can…

Continue ReadingWhat Are the Chances My Child’s Father Will Get 50/50 Custody in Utah if I Only Knew Him for a Few Months Before Getting Pregnant and He Was MIA Until He Was Ordered to Pay Child Support?

Should You Get Divorced? Weighing Your Options in a Difficult Decision By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

The decisions to marry and to end a marriage are not decisions to be taken lightly. If divorce is ever an easy choice, something is terribly wrong. Wrong with the…

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When Contemplating Divorce, Advance Research, Analysis, and Planning Will Be a Tremendous Help to You, Your Family, and to Your Attorney

Several important provisions are frequently overlooked in divorce decrees, despite their significant impact on post-divorce life. If you are contemplating divorce, but have not considered these issues yet, thinking them…

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Why Does My Ex Want Full Custody Now That I Filed for Child Support?

If a parent has sole or primary physical custody of the children, then not only does that parent typically not end up having to pay child support to the other…

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It Tolls for Thee: The All Too Frequent Tragic Cost and Futility of Family Court

“Quid rides? Mutato nomine et de te fabula narrator. [Why do you laugh ? Change only the name and this story is about you.]” Here’s a deeply disturbing but all…

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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…

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How Can Family Courts Claim to Comply With the Equal Protection Clause When Fathers Receive Primary Custody in Less Than 20% of Cases?

Good point, and good question. Although the amount of time fathers are being awarded with their children is increasing in child custody dispute cases (and has been for the past…

Continue ReadingHow Can Family Courts Claim to Comply With the Equal Protection Clause When Fathers Receive Primary Custody in Less Than 20% of Cases?

2024 UT App 169 – Ward v. McGarry – imputation of income

2024 UT App 169 - Ward v. McGarry THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SARA WARD, Appellant, v. MEREDITH MCGARRY, Appellee. Opinion No. 20230365-CA Filed November 15, 2024 Third District Court,…

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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…

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Child Support in Utah

How is child support calculated in Utah? How long does child support last? How is child support enforced? How child support in Utah is calculated. I will explain it both…

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Godfrey v. Godfrey – 2024 UT App 156 – Broad discretion, Abuse of discretion

2024 UT App 156 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS AMANDA GODFREY, Appellee, v. RANDY GODFREY, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210871-CA Filed October 31, 2024 Third District Court, Silver Summit Department The…

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Lerman v. Lerman – 2024 UT App 155 – Child Custody and Domestic Violence

Lerman v. Lerman - 2024 UT App 155 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DEREK LERMAN, Appellee, v. MICHELLE LERMAN, Appellant. Opinion No. 20230913-CA Filed October 31, 2024 Second District Court,…

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Lunt v. Lunt – 2024 UT App 148 – Alimony, Individual Needs, Business Goodwill

Lunt v. Lunt - 2024 UT App 148 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MEGAN LUNT, Appellee, v. DREW E. LUNT, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220596-CA Filed October 18, 2024 Third District…

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If a Parent Refuses to Work, Does That Mean the Other Parent Pays Higher Child Support?

In Utah, a parent is not required to have a job and it's likely that a court cannot order a parent to get a job and earn money. If that parent…

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Is It Time to Recognize “Semi-cohabitation” as a Basis for at Least Reducing the Alimony Award?

Currently in Utah, alimony, the Utah Code provides, at § 30-3-5(11)(a), which will, effective September 1, 2024, be renumbered as § 81-4-504(1), as follows: (11)(a)   The court has continuing jurisdiction…

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Can’t I Claim an Offset or Credit for the Children’s Other Expenses That I’ve Paid?

