One’s divorce case rarely falls apart just because it is legally or factually weak. More often, it’s the divorcing parties themselves who complicate their cases through avoidable mistakes. Courts in…
In Utah divorce, debt is divided equitably, not equally. Mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and medical bills are treated differently, and creditors can still pursue you even if your ex…
In Utah today, custody evaluations are often conducted behind closed doors. The evaluator interviews the parents, the children, and collateral witnesses (neighbors, teachers, extended family, therapists, coaches, pastors, etc.), but…
I apologize in advance; I cannot limit myself to just one answer, but I will start off with the “top” idea and then share others. Courts could make custody disputes…
Divorce is almost always harder, slower, more expensive, and more damaging—financially and emotionally—than people expect. Unless you are married to someone truly abusive or irreparably toxic, the better course is…
In Utah, as in other states, courts deciding child custody and parent-time disputes are charged with applying the “best interests of the child” standard. That standard is necessary, but it…
After 28 years of divorce practice (as of the date this post is shared), I've watched countless cases that could have and should resolve in months drag on for a…
Why this comes up Divorce makes parents hyper-vigilant. A child’s smartphone can feel like the master key to what’s really happening—messages with the other parent, photos, social media, location history.…
Don’t divorce lawyers make mediation harder and more expensive? I'm a divorce lawyer, and I'll be the first to admit it: sometimes lawyers can do more harm than good in the…
Love vs. Law In Utah, stepparents have no inherent visitation rights during the pendency of divorce proceedings or after the court issues the divorce decree. Unless you qualify under the…
(For educational purposes only. Consult your attorney before you considering using these in your own case.) GAL Acting Like a Witness Without Being Sworn “Your Honor, I object. The Guardian…
For generations, the billable hour has been the dominant billing tool of the legal profession. Consequently, courts, attorneys, and even clients have assessed “reasonableness” of an attorney’s fees against the…
World War II’s silk shortage forced the military to abandon a comfortable default; nylon parachutes—stronger, cheaper, and mass-producible—started as a substitute and became the superior standard. COVID-19 did the same…
When people discover that his or her husband or wife is committing crimes or has been convicted of crimes, they often panic. One of the first questions we hear in…
Divorce lawyers have long grappled with one of the most disheartening realities of our practice: watching a marital estate, built over years, dissolve not into two separate households, but go…
When a Utah divorce case is commenced, life doesn’t stop while the case is pending. Children still need a consistent schedule. The mortgage, utilities, and insurance bills still come due.…
If a parent is awarded sole legal custody of a child, does that award not carry with it an implicit obligation to exercise that sole legal custody power in good…
Will offering your spouse more money guarantee a quick Utah divorce settlement? Sometimes. But it often backfires. Here’s how Utah divorce law treats lopsided settlements, when “buying peace” makes sense,…
When alcohol use (or accusations of it) becomes a custody or parent-time issue, courts want two things: reliable measurements and confidence that the right person took the test. BACtrack and…
(Guest post by Broker and Divorce Real Estate Agent Joe Gordon) While popular and easily accessible, automated valuation models (AVMs)—tools like Zillow’s Zestimate, Redfin Estimate, and other algorithm-based home value…
One of the most painful parts of a divorce can be if children seem to pull away from you. It’s a situation many divorced and separated parents face: after a…
In Utah custody disputes, Guardians ad Litem (GALs) and custody evaluators can have enormous influence over the outcome, often so much so that it’s far more than the law actually…
Telling your spouse you are considering divorce before filing can either open the door to a cooperative, low-drama split—or give them time to get the jump on you and hurt…
Forgiveness is a deeply personal decision, and in the context of abuse it can be a life-altering one. But understand that “forgiving” your spouse for abusing you or your children…
TL;DR: If you can’t afford your Utah divorce attorney anymore, tell him/her immediately. You may be able to arrange a payment plan, switch to limited scope services, or proceed on your…
TL;DR: Arbitration–mediation (arb-med) in Utah divorce and family law starts with arbitration, then gives the parties a final chance to settle in mediation before the arbitrator’s decision becomes binding. It saves…
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…
Are you thinking about offering a settlement in your Utah divorce or child custody case? Here is what you should consider before you make the first move — including how…
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…
Divorce or custody litigation often brings out the worst in people. Some spouses can't resist the urge to play the victim or the hero in every story they tell, especially…
It’s not uncommon during a divorce for one spouse to claim that the other is disparaging them—online, in conversations with mutual friends, or even in front of their children. We…
I. Introduction A psychological evaluation in a custody or divorce case sounds powerful. You may believe (or even know) your spouse to be manipulative, unstable, or even dangerous. So why…
Most parents in Utah assume that when they separate or divorce, the court will start from a position of splitting custody evenly. That’s a reasonable assumption—shared parenting has become the…
In Utah, divorce-related child custody disputes often escalate over parenting flaws that wouldn’t justify state intervention outside divorce. This approach is flawed because it creates a double standard that unfairly…
By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant One of the most common accusations we hear in divorce cases today is: “My spouse is a narcissist.” It's become the go-to label for bad behavior,…
Most cases don't need a PGAL or evaluator appointment. Why are court interviews often the better choice?: Quality of evidence: Direct court interviews create objective, recorded testimony rather than subjective, unverifiable,…
People rave about Atomic Habits by James Clear. I do not. It’s not a bad book, but not life-changing, at least not for me. Maybe it didn’t move me much…
A single mistake shouldn't cost a parent his or her relationship with his/her child. Yet too often, family courts award sole custody based on isolated incidents or "aberrant behavior" that…
2025 UT App 105 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DEBRA JEAN REAM, Appellant, v. JACOB M. REAM, Appellee. Opinion No. 20230799-CA Filed July 10, 2025 Fourth District Court, Provo Department…
TL;DR: No, not without strict limits. In Utah, no parent may not allow a registered sex offender to be around your children—even in that parent’s own home—without the other parent’s…
If you’re feeling like you can’t go on with your divorce case, know that you’re not alone in feeling that way. And you’re not weak for feeling overwhelmed. Take a…
If you're divorced and you are, or your ex is, introducing a new boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse into your minor children’s lives, you should seriously consider running a background check…
If you get divorced in Utah, you may be surprised to learn that you are required—unless you are excused for good cause—to attend at least one session of mediation before…
It is not a matter of beliefs that men are generally (not in every single case, but generally) treated unfairly in divorce. It is a fact. This is why many…
Of the Utah domestic relations commissioners and judges who treat fathers as second-class parents in making temporary and permanent custody and parent-time rulings, they practically gush about the standard for…
It depends on what you mean by “yours,” by what you mean by “mine”. First you need to understand that there are two kinds of property in a divorce situation:…
‘Can be. ‘Often is, but is not necessarily a war of attrition in all situations. Some divorce cases come to an end not because the court ruled on and resolved…
Yes. Why? Contempt of court is defined as: 1) a valid court order; 2) of which the parent has notice; 3) that the parent is capable of obey; 4) but…
Do you mean to ask, How do deserving fathers fight: for sole child custody? for joint child custody? for equal child custody? Or do you mean to ask: “How do fathers ‘win’ their…
If you are considering filing for divorce—or if your spouse has already filed—you’ve probably consulted with a divorce lawyer (or should). You likely have your own views (and blind spots)…