How to Fill Out Your Financial Declaration, Paragraph Two. By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

Paragraph two of your financial declaration details the documents that you must attach to your financial declaration (unless they don't exist). It is not optional; they are the documents you are required…

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2024 UT App 91 – In re R.D. – Juvenile Court Jurisdiction – Parental Presumption

2024 UT App 91 – In re R.D. THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS IN THE INTEREST OF R.D. AND Z.J., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. K.J., Appellant, v. N.J.…

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I Have a Court Date Coming Up, but I Don’t Speak English (Or Don’t Speak or Understand It Well). What Can I Do?

Did you know that if you are not fluent in English and have a court date coming up, the court will provide you with an interpreter IF you make the…

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People Who Are Getting an Extremely-Contested Divorce W/O Paying for Lawyers, Need Step-By-Step Directions in Their State! If There Were Uncontested Divorces, There Would Be No Divorces at All, Because Both Partners Would Be Getting Along Perfectly?

Sure, they need that. It is a great idea. Where there is a demand to be filled, markets arise to fill them. It would be a great benefit to people…

Continue ReadingPeople Who Are Getting an Extremely-Contested Divorce W/O Paying for Lawyers, Need Step-By-Step Directions in Their State! If There Were Uncontested Divorces, There Would Be No Divorces at All, Because Both Partners Would Be Getting Along Perfectly?

Do You Lose Parental Rights Automatically When You Get Divorced if You Do Not File for Visitation or Custody?

Make sure you understand the terms you and others may be using in asking and discussing this question. If you are a parent of minor children, and you are involved…

Continue ReadingDo You Lose Parental Rights Automatically When You Get Divorced if You Do Not File for Visitation or Custody?

What Can Be Done if a Prenuptial Agreement Does Not Meet the Requirements for Validity in Your State? What Are the Available Options for Handling This Situation?

While I am a divorce and family lawyer (licensed in Utah), I do not claim to be an expert on the subject of prenuptial agreements. That stated (and acknowledging that…

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Can My Spouse Take out a Loan Using Our House as Collateral After I File for a Divorce?

This is a good question and one that often comes up in divorce cases. I cannot speak for the law in all jurisdictions, but as this question applies in the…

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Wilson v. Wilson, 2024 UT App 87 – civil stalking injunction, appeals

Wilson v. Wilson - 2024 UT App 87 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS TKS CO-PACK MANUFACTURING, LLC AND TROY WILSON, Appellants and Cross-appellees, v. DOUG WILSON, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion…

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McKell v. McKell – 2024 UT App 72 – tolling of statute of limitations

McKell v. McKell - 2024 UT App 72 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SUMMER TATIANA MCKELL AND MICHELLE TISCHNER, Appellants, v. ROBERT C. MCKELL, Appellee. Opinion No. 20220315-CA Filed May…

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Your Divorce Lawyer is Serious About Deadlines By Braxton Mounteer, Legal Assistant

Throughout the divorce process you will have to meet many deadlines. The court will even provide you with a list of due dates known as a notice of event due…

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What Do We Do When Equal (50/50) Physical Custody Is Awarded but One Parent Isn’t Bearing the Responsibilities Equal Custody Requires of That Parent?

Recently a Quora.com reader commented on my answer to this question: Is there a primary parent in joint custody in Utah which is also known as “equal” or “50/50” custody? They…

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What Would I Say, if I Were a Judge or Commissioner Hearing a Protective Order Request Case and I Denied the Request for the Protective Order?

I would say this: By law I cannot grant a request for a protective order unless a preponderance of the evidence supports the request. If the request lacks the support…

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Kouri Richins’ Defense Files a Motion to Disqualify Prosecution, Alleging That Her 6th Amendment Rights Were Violated.

According to KUTV, Kouri Richins' defense filed a motion on Friday, May 17, to disqualify the prosecution from the case. To read more about this, click on this link: https://kutv.com/news/local/kouri-richins-defense-skye-lazaro-ray-quinney-nebeker-files-motions-disqualify-prosecution-brad-bloodworth-eric-richins

Continue ReadingKouri Richins’ Defense Files a Motion to Disqualify Prosecution, Alleging That Her 6th Amendment Rights Were Violated.

What Are the Standards for Appeal That Usually Apply in a Utah Case?

See 2024 UT App 54 - Tilleman v. Tilleman, which recites many of them: ¶26 . . . Generally, we review a trial court’s custody award for an abuse of discretion. See T.W. v.…

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Is There Anything I Can Do for Winning Custody After the Gal Report Is Favoring My Ex? Is Paying More to My Attorneys Worth It or No?

After you ask, “Is there anything I can do for winning custody after the GAL report is favoring my ex? Is paying more to my attorneys worth it or no?,”…

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2024 UT App 54 – Tilleman v. Tilleman – custody factors, income, fees

2024 UT App 54 - Tilleman v. Tilleman THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MICHAEL ROBERT TILLEMAN, Appellant, v. MICHAL CHRISTINE TILLEMAN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20210637-CA Filed April 11, 2024 Fourth…

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2024 UT App 52 – In re A.S. – child neglect, photographing genitals

2024 UT App 52 - In re A.S.   THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF A.S. AND J.S., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.…

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2024 UT App 47 – In re K.J. – removal, shelter hearing

2024 UT App 47 – In re K.J. THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF K.J., M.J., AND K.J., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.…

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My Husband Is Forcing Me to Get My Inheritance From Court From My Ex-husband’s (Deceased) Brothers, Otherwise He Will Divorce Me. What Should I Do?

