A fit parent is awarded equal custody of two teenagers. Nothing in the record suggests he's dangerous, neglectful, or unfit—the court has already said so. A few months in, the…
Christensen v. Christensen - 2026 UT App 104 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JEFFREY CHRISTENSEN, Appellant, v. COURTNEY JESSICA CHRISTENSEN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20240810-CA Filed July 9, 2026 Third District…
Child Custody Defiance Should Not Cost a Fit Parent Both the Children and More Money Suppose a court orders equal custody. Both parents are fit. One parent is ready, willing,…
One of the most common sources of conflict between co-parents is not just custody exchanges, holiday schedules, or even the monthly child support payment. Often, it is the steady stream…
When parents separate or divorce, one of the most important questions is how custody of their children will be determined. Many parents enter the process believing the court will automatically…
Discover how Utah Code § 81-6-101 allows for child support to continue indefinitely for adult children with cognitive disabilities. Learn the legal standards for incapacity and how a Special Needs Trust can…
Reese v. Reese - 2026 UT App 31 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MAKAIBREE MARIE REESE,Appellee,v.KYLAN REESE,Appellant. Opinion No. 20240830-CA Filed March 5, 2026 Third District Court, Salt Lake Department…
When parents separate, two instruments immediately begin to shape a child's future: the calendar (time) and the calculator (money). Both matter. Neither is optional. And neither compensates for the absence…
Utah’s Legislature has introduced HB 208 (2026), a bill that would make meaningful changes to the state’s parentage statutes. Parentage law determines who is legally recognized as a parent. That recognition…
People often assume that once their ex remarries, financial obligations from the divorce automatically shrink or disappear. It’s not that simple. In short: when it comes to the effects on child…
If the other parent has dropped out of your kids’ lives—no support, no visits, no calls—for six months or more, you may have a legal basis to seek termination under…
In Utah, you can share in your spouse’s lottery winnings if the divorce is still pending. After the divorce is final, you cannot reopen the property settlement, but the winnings…
Marri v. Rizwan - 2025 UT App 137 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MIR MARRI, Appellant, v. RABIA RIZWAN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20230034-CA Filed September 18, 2025 Third District Court,…
Don’t wait until the first day of school to address custody schedules, school choice, communication with the school, extracurricular costs, or special needs. Review your decree, coordinate with your ex…
Do you wonder whether your divorce lawyer is ignoring what really matters in your divorce or custody case? With this post you will learn why your concerns may be legally…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
“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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…