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…
Why do attorneys tell people not to talk to the police? What if I’m innocent or just want to help them?
Let’s discuss this principle in the context of DUIs, but the principle applies in any situation in which you could be questioned in regard to any crime. What is hard…
When my BPD ex filed for divorce, she went silent on me (provocations, mixed or erratic social media behavior stopped). I counter filed for divorce. Now she’s back to old behavior, unblocked me, jealousy baiting me (bluffing). What is her goal?
If you described your wife accurately, she’s probably trying to do to you exactly what you suspect: annoy, worry, anger, embarrass, and provoke you. You’re wiser than most to ask…
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…
Clarke v. Clarke – 2023 UT App 160
2023 UT App 160 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS EDWIN M. CLARKE, Appellee, v. ANGOZI R.S. CLARKE, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220067-CA Filed December 29, 2023 Third District Court, Silver Summit…
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…
How To Talk To Your Former Spouse By Braxton Mounteer
Regardless of your feelings towards your ex-spouse, if you have children, you will have to talk or otherwise communicate to your ex (and do so often) about the minor children…
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)…
Why You Should Always Order Audio Recordings By Braxton Mounteer
You may be asking yourself, why should I order from the court a copy of the audio recordings of my court hearings? Shouldn’t the court's own notes in the written…
How do I enforce my husband’s promise to hire an attorney for me in our divorce?
If by this question you mean to state that your husband told you he would pay for your attorney in the divorce action between the two of you, that could…
Can I petition for annulment if my husband already filed for dissolution of marriage?
I will answer this question based up on the law of the state of Utah, which is the jurisdiction in which I practice divorce and family law. Yes, you can,…
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…
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…
How likely is a judge to give the non-custodial parent 50-50 parenting time after the primary custodial parent has been the primary parent for three years?
Before you read another word, know this: the answer in these situations is, “It depends on many and varying factors.” Nobody likes that kind of answer, but it’s the truth…
How does filing for divorce affect relationships with family members and friends who don’t agree with the decision? Do people tend to choose sides?
How does filing for divorce affect relationships with family members and friends who don't agree with the decision? Poorly, generally. That should come as no surprise. Do people tend to…
Divorce Mediation – To Good to Be True (For Most People)
I know you want to believe that divorce mediation is the trick to a fast, easy, cheap, amicable divorce. I know you want to believe this, and we know why.…
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…
Some hard truths about divorce litigation in Utah.
To those of you who ask, “How did I lose that argument in my divorce case? The judge couldn’t say why he/she believed my witness(es) over my spouse’s witness(es)!”: A district…
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…
Have there been any studies of the impact of divorce on children distinguishing between those whose parents divorced after they left home and before?
That's a good question. One that I've wondered about myself, but I don't know of any such studies. That doesn't mean they don't exist, it's just that I don't know…
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…
Evidence and Honesty By Braxton Mounteer
You have just decided to file for divorce. Or perhaps you have been served with divorce papers. At some point early on in the process you will likely think to…
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…
The Difference Between IRAs
In divorce actions, be sure to distinguish between the different tax treatment of Roth and traditional IRAs. Investopedia.com stated it clearly and concisely: “The traditional IRA allows you to contribute…
Must trial courts consider the tax consequences in divorce?
Generally: It appears that the law in Utah is that the trial court is not required to consider hypothetical and/or future tax consequences of the disposition of the marital estate. See Howell v. Howell,…
Special masters, parent coordinators, and the infantilization of parents
Special masters and parent coordinators (and co-parenting therapists, co-parent coaches/consultants, and their ilk) were invented for the purpose of unburdening courts from some of the conflict associated with domestic relations…
The Problem with Private Guardians ad Litem. Part 3 of 3
As any attorney can do with any client, a PGAL clearly has the right to argue on a child client's behalf, and the Utah Code makes clear that a PGAL…
The Problem with Private Guardians ad Litem. Part 1 of 3
Utah Code § 78A-2-705 provides that, “The court may appoint an attorney as a private attorney guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of the minor in any district…
Evidence and Honesty By Braxton Mounteer
You have just decided to file for divorce. Or perhaps you have been served with divorce papers. At some point early on in the process you will likely think to…
Utah Divorce and Your Financial Declaration: Why it Matters, and How to Prepare It the Right Way
In every Utah divorce case, the parties must prepare what is known as a financial declaration. The parties to a divorce action are required by the rules of court to…
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,…
Establishing the existence or absence of business/commercial goodwill value in a divorce.
Sometimes a business is a marital asset. When the value of a business that is a marital asset is divided in divorce, the question of the “goodwill value” of the…
Divorce and Identity, by Braxton Mounteer.
Divorce is corrosive. What it does not destroy it almost always affects adversely whatever it touches. The things that survive divorce’s initial devastation are forever changed. This effect is seen…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
How Can the Legal System Better Support Parents Who Lose Custody Battles?
It does not matter whether or how the legal system could support or better support parents who lose child custody cases because it is not the purpose of the legal…
Lawyers and Deadlines. By Braxton Mounteer
You have just received an email from your lawyer about a deadline that your lawyer needs your help to meet. What should you do? You are already extremely busy with your life and…
Why would anyone choose to become a divorce lawyer?
That is a great question. Most lawyers who have tried being divorce and family lawyers hate it and abandon it for other practice areas. I can tell you why I…
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…
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…
Completeness of Documentation By Braxton Mounteer
One of the hardest documents for a Utah divorce litigant to prepare is the financial declaration. I am amazed at the number of clients who don't take this document and…
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…
What Does a Legal Assistant Think of Going Pro Se? By Braxton Mounteer
The term for representing yourself in court is "pro se" or "pro per". Can you navigate the legal system successfully without a lawyer representing you in your case? Before I…
Important things divorce attorney clients need to know but would easily and freely be forgiven for not knowing without being told. No. 4:
Your attorney cannot do what only you can do. Your attorney cannot answer questions posed to you until you provide your attorney with the information and facts needed to answer…
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…
Important things divorce attorney clients need to know but would easily and freely be forgiven for not knowing without being told. No. 1:
Please check your email. And if you don’t have an email address, you must get one. And then you need to check your email inbox every day. Not just once…
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