Could a Reverse Mortgage Save a Gray Divorce Settlement?
(Guest blog by Joe Gordon) One of the biggest challenges in a gray divorce is finding a housing solution that works for both spouses without jeopardizing their retirement. For many…
The “Noble Exit” Trap: How Moving Out Can Reshape a Child Custody Case Before It Begins
It often begins with a request that sounds perfectly reasonable. “We need some space.” “The fighting isn’t good for the kids.” “Why don’t you stay somewhere else for a while…
Hidden Assets in a Utah Divorce: What Discovery Actually Does—and Where It Falls Short
Utah's entire system for dividing property, setting alimony, and calculating child support runs on one assumption: both parties are telling the truth about their finances. When that assumption breaks down,…
The Innocent Signature That Creates an Indefinite Trap
Signing Form I-864 is a life-altering federal commitment. A Utah divorce decree court cannot terminate your obligation to support an immigrant ex-spouse, and ordinary prenuptial agreements and alimony waivers generally will…
Viewing Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements Through the Humanity Lens
Viewing Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements Through the Humanity Lens A premarital agreement is sold to clients as a piece of financial engineering. It provides certainty. It protects separate property. It…
The Family Home in Divorce: Sell It or Let One Spouse Keep It?
For many Utah couples, the family home is the largest asset in the divorce. It is also often the most emotional one. That combination can make it dangerous. A spouse…
The Pitfalls of Co-Parenting “Help”: Are Special Masters and Parent Coordinators Worth the Cost in a Utah Custody Dispute? Not Usually.
Special masters and parent coordinators sound like practical solutions to exhausting parenting disputes. When parents keep fighting over exchanges, expenses, holidays, phone calls, school issues, and extracurricular activities, the idea…
Divorce Does Not Make Underemployment Invisible in Utah Alimony Cases
When a spouse earns less after divorce is filed, the court does not have to accept the lower number just because it appears on a paycheck. That is one of…
Jenkins v. Jenkins – Imputed Income and Fault-Based Alimony
2026 UT App 86 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS KRISTINE JENKINS, Appellee, v. EVAN K. JENKINS, Appellant. Opinion No. 20241206-CA Filed May 29, 2026 Fourth District Court, Provo Department The…
Does Child Support Cover School Fees and Extracurricular Activities in Utah?
One of the most common sources of conflict between co-parents is not just custody exchanges, holiday schedules, or even the monthly child support payment. Often, it is the steady stream…
The Answer to Commoditization Is Not Better Marketing. It’s Better Lawyering.
Many divorce and family lawyers want to earn more. Few ask what they must do differently to be worth more. Lawyers complain about being commoditized. They complain that clients shop…
Child Custody and Parent-time Awards Need to Incorporate More Humility
Many parents (I’d say even most parents) enter family court hoping someone will fix everything. Believing that: the judge will see through the lies. the custody evaluator will identify the…
Co-Parenting Apps: Useful Tool or Expensive Solution in Search of a Problem?
Parenting apps are now everywhere in modern child custody disputes. Lawyers recommend them. Parenting coordinators recommend them. Guardians ad litem recommend them. Courts sometimes order them. And the companies behind…
Divorce Mediation Wastes Time, Money, and Effort. There Is an Obvious Better Way.