Talk to a good (a good) lawyer about whether you even have the right to “inherit” from your ex-husband’s brothers. Unless there are bizarre circumstances at work here, odds are…

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What Is the Benefit of a Legal Separation (Separate Maintenance) or a Temporary Separation Order in Utah?

Many people ask what the benefits of a legal separation are. Aside from the obvious "it gives us the option of staying together, if we want to," are there other…

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Can I Request to Have My Son’s Grandmother Removed From the Courtroom During My Custody Case Proceedings?

Are the court proceedings in your kind of case open to the public? If so, then the grandmother, being a member of the public, may have a right to be…

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Mother Made False Accusations Against a Father to Win Custody and Had a Restraining Order Put in Place With No Evidence to Back Her Reason, Can This Be Overturned?

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…

Continue ReadingMother Made False Accusations Against a Father to Win Custody and Had a Restraining Order Put in Place With No Evidence to Back Her Reason, Can This Be Overturned?

Have You Heard That Fathers Defeat Mothers’ Claims of DV and Child Abuse by Claiming Parental Alienation?

We all know the aphorism, "If it looks/sounds to good to be true, it probably is [not true]." This also means, however, that if it looks/sounds too 𝙗𝙖𝙙 to be true, it…

Continue ReadingHave You Heard That Fathers Defeat Mothers’ Claims of DV and Child Abuse by Claiming Parental Alienation?

Why Get it Straight From the Horse’s Mouth When You Can Get a Truncated Version, Second-Hand?

When a custody evaluator and/or private guardian ad litem is/are appointed in a divorce case in which custody and parent-time of the children is disputed, they usually interview the children…

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2024 UT App 28 – Smith v. Smith

2024 UT App 28 - Smith v. Smith THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JACQUELINE P. SMITH, Appellee,  v. DANIEL H. SMITH, Appellant. Opinion No. 20220697-CA  Filed March 7, 2024  Third…

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In re O.N. – 2024 UT App 27 – failure to sign notice of appeal

In re O.N. - 2024 UT App 27 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF O.N. AND R.N., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. K.D.,…

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Can Child Support (Whether Prospectively or Retrospectively) Be Waived by the Child Support Payee?

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…

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In re H.H. – 2024 UT App 25 – termination of parental rights

In re H.H. - 2024 UT App 25 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF H.H. AND N.H., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. T.H.…

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In re Adoption of M.A. – 2024 UT 6 – petition to unseal adoption records – good cause

In re Adoption of M.A. - 2024 UT 6 This opinion is subject to revision before final publication in the Pacific Reporter 2024 UT 6 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF…

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Why won’t courts test competing custody and parent-time proposals during the pretrial phase of a case?

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…

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What happens if the respondent does not show up in family court?

Like winning the lottery, it does happen, but not very often. Parties rarely fail to appear for proceedings in family court. But if and when they do, the court can…

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Is There a Primary Parent in Joint Custody in Utah Which Is Also Known as “Equal” or “50/50” Custody?

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…

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What Must or Should I Do In This Situation?

What do I do If custody order says visitation is from 4 - 8 meeting at police station when there is no school but if there is school that day…

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Lamb v. Lamb, 2024 UT App 16 – divorce, custody, business, home equity

2024 UT App 16 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JOSEPH EARL LAMB, Appellee, v. SONYA ELIZABETH LAMB, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210787-CA Filed February 8, 2024 Third District Court, Salt Lake…

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House Bill 193 (HB0198 (utah.gov))

Another bill under consideration during the 2024 Utah legislative session is House Bill 193 (HB0198 (utah.gov)). This bill would, if passed into law, 1) make clear that a “totality of…

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House Bill 140 (HB0140 (utah.gov)), “Amendments to Custody and Parent-Time”

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…

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House Bill 131 (HB0131 (utah.gov)), entitled “Clergy Child Abuse Reporting Requirements”

Today’s blog post reviews House Bill 131 (HB0131 (utah.gov)), entitled “Clergy Child Abuse Reporting Requirements”. It proposes changes to Utah Code § 80-2-602, the law governing when members of the clergy are…

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My attorney withdrew as my counsel in my divorce case. What do I do now?

I received a notice from opposing counsel that looks (or contains) something like this: “You are hereby notified of your responsibility to appear personally or appoint counsel.” What does this…

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Family Law Legislation for the 2024 Utah State Legislative Session

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…

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Encourage Your Legislators to Vote Against H.B. (House Bill) 272 (2024 Utah General Legislative Session)

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…

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Obstacles Fathers Face in Trying to Get Joint Custody of Their Children

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…

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In re J.T. – 2023 UT App 157

2023 UT App 157 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF J.T. AND A.T., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. F.R., Appellant, v. STATE OF…

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Alimony in Utah, in Simple but No Less Accurate, Easily Understood Terms

Alimony is a hotly debated subject, whether one is divorced or not. As with most controversial topics, misinformation seems to find its way into the discussion. Alimony is not nearly…

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How do I enforce my husband’s promise to hire an attorney for me in our divorce?

If by this question you mean to state that your husband told you he would pay for your attorney in the divorce action between the two of you, that could…

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What Good Parents Need to Know About Child Custody Disputes with an Evil Parent

You hear and read on attorney websites stuff like, “Navigating child custody arrangements during divorce can be challenging.” That’s not the half of it. Child custody disputes with an evil parent…

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In re R.G. – 2023 UT App 144 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS

STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF R.G., A PERSON UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. G.G., Appellant, v. STATE OF UTAH, Appellee. Opinion No. 20220635-CA Filed November 24, 2023 Second…

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