My ex-spouse is the primary custodial parent, and I am ordered to pay child support. My ex wastes child support money and/or doesn't spend it on the needs of our…

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How to Fill Out Your Financial Declaration, Paragraph Four. By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

Paragraph four of your financial declaration deals with your gross monthly income. Your gross monthly income is your income from all sources. This includes, your income from employment, your work,…

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2024 UT App 84 – Corn v. Groce – Modification of Parent-Time or Custody

2024 UT App 84 - Corn v. Groce THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JANETTE CORN, Appellee, v. BLAKE GROCE, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220526-CA Filed May 31, 2024 Second District Court,…

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How to Fill Out Your Financial Declaration, Paragraph One. By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

If you find yourself involved in a Utah divorce action (whether child support will be an issue or not) or an action over the support of minor children in Utah…

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If I Agreed to Sign up a Prenup With My Billionaire Husband Does That Mean I Would Not Get Anything Not Even a Dollar?

I can’t speak to what the law governing prenuptial agreements is in any jurisdiction other than the one in which I practice divorce and family law (Utah), but as to…

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Are You Fighting for Your Kids or Are You Protecting Your Financial Future? By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

An accusation that gets thrown around a lot in a divorce action is that a parent doesn’t actually want to spend time with his or her children. Usually it's an…

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What Do We Do When Equal (50/50) Physical Custody Is Awarded but One Parent Isn’t Bearing the Responsibilities Equal Custody Requires of That Parent?

Recently a Quora.com reader commented on my answer to this question: Is there a primary parent in joint custody in Utah which is also known as “equal” or “50/50” custody? They…

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2024 UT App 51 – Bailey v. Bailey – evidence, sanctions

2024 UT App 51 - Bailey v. Bailey THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS AMY L. BAILEY, Appellee, v. DANNY RAY BAILEY, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220534-CA Filed April 11, 2024 Second…

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Can Child Support (Whether Prospectively or Retrospectively) Be Waived by the Child Support Payee?

The easiest of these two questions to answer is the second one, i.e., “Can child support be waiver retrospectively by the child support payee? The answer is yes, if the…

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Why Hiding Your Money in a Divorce and/or Child Support Court Case Won’t Work (and why people still try) By Braxton Mounteer

When those who will be ordered to divide assets with a spouse and/or pay child and/or spousal support (alimony) confront the matter, many try to lie about and to misrepresent their…

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How much does a parent have to pay in child support? What is the legally set amount?

Some people believe that child support is the same for all parents. They believe that every parent who is ordered to pay child support pays the same amount of money…

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House Bill 129 Child Support Requirements

Today’s blog post treats another proposed law that is up for consideration during the 2024 Utah legislative session: House Bill 129 (HB0129 (utah.gov)), entitled “Child Support Requirements”. This bill would,…

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H.B. 20 “Parental Rights Amendments”

Today’s blog post treats House Bill 20, one of several proposed family law-related pieces of legislation for the 2024 Utah legislative session. H.B. 20 is entitled “Parental Rights Amendments” According…

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Family Law Legislation for the 2024 Utah State Legislative Session

Here is a list of the current proposed family law legislation for the 2024 Utah State Legislative session, along with a (very) brief description of the proposed legislation. If you…

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Obstacles Fathers Face in Trying to Get Joint Custody of Their Children

I have been asked by a reader to answer two questions. The first: whether I believe courts generally apply a double standard in the treatment of mothers and fathers when…

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Why would a co-parent suggest using a parenting app

I will start out my answer by acknowledging that reasonable minds can differ on the merits of a “parenting app,” also known as a “co-parenting app”. I will continue my…

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I Can Prepare a Prenuptial Agreement for You, but With Rare, Particular Exception, I Advise Against It.

Most attorney websites that contain “articles” on prenuptial agreements aren’t really articles but thinly veiled sales pitches for prenuptial agreements. This post is not one of those. I have always…

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Do you think the child support laws in your state are fair? If no, then describe the changes that you would make.

I can’t speak for all jurisdictions, but in the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law (Utah), child support awards are generally, in my opinion, 1) too high, 2)…

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What happens in court if I file for divorce but my husband has an active case on me for child support? Will I get the child?

