Noel v. James – 2022 UT App 33 – civil stalking injunction

Noel v. James - 2022 UT App 33 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS MICHAEL EARL NOEL, Appellee, v. WILLIAM THOMAS JAMES, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200565-CA Filed March 10, 2022 Sixth…

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Does Utah ORS collect childcare by garnishing a paycheck?

Does the Utah Office of Recovery Services (ORS) collect childcare monthly reimbursement by garnishing a paycheck like it can to collect monthly child support? No.   ORS does and cannot collect…

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Erickson v. Erickson – 2022 UT App 27

THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS DEAN ERICKSON, Appellee, v. JANICE ERICKSON, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200193-CA Filed March 3, 2022 Third District Court, Salt Lake Department The Honorable Todd M. Shaughnessy…

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Hillam v. Hillam – 2022 UT App 24 – final and appealable ruling, rule 54(b)

2022 UT App 24 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JOHN DINSDALE HILLAM, Petitioner, v. TARA HILLAM, Respondent and Appellant, v. DUSTIN HANCOCK AS INVESTMENT TRUSTEE, Respondent and Appellee. Opinion No.…

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In re J.L… 2022 UT 12 – termination of parental rights

2022 UT 12  IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF UTAH  STATE OF UTAH, in the Interest of J.A.L. and J.O.L., Persons Under Eighteen Years of Age  J.L. and…

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Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 32: If I could redo the legal system

By Quinton Lister, legal assistant  My boss, Eric Johnson, a divorce attorney, thought it might be a good blog post to write about what I would do if I were…

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In re J.P. – 2021 UT App 134 – termination of parental rights

In re J.P. - 2021 UT App 134 2021 UT App 134 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF J.P. AND T.P., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS…

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2022 UT App 15 – Miller v. DaSilva – protective order objections

2022 UT App 15 - Miller v. DaSilva http://www.utcourts.gov/opinions/view.html?court=appopin&opinion=Miller v. Dasilva20220203_20200719_15.pdf THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS LISA M. MILLER, Appellant, v. AMY ELIZABETH DASILVA, Appellee. Opinion No. 20200719-CA Filed February…

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What is the basis for everything I have to do for my Utah divorce case?

What is the legal basis for all the hoops I have to jump through in my Utah divorce case? This is a great question. It’s a question I often ask…

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Do letters vouching for one’s character really matter?

My lawyer asked me to get letters of my character from my friends for family court to introduce as evidence, but do they really matter and is 12 enough? Do…

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Johansen v. Johansen – 2021 UT App 130 – compliance with court rules

2021 UT App 130  THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS  COLTEN JOHANSEN,  Appellee,  KATHY JOHANSEN,  Appellant.  Opinion  No. 20200234-CA  Filed November 26, 2021  Second District Court, Ogden Department  The Honorable Joseph…

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In re J.P. – 2021 UT App 134 – termination of parental rights

2021 UT App 134  THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS  STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF J.P. AND T.P., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.  T.L., Appellant, v. STATE OF…

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The way UT courts conduct custody evaluations nowadays is indefensible

The way courts in Utah conduct custody evaluations nowadays is indefensible. There is nothing in UCJA rule 4-903 (the rule governing custody evaluations) that requires a custody evaluation to consist of little…

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Are Licensed Paralegal Practitioners a good idea?

I just received and responded to a survey from Alyx Mark, assistant professor at Wesleyan University and a law and society scholar. After completing the survey, I sent this e-mail to Professor Mark:…

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Erring on the side of caution is not merely cowardly, it is evil

Erring on the side of caution is not merely cowardly, not merely corrupt, it is evil.  We are to look upon it as more beneficial, that many guilty persons should escape unpunished, than…

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What are the divorce laws in Utah?

I don’t want to appear immodest, but honestly, my book is probably the best source in one volume:  https://store.legal.thomsonreuters.com/law-products/Treatises/Utah-Family-Law-2020-2021-ed-Vol-2-Utah-Practice-Series/p/106664782  You can also find the laws governing Utah divorce and family…

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Why isn’t there a child support debit card, so the funds can be tracked and itemized to prevent mismanagement?

In Utah, such a thing can be done, but I have never, in 24 years of practice, seen it ordered or agreed to (I’ve heard rumors that some parents have…

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What is the success rate of having a court-appointed legal aid?

