What can a father do if, after the divorce, the mother, who has custody of the child, turns the child against the father? What can he do? There are many things he…
In contemporary Utah divorce and child custody disputes, courts frequently order parents and children to participate in reunification therapy, family systems therapy, or other forms of therapy and counseling. While…
During a divorce case, one parent or the other often claims that parental alienation or parental estrangement is occurring. Whether the claim is true does not stop these terms from…
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…
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…
A.W. v. Marelli - 2024 UT App 8 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS A.W., Appellant, v. MILLIE MARELLI, Appellee. Opinion No. 20220207-CA Filed January 19, 2024 Third District Court, Salt…
In re A.S.G.-R. - 2023 UT App 126 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF A.S.G.-R., A PERSON UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. G.R., Appellant,…
What should I do when a family court judge refuses to look at my evidence of abuse because my ex's lawyer lied about me bringing it to him when I…
There is far more to this story than the headline reveals. From Pro Publica: Barricaded Siblings Turn to TikTok While Defying Court Order to Return to Father They Say Abused…
I generally wouldn’t recommend trying to get the assistance of the court to remedy this problem. The legal system is not designed to address this problem well, if at all.…
That does not bode well for you, if in fact the child will be in the courtroom at the same time you and the judge assigned to your case are…
My guess is that this question applies in two distinct contexts: 1) what does the court do in a child custody case where both parents try to alienate the child from the…
Usually rarely and with great effort and difficulty. Why? I have written other responses to this question and questions like it, so my answer here will be more concise than…
Common? No. Not all that unusual? Yes. Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277 https://www.quora.com/Is-it-common-for-someone-to-choose-to-end-a-10-year-marriage-then-secretly-create-conflict-to-trick-kids-into-saying-yes-to-should-we-leave/answer/Eric-Johnson-311
Can being a noncustodial parent improve the child’s relationship with the noncustodial parent? Recently, a reader on Quora, where I comment regularly, commented on a post of mine with this: …
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…
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…
I have studied this question throughout my career, and I've been a divorce and family lawyer for 25 years. If there is one family law question to which I know…
What will happen if the court ruled in favor of a mother to have the custody of her child but the child refuses to go with her and she prefers…
I’m preparing to begin pursuing child visitation. However, the child’s mother has moved and never told me where, and has cut off contact with me. How can I find out…
I just read the following comment made by a viewer of my UFLTV parental alienation interview with Kelly Peterson. This viewer wrote, “So basically, parental alienation is proved by documenting the instances…
This is an example of a logical fallacy; specifically, begging the question. It assumes the conclusion in the premise It is not a given that disciplining a child is a…
First, unless there is a statute or court order that requires a parent to purchase a car for a child, or that requires both parents to share the costs of…
Any way that works for you (without running afoul of God or the law of the land, of course). Parental alienation is one of the most gut-wrenching miseries one can…
Let me count the “reasons,” both legitimate and otherwise: Legitimate (though not necessarily legal, unless permitted by a court order) reasons: the contact you have with the child is truly…
Can this cause trust issues or commitment issues in the kids’ future relationship? Yes, of course. How? When the children have witnessed and experienced the destruction of their parents’ relationship—a relationship…
Allow me to start this answer by clearing the air a bit: First, there are many fathers who are clearly unfit fathers but who nonetheless believe the only or the…
Why is it okay for a parent to be given custody without their kids consent or at least their input? This is a great question. I can’t speak for all…
I have custody of my child. He left to go to his mom's last Friday for the weekend. He is refusing to come home because he wants to live there.…
I am the noncustodial parent. Our child came to my house for parent-time and now refuses to leave because he wants to live with me. What happens now? I will…
I am a father who has exercised at least 50/50 custody with my ex. Now she's trying to take me to court for full custody and me getting every other…
How do I console a father who has lost custody of his child? “He’s [the father who lost custody] permanently damaged.” That’s what someone else wrote in response to your…
What would you do if your child's father who is only entitled to supervised visitation filed for a modification of a court order so a family member you don't approve…
What are the different tips for parents sharing custody during this COVID-19? Best tip: don’t use COVID-19 as a pretext for withholding/preventing/sabotaging contact and care and communication between the children…
Can a mother lose custody even if the child is still very young? Are there any situations where a mother can lose custody even if their child is still very…
Why is it difficult for a father to get child custody? Because there is a pernicious and false belief in far too many of the courts (not, notably, in society…
Thomas v. Thomas - 2021 UT App 2021 UT App 8 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JEREMY THOMAS, Appellant, v. JODY TASKER THOMAS, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190242-CA Filed January 22,2021…
If everyone agrees that the judge needs to know what the child is experiencing, observing, and feeling, why won’t the judge interview the child? This post is the seventh…
What is the best case law to cite during a high conflict custody battle where parental alienation has been occurring? If you know of any, please let me know. My…
Which Is Better: spending thousands on GAL/custody evaluator or $0 on a judge interview? How could it be better to spend thousands on a GAL or custody evaluator when the…
What advice would you give someone before a divorce, if it’s known it may happen and you’re not in the wrong? This is a very important question that too few…
How does parental alienation affect the child? Badly. And what’s worse, the courts are generally unwilling to do enough, if anything, to expose, prevent, punish, or remedy parental alienation. Why?…
2019 UT App 185 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DARIO ARTHUR VELASQUEZ, Appellant, v. STACY L. CHAVEZ, Appellee. Opinion No. 20180451-CA Filed November 15, 2019 Third District Court, Salt Lake…
Many parents in a child custody dispute being tried in court are the target of a parental alienation campaign. For some parents, the alienation started long before the court case.…
I don’t know if it is common for one parent in a divorce (custodial or non-custodial) to villainize their ex to the child, but we know it happens frequently and…
What can a parent do if, after the divorce, the other parent who has custody of the child turns the daughter against that parent? A parent in this situation can…
Yes, but from the perspective of being the divorce lawyer for the alienated parent. Let me tell you, unless the alienating parent is so ham-handed in his or her efforts…
What would cause a whole family to abandon one family member if they did nothing wrong? Many possibilities, including, but not necessarily limited to: Mental illness. Mass delusion. Holding opinions…
My daughter hates me, my ex wants me out of their lives, and we have agreed to give up my parental rights. What can we do to terminate my parental…
Parental Alienation Not Generally Recognized by the Law and the Courts In Utah (where I practice): no, parental alienation is not illegal, and no, parental alienation is not punishable by…
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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