Whether you “get the child” (meaning whether you will be awarded physical custody of the child) has little to no relevance to the fact that your spouse is seeking child…

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Client Red Flags By Braxton Mounteer

In my time as a legal assistant in the family law profession, I have observed many different kinds of client behaviors, some better than others. Those behaviors that cause the…

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Gaming Child Support as the Child Support Recipient

Many people complain (justifiably) about child support in this regard: parents who qualify to receive child support or to receive more child support by being unemployed, underemployed or who deliberately…

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Is There Any Realistic Way to Prevent Misappropriating Child Support Funds?

This is a subject that comes up frequently. It comes up frequently not because misappropriating child support is a hard problem to mitigate but because the courts don’t have the…

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Does it not feel weird to anyone that a parent who does not get child custody has to pay child support to the other parent who is enjoying the kids?

I think I know why you think it’s weird. Why have the children live with one parent instead both parents on an equal custody basis? In other words, “I’ll bear…

Continue ReadingDoes it not feel weird to anyone that a parent who does not get child custody has to pay child support to the other parent who is enjoying the kids?

Does it not feel weird to anyone that a parent who does not get child custody has to pay child support to the other parent who is enjoying the kids?

I think I know why you think it’s weird. Why have the children live with one parent instead both parents on an equal custody basis? In other words, “I’ll bear…

Continue ReadingDoes it not feel weird to anyone that a parent who does not get child custody has to pay child support to the other parent who is enjoying the kids?

I am ordered to pay child support to my ex. My ex and I are both ordered to share the cost of our child’s health, medical, dental, and hospital care insurance equally. Is there anything I can do to ensure that I am reimbursed without it costing me more than the value of the reimbursement itself?

Question: I am ordered to pay child support to my ex. My ex and I are both ordered to share the cost of our child’s health, medical, dental, and hospital care…

Continue ReadingI am ordered to pay child support to my ex. My ex and I are both ordered to share the cost of our child’s health, medical, dental, and hospital care insurance equally. Is there anything I can do to ensure that I am reimbursed without it costing me more than the value of the reimbursement itself?

What do I do when my ex uses doctor’s appointments in our child support issue on court when we have 50/50 decision making, but I have the final say to any decision made? Will it be used against me?

If I understand your question correctly, you're wondering if the court will fault for your ex-spouse's claims that you are failing to act responsibly when it comes to making and…

Continue ReadingWhat do I do when my ex uses doctor’s appointments in our child support issue on court when we have 50/50 decision making, but I have the final say to any decision made? Will it be used against me?

I have a family court hearing coming up on the 25th. How do I create a proposed visitation plan to the judges? How will our work schedules play into this? I’m the non-custodial parent.

Your question is too vague to understand and answer. You need to consult with an attorney in your jurisdiction to get the correct answers to your questions (both the questions…

Continue ReadingI have a family court hearing coming up on the 25th. How do I create a proposed visitation plan to the judges? How will our work schedules play into this? I’m the non-custodial parent.

The Father Just Paid Child Support, and Now He’s Asking the Mother of the Child to Start Showing Him Receipts. Do You Think He Is Right for Asking?

Absolutely. No question about it. Now, don’t confuse “he has every right to ask for receipts” with “he has every right to receipts”. If a child support payor (known in some jurisdictions as the…

Continue ReadingThe Father Just Paid Child Support, and Now He’s Asking the Mother of the Child to Start Showing Him Receipts. Do You Think He Is Right for Asking?

My Ex-wife Is Married. Should Her and Her New Husband’s Total Household Income Be Used When Determining Child Support?

I really don’t understand why this question gets asked, and it is asked frequently. Actually, that’s not true. I do know why. The people who usually ask this question are…

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Can the Mom End up Paying Child Support to the Father if He Was Abusive?

There are so many things wrong with this question. But thank you for asking it because it can be the start of a beneficial conversation and lead to a better…

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