One of the arguments that some fathers make when they encounter the double standard applied to mothers and fathers in child custody disputes (resulting in a denial of equal legal…
Can it be overturned? It is possible. Will it be overturned? The odds don’t favor Dad. While some fathers who are falsely accused do obtain vindication, the odds are against…
You can assume whatever you want about anyone or anything, but that does not mean your assumptions are accurate. And there is this from Merriam-Webster: “Although presume and assume both…
If you want just my direct answer to this question, skip to the last paragraph, but I submit that you’ll have a much better understanding of the answer if you…
The easiest of these two questions to answer is the second one, i.e., “Can child support be waiver retrospectively by the child support payee? The answer is yes, if the…
Whether you believe that everyone needs (or could benefit from) therapy or that it is only for the most dysfunctional families, you, like most people, likely agree some therapy has…
The point of a psychological evaluation isn’t to establish if someone merely suffers from any mental or emotional disorder or disorders, but to help determine whether such disorders, if they…
When those who will be ordered to divide assets with a spouse and/or pay child and/or spousal support (alimony) confront the matter, many try to lie about and to misrepresent their…
Do you want to know where the real money is most often made in divorce and family law cases? Child custody and parent-time disputes, hands down. Rarely do the parents…
Utah, like many states, has struggled with the very concept of equal (“50/50”) custody of children for years. While progress has been made (especially in the past few years), we…
What do you do when your spouse threatens to walk out and take the children even though you have been an equal and contributing partner in the marriage? It is…
What are the child custody factors that judges consider when determining what's in a child's best interest in custody disputes according to Utah’s family law statutes? The main factors are…
There are plenty of things you can do (plenty of activity in which you can engage), but whether any of it will do any good is the question. The answer…
I am a divorce and family lawyer. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a court anywhere in this country (USA) that would consider a mother temporarily receiving unemployment benefits…
This post discusses another proposed family law bill under consideration for the 2024 Utah legislative session, House Bill 157 (HB0157 (utah.gov)), “Child Custody Factor Amendments”. This bill, if passed, would…
Another potential law up for consideration in the 2024 Utah legislative session is H.B. 194. This bill would, if passed, amend provisions relating to adoption and child placement by amending the…
When those who realize they may be ordered to pay child and/or spousal support (alimony) confront the matter, many try to lie about and to misrepresent their income in the hope…
Today’s post on proposed family law legislation under consideration during the 2024 Utah legislative session is House Bill 140 (HB0140 (utah.gov)), “Amendments to Custody and Parent-Time”. This bill, according to…
Today’s blog post treats House Bill 20, one of several proposed family law-related pieces of legislation for the 2024 Utah legislative session. H.B. 20 is entitled “Parental Rights Amendments” According…
Here's a very, very short news report on the subject of when allegations of child abuse are countered with allegations of parental alienation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44hJ8zWRrik I welcome sincere and rational comments…
Hard truths incoming. When dealing with a co-parent who is afflicted with a personality disorder, do these things, and do them all at the same time: 1) Examine your own…
Here is a list of the current proposed family law legislation for the 2024 Utah State Legislative session, along with a (very) brief description of the proposed legislation. If you…
Divorce is already hard enough on the parties involved, but it is even harder on the children of the recently separated family. I speak as a child of divorce, who…
According to the "General Description" of H.B. 272, what's not to like?: Highlighted Provisions: This bill: ▸ defines terms; ▸ in certain proceedings involving child custody: specifies requirements for the admission of expert…
I can answer this question in the context of the law of Utah, which is the jurisdiction where I am licensed to practice divorce and family law. To learn the…
In the jurisdiction where I practice divorce law (Utah), the law is NOT that joint debt incurred during the marriage will presumptively remain the debt of both spouses (and thus…
You have just been served with a summons and complaint (or petition) for divorce. Now have to traverse the minefield that is finding a good divorce attorney. It's harder to find a…
I have been asked by a reader to answer two questions. The first: whether I believe courts generally apply a double standard in the treatment of mothers and fathers when…
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…
Much. And much that you can prevent, once you know what to avoid, what to do, and why. Profiteering mediators. It’s hard to find anyone selling goods or services these days…
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…
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…
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…
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? Poorly, generally. That should come as no surprise. Do people tend to…
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 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MARCUS JAMES LOBENDAHN, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. LEEYEN MOEVAI LOBENDAHN, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20210278-CA…
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…
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.…
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…
There’s more to consider than just the mutual friendship. Such as whether someone is seriously in the wrong. You wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) fail to report a friend for committing murder.…
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…
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…
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…
Blake v. Smith - 2023 UT App 78 2023 UT App 78 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DEJUAN BLAKE, Appellee, v. JILLYN SMITH, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210779-CA Filed July 20,…
There are two kinds of child custody, not just one. Those two different kinds are legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody is the power of a parent to make…
Great question. There are many ways to do this wrong, so let’s start with those. Just tell the teachers and principal and expect them to take your word for it; bring…
2023 UT App 60 - Martinez v. Sanchez-Garcia THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DAISY MARTINEZ Appellant, v. FERNANDO SANCHEZ-GARCIA, Appellee. Opinion No. 20210829-CA Filed June 2, 2023 First District Court,…
Generally, yes, although the gratuitous (and sexually discriminatory) practice of indulging a default preference for the mother has steadily weakened substantially over the last 40 years and counting. More and…
I generally don't recommend books on divorce or particular strategies articulated in these books because, while the advice is often (not always) good, it gets lost in the excessive number…
Black and white, plain and simple. We really mean that here at Utah Family Law, LC. What you normally hear about divorce and family law is all over the map–even when you hear it from lawyers.
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