When are my ex’s things deemed abandoned?

I was awarded the house in the divorce. My ex’s things are still here and he/she won’t pick them up. When are they deemed abandoned?  Utah Code § 67-4a-201 provides,…

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My question to Utah Office of Recovery Services (ORS):

Good morning,  I am a divorce and child custody lawyer. I have a question that all of my clients ask me that I don't have the answer to:  "Why does…

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How can I make my abusive husband divorce me?

Short of holding the proverbial gun to his head (i.e., forcing him to do so against his will), you can’t.   While you might contrive to motivate your husband to file…

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Should I get sole custody of my children if the dad does not want custody?

Should I get sole custody of my children if their dad does not want to be involved with them? Or try to talk it out before I go through with…

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How can I make sure father won’t gain custody?

My husband cheated on me and we're getting a divorce. He begged me not to take his children away, but I want him to suffer. How can I make sure…

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How difficult is it to get a divorce from a spouse who has disappeared?

How difficult is it to get a divorce from a spouse who disappeared +10 years back? No note, no trace, no explanation. If you urgently need to remarry, what processes…

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What are the primary parenting issues of concern by the court?

What are the primary concerns of the courts in determining parenting issues? Why? In Utah (and in no particular order), the court must consider the factors articulated in these sections…

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What can you do if your ex-husband does not want to pay school fees?

What can you do if your husband does not want to pay school fees for his children when you are divorced?  First, it is not necessarily a given that a…

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When do courts value the marital estate?

When do courts value the marital estate? At time of separation, or at the time the court enters the Decree of Divorce?  This is a question that often causes divorcing…

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How do you protect your assets from divorce, lawsuits, etc.?

How do you protect your assets from divorce, government confiscation, lawsuits, garnishments, or seizure?  Best way: own nothing. The government (in all its forms) cannot seize from you that which…

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If you get a divorce but everything is in your name, do you have to split it?

If you get a divorce but everything is in your name, do you get to keep everything or do you have to split it?  I will answer your question in…

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My estranged father keeps asking me for money, what do I do?

My parents are divorced, my father has no savings, he didn't work for the entire period of their marriage, we were estranged for a while and now we are back,…

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Do you think it’s fair for a non-custodial parent to pay more child support?

Do you think it's acceptable for the non-custodial parent to have to pay more child support because the custodial parent chooses to barely work or not work at all?   Generally,…

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How do you win a case against your ex for false accusations?

If you find an attorney who knows a sure-fire, fail-safe way to defend an ex-spouse or an ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend against “false accusations,” that attorney is likely a multimillionaire because possessing such…

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What will the court do if I do not sign a letter sent by my ex-husband?

What will the court do if I do not pick up a letter my ex-husband sent that needs to be signed by me from the courts about his back court ordered alimony…

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Are there experts who can evaluate parental alienation for a custody case?

There are “expert” witnesses for virtually any and every issue in legal actions.  Can judges be bamboozled by pseudo-scientific expert witnesses? Without question.  Do some judges who know that the…

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Can a parent with full custody deny visitation due to unsanitary conditions?

Can a parent with full custody refuse to allow visitation due to unsanitary living conditions? Good question. I will answer this question in the context of some applicable law for…

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Can a 16-year-old child choose not to have visitation with a parent?

Technically, no. Practicably/pragmatically, yes.  Technically, a minor child (even a child of 16 years of age) does not have the legal right to choose whether he or she will comply…

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Is it possible to get court transcripts for custody hearings?

Every jurisdiction is different regarding which court hearings are open to the public and whether recordings of their proceedings are available to the public or even to the parties’ themselves. …

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Is it easier to get a divorce if you and your spouse have nothing shared?

Is it easier to get a divorce if you and your spouse have no debts, no shared property, and no children? Typically, generally, usually, yes. In the overwhelming majority of…

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Can I gain full custody if I’m bipolar?

