First, you need ask a different question before you get to the question of a father’s chances of winning full or primary custody of children in divorce. The question should…
Did you see this in the news in Utah (from the Salt Lake Tribune)? A Utah man never hit his wife — until he tried to kill her. But how…
When a PGAL (private guardian ad litem) is appointed to represent children in a child custody dispute in a Utah divorce case, it would sure be good to know what…
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…
Without knowing more about your criminal record, I can still safely predict that having almost any kind of chronic or significant criminal record reduces your chances of being awarded custody…
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…
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…
Yes. Many women (not all, but many more than we'd like to believe unquestionably lie and make outright false or grossly exaggerated domestic violence claims. The temptation to tell such…
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…
I'm a divorce lawyer. I'm not divorced (God willing, I won't ever be), I am opposed to divorce generally (while there are times when a divorce is plainly necessary, most…
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…
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…
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…
If you’re anything like I am, you don’t like being ignorant and confused about terms aren’t familiar with and do not understand. If you are contemplating divorce or find yourself…
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…
Probably. The schemes and technology for providing fake urine samples have advanced so much and are available so easily to everyone that most urine collection that courts order is observed…
From cnbc.com: 46% of divorced couples say this was the No. 1 conflict in their relationship—and it isn’t money (Published Tuesday, August 15, 2023 2:23 PM EDT; Updated Tue, August 15,…
Yes. A hearing is not the same as a trial. While there may be some similarities, they are not the same thing and do not accomplish the same objectives. The…
Recently an attorney posed a question on a forum for fellow Utah family law attorneys. The question involved how to find out what the children’s experiences have been with one…
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…
A better way to conduct court proceedings came along (a long time ago): remote appearances. You read that correctly: the courts in Utah can accommodate appearances by remote video conference.…
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…
Thomas Sowell said (in a discussion of politics and governance), “There are no solutions. There are only tradeoffs, and whatever you do to deal with one of man's flaws it…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
It addresses the validation and recognition of a marriage regardless of the race, ethnicity, or national original of the parties to the marriage, and would repeal a current provision in…
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…
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…
Today’s blog post treats another proposed law that is up for consideration during the 2024 Utah legislative session: House Bill 129 (HB0129 (utah.gov)), entitled “Child Support Requirements”. This bill would,…
Today’s blog post treats another proposed law that is up for consideration during the 2024 Utah legislative session: House Bill 81 (HB0081 (utah.gov)), entitled “Domestic Violence Modifications”. It would add…
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…
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…
You have to show that the trial court that made the child custody decision committed an appealable error. Many people believe that an appeal of a trial court’s decision is…
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…