I don’t know, and I doubt that statistics are kept on such a question. If there are such statistics, I do not know of them.  Generally, the reputation appointed counsel…

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Does saying after an answer “I truly believe that”, “it truly is”, damage your credibility as a lay witness in court or is it better to don’t add this type of qualifiers?

First, whether you “truly believe” something or “find it hard to believe,” testifying to something you believe or don’t believe, as opposed to testifying as to something you know, is…

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What is the best and fastest way to switch judges in a family court?

I will answer this question as it applies in my jurisdiction (Utah). First, no one has a right simply to choose your judge or choose to change the judge assigned to…

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Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 2: Pile higher and deeper

Last week I reported that I am a complete neophyte when it comes to the practice of law (this is my second week as a legal assistant), and that remains…

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MacFarland v. MacFarland – 2021 UT App 58

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…

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The Utah courthouses will be re-opening soon. Don’t go back!

With the COVID-19 crisis essentially behind us now (please don't start on the Delta variant) the Utah courts are re-opening the courthouses. And there's nothing wrong with that . .…

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Ward v. McGarry – 2021 UT App 51

Ward v. McGarry - 2021 UT App 51  NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE PERMANENT LAW REPORTS. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL.   …

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Am I held to what I said first as a witness, even if I immediately corrected my mistake once I realized it?

It is not merely a question of how quickly the witness corrects his or her answer. Sometimes a lawyer will ask a witness for precise details simply not because those…

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In court cases, how does taking an oath make any difference?

In court cases, how does taking an oath make any difference? From what I can tell, yes, it appears that taking an oath or affirming to tell the truth before…

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Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court?

Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court (pro se)? Why does someone need an attorney when they can just defend themselves in court?…

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What are the Steps for Getting Divorced in Utah?

What are the Steps for Getting Divorced in Utah? To start the divorce process, you must begin by filing what is called a complaint or a petition for divorce with…

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Why Not Have the Judge Interview the Children About Child Custody?

Why Not Have the Judge Interview the Children About Child Custody? Why Appoint a GAL or Custody Evaluator When the Judge Can Interview the Children? This post is the first…

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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?

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…

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Which Is Better: spending thousands on GAL/custody evaluator or $0 on a judge interview?

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…

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Believing Judges Interviewing Children Harms Children Rests on False Premises

This post is the eighth in series of 15 posts on the subject of custody evaluations and the appointment of guardians ad litem (“GALs” for short) in Utah child custody…

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When a lawyer drops a client, is the reason shared with the judge and/or opposing counsel (i.e., the client refused to be reasonable, etc.)?

When a lawyer drops a client, is the reason shared with the judge and/or opposing counsel (i.e., the client refused to be reasonable, etc.)? In Utah, where I practice divorce…

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My parents filed an order of protection against me. Is there any way I can fight this at age 17 knowing that I’ve done no wrong?

My parents filed an order of protection against me. Is there any way I can fight this at age 17 knowing that I’ve done no wrong? Your experience may be…

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Utah Divorce Case Timeline Summary

Utah Divorce Case Timeline Summary The greatest influence on how long a divorce case takes is usually how much and how severely the parties fight over the issues. The more…

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Why do people need legal advisors if all the laws can be found on the Internet?

Why do people need legal advisors (I'm not referring to litigators) if all the laws can be found on the Internet? Good question, and the answer is simple and clear:…

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2020 UT App 35 – V.M. v. Division of Child and Family Services

2020 UT App 35 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS V.M., Appellant, v. DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES, Appellee. Opinion No. 20180906-CA Filed March 5, 2020 Fourth District Juvenile Court,…

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2020 UT App 34 – Petrzelka v. Goodwin – alimony, income, retirement funds

2020 UT App 34 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS PEGGY PETRZELKA, Appellee, v. JAMES E. GOODWIN, Appellant. Opinion No. 20180923-CA Filed March 5, 2020 First District Court, Logan Department The…

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Pulham v. Kirsling – 2018 UT App 65 – custody, parent-time, child support

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…

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2019 UT App 104 – Ross v. Ross – § 30-3-37 relocation

2019 UT App 104 - Ross v. Ross THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JESSECA RAE ROSS, Appellee, v. TIMOTHY RONALD ROSS,Appellant. Opinion No. 20170916-CA Filed June 13, 2019 Third District…

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