The way divorce mediation is conducted in Utah is wildly overrated, yet that fact is one of the best kept secrets in the family law legal profession. To be clear,…
Do You Actually Need a Vocational Evaluator? How to Prove Earning Capacity in Utah Divorce Cases
In many Utah divorce, alimony, and child support cases, you may not need to spend thousands of dollars on a vocational evaluator to prove earning capacity. Courts determined whether people…
Wilson v. Wilson: Utah Court of Appeals Enforces Divorce Mediation Settlement Agreement
Wilson v. Wilson - 2026 UT App 72 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS LISA A. WILSON,Appellant, v. BRAD J. WILSON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20240444-CA Filed May 7, 2026 Third District…
How Much a Divorce Really Costs (and Why It Gets Out of Control)
Ask some lawyers or clients what a divorce costs and you’ll get an estimate. But divorce doesn’t have a fixed price (often even when a lawyer quotes you a seemingly…
NFTs in Divorce: How Courts Value (and Misvalue) Volatile Digital Assets
When a $100,000 asset can become $1,000 before trial, valuation timing—not ownership—is the real fight. If you’re holding NFTs and heading into a divorce, understand this: the court does not…
Why Mediation Often Fails (Even When Both People Want to Settle)
Mediation is supposed to be where divorce cases get resolved. And to be fair, a lot of them do. But a surprising number don’t. Not because one or both people…
Parenting Apps: A (Paid) Solution Looking for a Problem
Everyone in family law has heard the pitch: download a parenting app, pay a monthly fee, and suddenly your co-parenting problems become organized, documented, and “court-ready.” It sounds responsible. It…
Hiding Cryptocurrency in a Utah Divorce: Harder Than You Think, More Expensive Than It’s Worth
People hear “crypto” (cryptocurrency; Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.) and assume “untraceable.” That assumption gets tested quickly in a divorce. In Utah divorce disputes over property division, cryptocurrency is treated like any…
Military Divorce in Utah: Will You Lose Your TRICARE Coverage?
In Utah military divorces, TRICARE eligibility is governed by the rigid federal "20/20/20 rule," not state court discretion. This post breaks down the strict requirements for lifetime medical benefits, the…
The Hill AFB Factor: How Active Duty Status Changes a Utah Divorce
If you are stationed at Hill Air Force Base and facing divorce, do not assume your case is “standard.” It isn’t. Military status layers federal law on top of Utah…
Why Divorce Decrees Don’t Magically Change Mortgages: What Too Many Utah Homeowners Learn the Hard Way After Divorce
Divorcing homeowners in Utah frequently run into mortgage servicer roadblocks when trying to refinance or have a spouse removed from a loan, even when the divorce decree says so. This blog explains…
Home Equity Red Flags Every Divorce Attorney (and Client) Should Catch Early
Guest post by Joe Gordon Broker / Owner / Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert Direct: 801-577-6304 Email: Joe@Gordon-RealEstate.com www.UtahDivorceRealEstate.com This practice tip comes to you after a heartbreaking case where the…
If Your Spouse Hid Assets by Titling Them in a Parent’s Name, Is That “Smart Protection” or Financial Fraud? How Do You Prove It in Utah Divorce Court?
This is not unusual: a spouse suddenly “doesn’t own anything,” yet somehow pays the taxes, insurance, maintenance, or mortgage on a house that’s titled in Mom’s name. Or money gets…
Can the Amount of Child Support or Alimony Be Lowered or Eliminated if Your Ex Gets Remarried? In a Utah Divorce Case, Maybe.
People often assume that once their ex remarries, financial obligations from the divorce automatically shrink or disappear. It’s not that simple. In short: when it comes to the effects on child…
Proof, Notice, and Verification Under Utah Law in the Context of Minor Child Expenses: A Practical Guide for Proving Child Health Insurance, Medical Expenses, and Child Care Costs
Utah’s child support statutes—now consolidated under Title 81, Chapter 6 of the Utah Code use the term “verification” repeatedly when describing a parent’s duties to provide proof of child health insurance coverage and…
Stephenson v. Stephenson – 2025 UT App 149 – marital expenses
Stephenson v. Stephenson - 2025 UT App 149 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SHAUNA H. STEPHENSON, Appellee, v. KERRY KAY STEPHENSON, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220469-CA Filed October 17, 2025 Third…
The False Economy of the Cheap Divorce Lawyer
A cheap divorce lawyer almost always costs more in the long run. Low-fee lawyers keep prices low by cutting corners (reusing boilerplate, outsourcing analysis and judgment, and rushing cases to…
The Absentee Lawyer Problem: When Your Attorney Isn’t Being Fully Responsible for the Work
The Absentee Lawyer Problem: When Your Attorney Isn’t Being Fully Responsible for the Work A growing number of divorce clients are unknowingly paying for work their lawyer never actually did.…
Building a Credible Alimony Case Without Games or Gimmicks
Divorce is hard enough without turning it into a credibility war. Alimony — what Utah law calls “spousal support” — exists to help a financially disadvantaged spouse transition without being…
What Impact Are Current Economic Conditions Having on Alimony and Property Division Outcomes in Divorce Cases?
