If you're separated and have 50/50 custody, how much vacation time away from your kid is appropriate? Too many variables to consider to give you an intelligent answer. How old is the…
With rare exception in Utah (so rare that it might as well be non-existent), the way courts insist upon custody evaluations being conducted consists of: the court imposing one and…
Here is an example of an important gotcha factor to be on guard against, if you are a good father being forced by the legal system to fight for joint…
I will answer this question based upon the law of the jurisdiction where I practice family law (Utah). So the question is: How can I get an emergency hearing for…
I get this question frequently. The answer: Sure, you can ask (you can always merely ask) the court to award you temporary custody of the child(ren) under such circumstances, but…
For the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law (Utah), the laws the court must consider are found in Utah Code § 30-3-10, 30-3-10.2, and, if the question of…
I don’t know the laws of New Zealand, but I can tell you this: morally, you have no right to do that, unless, perhaps, you absconded with the children to…
021 UT App 58 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BRUCE RAY MCFARLAND, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. NICOLE S. MCFARLAND, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20190541-CA Filed June 4, 2021 Second…
So, the question is this: if I am the parent to whom custody of our child was awarded, and that child doesn’t want to live with me anymore, what can…
Normally, I do not like to comment on the intersection of pop culture and family law because quite often, what happens in a celebrity divorce or child custody dispute does…
Nakkina v. Mahanthi - 2021 UT App 63 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SIREESHA NAKKINA, Appellee, v. PRODEEP KUMAR MAHANTHI, Appellant. Opinion No. 20190750-CA Filed June 17, 2021 Third District…
Do courts make awards in divorce to “punish” adultery? Great question. Adultery is considered a fault-based ground for divorce and a factor that can be considered when the trial court…
I frequently encounter comments made in child custody disputes to the effect that “courts favor the nurturing and detailed attentiveness of mothers over fathers.” I am as grateful for such comments as I am disheartened by them. Grateful…
I normally don’t comment on popular culture matters dealing with divorce, but for this question I will make an exception. I have no idea what kind of parents Angelina Jolie…
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…
Great question. Here's a good summary taken from the world of contract law (frankly, the definition of the term “best efforts” likely applies equally well when the term is utilized…
First, you need to understand that you’re asking the wrong question. Child custody is not a zero-sum game; otherwise stated, when parents divorce, or when unmarried parents separate, where you…
First, if you are referring to a police report of a DUI citation and/or arrest, in most jurisdictions such records are public record, and thus available not only to your…
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…
Does a spouse have the right to see a DUI report? First, if you are referring to a police report of a DUI citation and/or arrest, in most jurisdictions such…
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…
Why is child support and alimony rooted in revenge, power, and humiliation? The full question was actually: "Why is child support and alimony rooted in revenge, power, control, and humiliation over…
Good news, apparently, for parents deserving of joint equal physical custody of their children but who have, up until now, been fighting an unfair, unnecessarily uphill battle. The Utah Legislature passed,…
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…
What policies and factors determine how child support is calculated? This is a good question and a question that many parents ask. Every state in U.S. has child support calculation…
Do parents who share joint equal physical custody of their children pay child support? If my spouse and I were to agree to share joint equal physical custody (50-50) of…
S.B. 122 (4th Substitute) passed by the Utah State Legislature March 5, 2021! Who should care and why? The elephant in the room is this: if there is no gender…
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…
I've never seen a GAL or custody evaluator add value equal to the fees they charge This post is the fourteenth in series of 15 posts on the subject of…
How useful are a GAL’s or custody evaluator’s recommendations? This post is the twelfth in series of 15 posts on the subject of custody evaluations and the appointment of guardians ad litem (“GALs”…
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…
Does having the judge interview the children traumatize the children? This post is the second in series of 15 posts on the subject of custody evaluations and the appointment…
How do I fight a DUI without a lawyer? You don’t. Too much at stake. Too hard to do on your own. I’m a lawyer (a divorce and family law…
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…
Can your ex withhold visitation if you have joint and they have final say pending a COVID-19 test? It’s hard to find a decree or other court order that would…
For divorced parents: why isn't your custody award 50/50? Concisely (and in no particular order): sometimes a parent’s job, physical or mental/emotional disabilities, misconduct (like domestic violence, child abuse, or…
Here's a question many parents have: what is the legal definition of “joint legal custody” and “joint physical custody” in Utah when it comes to the custody of children? Is…
2019 UT App 207 - THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS ADAM LEGRANDE PEEPLES, Appellee, v. ANNALEISE T. PEEPLES, Appellant. Opinion No. 20180713-CA Filed December 19, 2019 Third District Court, Salt…
2019 UT App 195 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS CAROL BURGGRAAF, Appellee, v. BRIAN JOSEPH BURGGRAAF, Appellant. Opinion No. 20180405-CA Filed November 29, 2019 Second District Court, Ogden Department The…
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…
Sometimes a husband/father is legitimately ruled against in a child custody case because he is unfit to exercise custody. Sometimes that unfitness may be his own fault (he’s abusive and/or…
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…
Let’s indulge an analogy to answer this question. Is sugar good for you, or bad for you? It depends upon the circumstances. An occasional slice of cake or pie is…
Pulham v. Kirsling - 2018 UT App 65 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS KRISTEN PULHAM, Appellee, v. WILLIAM KIRSLING, Appellant. Opinion Nos. 20150577-CA and 20160236-CA Filed April 12, 2018 Third…
2018 UT App 181 – Chaparro v. Torero THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS ELDA CHAPARRO, Appellant, v. ENRIQUE TORERO, Appellee. Opinion No. 20170494-CA Filed September 20, 2018 Second District Court,…
2019 UT App 82 – Blocker v. Blocker THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS KIRSTEEN DIDI BLOCKER, Appellee, MICHAEL PHILLIP BLOCKER, Appellant. Opinion No. 20170167-CA Filed May 16, 2019 Fourth District…
2019 UT App 23 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SHANE NEBEKER, Appellant, v. TRISHA ANN ORTON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20170438-CA Filed February 14, 2019 Sixth District Court, Richfield Department The…