Elder v. Elder – 2024 UT App 68 – enforcement vs. modification

Elder v. Elder - 2024 UT App 68 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BRITTANY LEE ELDER, Appellee, v. MATT BLAKE ELDER, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210902-CA Filed May 9, 2024 Second…

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What Are the Options for Someone Who Has Been Served Divorce Papers by Their Spouse Who Has Moved Away and No Longer Wants to Be With Them?

If you want to know your options and have the time to exercise them, then you need to meet with an attorney immediately to find out what the law requires of you,…

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Is There Anything I Can Do for Winning Custody After the Gal Report Is Favoring My Ex? Is Paying More to My Attorneys Worth It or No?

After you ask, “Is there anything I can do for winning custody after the GAL report is favoring my ex? Is paying more to my attorneys worth it or no?,”…

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Is It Possible to Discredit a Biased Custody Evaluation Full of Unsubstantiated and False Claims?

Yes, it is possible, but not always possible, and when it is possible it is often very difficult to accomplish. Difficult not because custody evaluators are particularly competent (they typically…

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2024 UT App 54 – Tilleman v. Tilleman – custody factors, income, fees

2024 UT App 54 - Tilleman v. Tilleman THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MICHAEL ROBERT TILLEMAN, Appellant, v. MICHAL CHRISTINE TILLEMAN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20210637-CA Filed April 11, 2024 Fourth…

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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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Why Your Witness May Not Be As Good As You Think By Braxton Mounteer

I recently went to trial with my boss for a divorce case. One of the things that stuck out to me was that quite often the witnesses people call in…

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You Reap What You Sow.

I’m Braxton Mounteer, a legal assistant. I've written and talked about this problem before, but it's a recurring problem and a serious one. It's hard enough to muster the courage…

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You Can’t Tell What The Judge Is Thinking By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

I recently accompanied my boss to the trial of a divorce case. If I had had to place a bet on what the judge was thinking at given moment or…

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What Are the Odds That I Can Get Custody of My Daughter if I Have a Serious Criminal Record?

Without knowing more about your criminal record, I can still safely predict that having almost any kind of chronic or significant criminal record reduces your chances of being awarded custody…

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What Is the Benefit of a Legal Separation (Separate Maintenance) or a Temporary Separation Order in Utah?

Many people ask what the benefits of a legal separation are. Aside from the obvious "it gives us the option of staying together, if we want to," are there other…

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Fair Treatment in Court by Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant.

The family law legal system likes to portray itself as a shining beacon of justice and equity, but I have seen first-hand that it is not. Whether it is opportunistic…

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I Am Going through a Custody Battle and the Other Parent Is Making False Statements About Me in Court. What Can I Do to Protect Myself and My Child?

If you want just my direct answer to this question, skip to the last paragraph, but I submit that you’ll have a much better understanding of the answer if you…

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2024 UT App 28 – Smith v. Smith

2024 UT App 28 - Smith v. Smith THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JACQUELINE P. SMITH, Appellee,  v. DANIEL H. SMITH, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220697-CA  Filed March 7, 2024  Third…

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Doing What’s Best for Children by Refusing to Hear From Them on the Subject (And Other Nonsense).

Recently an attorney posed a question on a forum for fellow Utah family law attorneys. The question involved how to find out what the children’s experiences have been with one…

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My spouse is threatening to take the children away, but I’ve done nothing wrong. What can I do to protect them and me?

What do you do when your spouse threatens to walk out and take the children even though you have been an equal and contributing partner in the marriage? It is…

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Lamb v. Lamb, 2024 UT App 16 – divorce, custody, business, home equity

2024 UT App 16 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JOSEPH EARL LAMB, Appellee, v. SONYA ELIZABETH LAMB, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210787-CA Filed February 8, 2024 Third District Court, Salt Lake…

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My attorney withdrew as my counsel in my divorce case. What do I do now?

I received a notice from opposing counsel that looks (or contains) something like this: “You are hereby notified of your responsibility to appear personally or appoint counsel.” What does this…

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A.W. v. Marelli – 2024 UT App 8 – infliction of emotional distress

A.W. v. Marelli - 2024 UT App 8 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS A.W., Appellant, v.  MILLIE MARELLI, Appellee. Opinion No. 20220207-CA Filed January 19, 2024 Third District Court, Salt…

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How do you survive if the narcissist won custody of your kids and you have to accept it?

Hard truths incoming. When dealing with a co-parent who is afflicted with a personality disorder, do these things, and do them all at the same time: 1) Examine your own…

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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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Holt v. Holt – 2024 UT App 6 – reasonable time rule

Holt v. Holt - 2024 UT App 6 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS RHONDA S. HOLT, Appellee, v. CHRISTOPHER JOHN HOLT, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220090-CA Filed January 11, 2024 Third…

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How to prepare for a consultation with a lawyer By Braxton Mounteer, legal assistant

You have just been served with a summons and complaint (or petition) for divorce. Now have to traverse the minefield that is finding a good divorce attorney. It's harder to find a…

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Alimony in Utah, in Simple but No Less Accurate, Easily Understood Terms

Alimony is a hotly debated subject, whether one is divorced or not. As with most controversial topics, misinformation seems to find its way into the discussion. Alimony is not nearly…

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Divorce and Social Media By Braxton Mounteer

Most people fundamentally misunderstand what the Internet and social media are. Many believe that social media is a web of interconnections where you can send and receive updates about your…