If you’re divorcing now, the economy matters more than you may think. Economic forces shape divorce outcomes in Utah. Current economic conditions are having a very real, measurable effect on…
Why Custody Evaluations in Utah Should Be Recorded and Transparent
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…
Solar Panels in Divorce Property Sales…a Hot Mess
Guest blog post by Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert Joe Gordon As solar panels become commonplace in property sales, they’re also emerging as one of the messiest complications to navigate…
Utah Motion for Temporary Orders: What They Can Cover, and How to File for One
Utah Motions for Temporary Orders: What They Can Cover, and How to File for One
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.…
In Utah divorce cases, an in-person appraisal is the gold standard for home valuation.
What Is the Home Worth in Your Divorce Case?
(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…
I Can No Longer Afford My Divorce Attorney. What Should I Tell My Attorney? And What Are My Options if I Proceed Without an Attorney in My Divorce Case?
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…
Is Required Divorce Mediation Under the Utah Code a Waste of Time? By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant
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…
Taylor v. Taylor – 2025 UT App 94 – postnuptial agreement and alimony
Taylor v. Taylor - 2025 UT App 94 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JACQUELINE KEMPTON TAYLOR, Appellant, v. MARK BENNETT TAYLOR, Appellee. Opinion No. 20230868-CA Filed June 26, 2025 Third…
How Do I Manage My divorce Case While I work Full-time? By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant.
One of the most asked questions about divorce (and biggest source of friction between divorce lawyers and their clients) is how you manage your divorce case while working a full-time…
What Evidence Should You Request During the Discovery Process in Your Utah Divorce?
Divorce has many components, one of which often includes litigating in court. Ensuring a fair outcome in your divorce case requires more than just going to court and arguing. One…
Is What a Divorce Attorney Charges a Reliable Indicator (Among Others) of His Skill?
What an attorney bills is not a very reliable indicator of skill or of quality representation. Don’t be surprised if the better attorneys charge more generally than the worse ones,…
Do I Receive Alimony if I’m the One to File for Divorce?
I cannot speak as to what the law is on all jurisdictions, but I can answer this question based upon the law of the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and…
Dividing Retirement Assets in a Utah Divorce
In a Utah divorce, retirement assets are often among the most valuable marital assets to divide. Retirement accounts such as 401(k)s, IRAs, pensions, and government or union retirement plans are…
Should You Depose Your Spouse During Your Divorce Case? By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant
One of the best evidence-gathering tools that a divorce litigant has at his/her disposal is a deposition. What is a deposition? To answer that question, you first need to understand that a…
Can a Utah Attorney Take a Divorce Case on a Contingency Fee Basis? If Not, Why Not?
Divorce lawyers generally can't take cases on a contingency fee basis due to ethical rules and practical considerations: Express ethical prohibitions. Utah’s rules of professional conduct explicitly prohibit contingency fees in…
Divorce Listings & Property Condition: Why It Matters More Than Ever
As you know, we’re operating in a drastically different real estate market than we were even a year ago — and it’s impacting divorcing homeowners in unique and challenging ways.…
What are some good (and bad) reasons for changing one’s divorce lawyer mid-case?
Are there any potential drawbacks to switching lawyers, besides the added expenses and inconvenience? There are good reasons to switch lawyers, even if you realize this mid-case. That stated, there…
Should I Pay My Lawyer to Communicate With the Opposing Party’s Attorney?
Question: Should I pay my lawyer to talk to the opposing party’s attorney? He spent 3 hours last week responding to 12 emails from opposing counsel and I need to…
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