I don't want anything to do with my child's father. Can I gain full custody if I'm bipolar?  First, thank you for being so candid and blunt. This is a…

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Would the divorce rate drop if the parties had to see a psychologist first?

What do you think would be the rate of divorce in marriages if psychologists were to be consulted in court by couples before proceeding to see the lawyer for divorce?…

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Fox v. Fox 2022 UT App 88 – alimony

Fox v. Fox 2022 UT App 88 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DIANN SHERI FOX, Appellant, v. BENJAMIN DAVIS FOX, Appellee. Opinion No. 20200949-CA Filed July 14, 2022 Fifth District…

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What are the primary concerns in determining parenting issues? Why?

What are the primary concerns of the courts in determining parenting issues? Why?  In Utah (and in no particular order), the court must consider the factors articulated in these sections…

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If each parent is fully capable, will the court still give full custody to mom?

If both parents are wonderful, will the court still lean towards full custody to the mother? [Note: I am a divorce lawyer of 25 years. I am not bitter about…

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Can an adult child be sued for helping one parent divorce the other?

Taking your question literally:  Can? Yes.  You can file a lawsuit for any “reason” or no reason at all. Crazy and/or malicious people file crazy/malicious/frivolous/unintelligible lawsuits all the time.  Just…

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Is there anything that can surprise a judge during a divorce proceeding?

Is there anything that can surprise a judge during a contested divorce proceeding?   Of course.   We’ve all read about cases where all of the circumstantial evidence indicated the defendant is…

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Can you get a post-judgment interest rate higher than the statutory rate?

Did you know you can request a post-judgment interest rate that is higher than the default statutory rate?  It’s true.   While the court does not have the discretion to lower,…

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Do both parties have to sign the paperwork for a divorce to be granted?

Do both parties have to sign divorce paperwork in order for a divorce to be granted? It is possible in many jurisdictions (Utah being one of them; if you are not…

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Nix v. Nix – 2022 UT App 83- insufficient evidence of adultery

2022 UT App 83 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JILL NIX, Appellee, v. ROLAND COMPTON NIX JR., Appellant. Opinion No. 20200691-CA Filed June 30, 2022 Fourth District Court, Provo Department…

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Can a non-custodial parent claim the child tax credit?

Yes, and the IRS has provided this summary (among other publications) to show non-custodial parents how:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4449.pdf  Here is an excerpt from that IRS publication:  Claiming Your Child as a…

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I signed a CPS safety plan but the court orders protective supervision.

What happens if I signed a CPS safety plan but the court orders protective supervision?  The court’s order supersedes the agreement.  Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277   https://www.quora.com/What-happens-if-I-signed-a-CPS-safety-plan-but-the-court-orders-protective-supervision/answer/Eric-Johnson-311  …

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How does someone take custody of a child after winning custody?

When someone wins custody of a child, does the child come to the courthouse to be taken by whoever is awarded custody or do they go to the home of…

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What are the significant changes to family law in the past two centuries?

What are the most important changes to the family law in the 19th century and 20th century up to today, and why? In my opinion (and in no particular order): …

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True or false: Better to divorce than have a miserable life.

This blog post is in response to this question:  I don't think it's bad to get a divorce. I think it's more unhealthy to have miserable lives. — Ginger Wynn.…

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Why do people get married only to divorce a few years later?

Why do people get married only to divorce a few years later? Doesn't really sound like love to me.  With the exception of those divorces that take place shortly after…

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What is the proper way to request a change of the child custody order?

What is the proper language to request a change of the child custody order in family law court? What you want to accomplish is not the kind of thing that…

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How should the child support payment system in the U.S. be changed?

How should the child support payment system in the U.S. be changed to make it more fair?  What is unfair about child support for the child support payor (also known…

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How can I reveal my soon-to-be ex as having NPD in our custody case?

How can I reveal my soon-to-be ex as having NPD in our child custody case? You're asking the wrong question. You shouldn't be asking how you can prove your spouse…

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