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2023 UT App 137 – Lobendahn v. Lobendahn – petition to modify custody

2023 UT App 137  - Lobendahn v. Lobendahn   THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MARCUS JAMES LOBENDAHN, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. LEEYEN MOEVAI LOBENDAHN, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20210278-CA…

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State v. Fowers – 2023 UT App 128 – violation of protective order

State v. Fowers - 2023 UT App 128 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, Appellant, v. THOMAS FOWERS, Appellee. Opinion No. 20220073-CA Filed October 26, 2023 Fourth District Court,…

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In re H.M. – 2023 UT App 122 – termination of parental rights

In re H.M. - 2023 UT App 122 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF H.M. AND D.M., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. G.B., Appellant, v.…

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John v. John – 2023 UT App 103

John v. John - 2023 UT App 103 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS LUCAS ALLEN JOHN, Appellee, v. CASSANDRA KATHLEEN JOHN, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210506-CA Filed September 14, 2023 Third…

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If I Get Married and Divorce Laws Change, Then Can I End the Marriage Before a New Divorce Law Applies Mentioning the Same as the Reason for Divorce?

My answer to your question is going to be a generalized answer to a hypothetical question. Before you take any real-life legal action in relation to real, existing laws, you…

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Clark v. Clark – 2023 UT App 111 – divorce, exhibits, dissipation

Clark v. Clark - 2023 UT App 111 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SUSAN JEANNE CLARK, Appellee, v. RICHARD LEE CLARK, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210713-CA Filed September 28, 2023 Fourth…

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If you file for divorce, do you have to serve your spouse with papers?

Your spouse must be served with the summons and divorce complaint or petition before the case can proceed. In my jurisdiction (as I believe it to be the case in…

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How can you tell if your lawyer is lying about winning cases if there is no evidence of it online or in paper form?

Effectively, you can’t. You might be able to verify whether your lawyer is telling the truth about his/her winning record if the lawyer is willing to give you the information…

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Important things divorce attorney clients need to know but would easily and freely be forgiven for not knowing without being told. No. 3:

The documents your attorney tells you that you must prepare for your case are, in fact, documents that you must prepare for your case. Failure to prepare them and to…

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Blake v. Smith – 2023 UT App 78 – child custody, child support

Blake v. Smith - 2023 UT App 78 2023 UT App 78 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DEJUAN BLAKE, Appellee, v. JILLYN SMITH, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210779-CA Filed July 20,…

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How to Avoid Being Called a Liar in a Utah Case By Braxton Mounteer

Who would you believe more in a court case: a person who admits to his/her faults, who honestly discloses all of his/her relevant information (even the information that hurts his/her…

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The Importance of Working With Your Lawyer By Braxton Mounteer

I have noticed three chronic problems with clients in just the few weeks I have been working as a legal assistant. 1) Most clients seem to have an almost allergic…

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2023 UT App 60 – Martinez v. Sanchez-Garcia – Material and Substantial Change

2023 UT App 60 - Martinez v. Sanchez-Garcia THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DAISY MARTINEZ Appellant, v. FERNANDO SANCHEZ-GARCIA, Appellee. Opinion No. 20210829-CA Filed June 2, 2023 First District Court,…

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Divorce Is Often a “Cure” Worse Than the Disease

In response to this question, "Have you ever thought someone was making a mistake by getting a divorce?,” I stated (and I summarize here) some people need to divorce. It’s…

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2023 UT App 62 – Cox v. Cox – Adequacy of Court Findings

2023 UT App 62 - Cox v. Cox THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BLANCHE COX, Appellee, v. JAMES A. COX, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210455-CA Filed June 8, 2023 Fourth District…

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What Can I Legally Do if My Child’s Mother Refuses to Use Car Seat When Traveling With Our Little Child?

What can I legally do if my child's mother picks up our child in an Uber without a car seat? She is 5 years old, about 50 lbs. She is…

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How Long Does a Child Custody Court Hearing Take?

rprise that it usually takes much less time and effort to prepare for a proffer hearing than preparing for a full evidentiary hearing. In a proffer hearing the client won’t…

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Tithing Can Be a Legitimate Personal Expense in the Context of Determining the Alimony Award

Whether my recollection is true or not, I remember being taught in law school that tithing and other regular charitable giving cannot be treated as a personal expense deduction in…

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Nelson v. Nelson – 2023 UT App 38 – Claim Preclusion and Child Support

2023 UT App 38 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STASHIA NELSON, Appellee, v. ISAAC SCOTT NELSON, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210345-CA Filed April 13, 2023 First District Court, Logan Department The…

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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…

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Mintz v. Mintz – 2023 UT App 17

Mintz v. Mintz - 2023 UT App 17 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS RAYNA ELIZABETH MINTZ, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. GLEN RYAN MINTZ, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20200507-CA Filed…

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Myers v. Myers 2023 UT App 20 – Alimony Modification

Myers v. Myers 2023 UT App 20 2023 UT App 20 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS AMY R. MYERS, Appellee, v. JACOB W. MYERS, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220002-CA Filed March…

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From Utah Business Magazine: Utah Has Highest Percentage of Marriages in Past 10 Years

From Utah Business Magazine: Utah has highest percentage of marriages in past 10 years https://www.utahbusiness.com/utah-has-highest-percentage-of-marriages-in-past-10-years/ Key findings (among many other interesting things): Utah, Idaho and Wyoming have the highest percentages…

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