Why do I pay child support if we have joint custody and we both work?

I know two people that separated and share custody and both have jobs yet he pays child support? How does this work? This is a great question and a question…

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Esquire? Why do attorneys often use this title on business cards and letterhead?

Why do attorneys often use the title "Esquire" in their business cards and letterheads? Because the kinds of attorneys who use "Esquire' are conceited and pretentious. There's a great article…

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Why is my lawyer ignoring me?

Why is my lawyer ignoring me? There are many possible reasons. Lawyers are notorious for being hard to reach and for being unresponsive and nonresponsive. If you aren’t paying your…

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Do parents who share joint equal custody pay child support?

Do parents who share joint equal physical custody of their children pay child support? If my spouse and I were to agree to share joint equal physical custody (50-50) of…

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Do lawyers ever regret helping a client or obtaining a particular judgment?

Do lawyers ever regret helping a client or obtaining a particular judgment?  Yes, yes, of course.  We all know that there are plenty of lawyers who will prostitute their professional skills for money…

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S.B. 122 just passed! So what? Joint equal physical custody.

S.B. 122 (4th Substitute) passed by the Utah State Legislature March 5, 2021! Who should care and why? The elephant in the room is this: if there is no gender…

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Do you need a reason to get a divorce?

Do you need a reason to get a divorce? Not really, at least not in the jurisdiction where I practice divorce law (Utah). Even if you get a “no fault”…

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Why do attorneys often use the title Esquire in their business cards and letterheads?

Why do attorneys often use the title Esquire in their business cards and letterheads? Because those kinds of attorneys are conceited and pretentious. There's a great article about this on…

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Lawyers, why do some cases drag for years without a conclusive decision? Does it help to get a favorable outcome or not? Does delay help one to get a favorable outcome for oneself?

Lawyers, why do some cases drag for years without a conclusive decision? Does it help to get a favorable outcome or not? Does delay help one to get a favorable…

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Why do lawyers get paid no matter the results?

Why do lawyers get paid no matter the results? Your question assumes a false fact. Lawyers are not always paid no matter the results. One example is a contingency fee…

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Married a short time. He demands discovery going back years. Can he?

Married a short time. He demands discovery going back years. Can he? Married 16 months. He became abusive almost immediately after. I filed for divorce. He and his attorney is…

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I was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support?

I was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support? Can you try? Yes. Will you…

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Do I have to respond to discovery questions in a divorce?

Do I have to respond to discovery questions in a divorce? Yes, unless you can persuade the court that some or all of the discovery requests: violate the rules governing discovery, such…

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Are all lawyers psychopaths? What is it like to be a divorce lawyer?

Are all lawyers psychopaths? No, although social science research repeatedly finds that law is one of the top professions to which psychopaths are drawn (it’s #1 or #2 on most…

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Why is it difficult for a father to get child custody?

Why is it difficult for a father to get child custody? Because there is a pernicious and false belief in far too many of the courts (not, notably, in society…

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Should more people have to attend court-ordered parenting classes?

Should more people have to attend court-ordered parenting classes? Generally speaking, no. For the most part, when you lead a horse to water and try to force him to drink,…

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I was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support?

I was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support? Can you try? Yes. Will you…

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If I can’t find an attorney, can it honestly be said I got a fair trial?

If I can’t find an attorney, can it honestly be said I got a fair trial? If a person seeks legal representation in a court, and every attorney they tries…

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Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court?

Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court (pro se)? Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court?…

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Are older lawyers better?

Are older lawyers better? If by “older” you mean lawyers who are not fresh out of law school, the answer is: almost always yes. They don’t teach you how to…

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GALs/custody evaluators waste money/time compared to judge interview

GALs and custody evaluators waste too much money and time, and can never provide the same accuracy as a judge’s direct interview of the child. This post is the fifteenth…

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How is it possible that people go bankrupt during divorce in the USA? Isn’t it a 50/50 split?

How is it possible that people go bankrupt during divorce in the USA? Isn't it a 50/50 split? It’s not “the divorce” that causes people to go bankrupt, it’s the…

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What is the best case law to cite about parental alienation?

What is the best case law to cite during a high conflict custody battle where parental alienation has been occurring? If you know of any, please let me know. My…

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Which Is Better: spending thousands on GAL/custody evaluator or $0 on a judge interview?

Which Is Better: spending thousands on GAL/custody evaluator or $0 on a judge interview? How could it be better to spend thousands on a GAL or custody evaluator when the…

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How do I fight a DUI without a lawyer?

How do I fight a DUI without a lawyer? You don’t. Too much at stake. Too hard to do on your own. I’m a lawyer (a divorce and family law…

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When a lawyer drops a client, is the reason shared with the judge and/or opposing counsel (i.e., the client refused to be reasonable, etc.)?

When a lawyer drops a client, is the reason shared with the judge and/or opposing counsel (i.e., the client refused to be reasonable, etc.)? In Utah, where I practice divorce…

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Utah Divorce Case Timeline Summary

Utah Divorce Case Timeline Summary The greatest influence on how long a divorce case takes is usually how much and how severely the parties fight over the issues. The more…

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Brown v. Brown – 2020 UT App 146 – marital vs. non-marital assets

2020 UT App 146 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JERRY V. BROWN, Appellant, v. YVONNE A. BROWN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190543 Filed October 29, 2020 Fourth District Court, Provo Department…

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What to do before a divorce, if you’re not in the wrong

What advice would you give someone before a divorce, if it’s known it may happen and you’re not in the wrong? This is a very important question that too few…

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How can I protect my assets before getting married without prenup?

How can I protect my assets before getting married without prenup? Short answer: One option (not a very good one, frankly, but about the best there is under the circumstances…

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Why do pro se litigants fail so often?

Why do pro se litigants fail so often? And if you’re wondering what a pro se litigant is, here’s the definition: someone who argues his/her own case in a lawsuit,…

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What advice would you give me before divorce, if I’m not in the wrong?

What advice would you give someone before a divorce, if it’s known it may happen and you’re not in the wrong? This is a very important question that too few…

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Jensen v. Canon – 2020 UT App – tort of fraudulent nondisclosure and willful intent to deceive

2020 UT App 124 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JODI JENSEN, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. GARY CANNON, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20190433-CA Filed August 27, 2020 Third District Court,…

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Do I owe my spouse of just a few months anything in divorce?

When a young couple divorces after only a month of marriage, should there ever be an expectation that one party owes anything to the other, even if they lived with…

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Can I get a cost-free divorce if, say, my spouse is verbally and emotionally abusive?

Can I get a cost-free divorce if, say, my spouse is verbally and emotionally abusive? In a sense, yes, but not because of a finding that your spouse “verbally and…

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Utah Courts “Divorce Education for Children” program is free of charge

The Utah Courts provide a "Divorce Education for Children" program that is free of charge for children 9-12 years of age whose parents are divorcing. More information about the program…

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What does it take to get the court to award custody to the father?

What does it take to get the court to award custody to the father? Either: A) a miracle or B) the mother has to be so clearly an unfit parent…

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