Do you think current divorce laws are biased against men?

Do you think the current divorce laws are biased against men? In my experienced opinion, yes (and I speak as one who represents both women and men in divorce where…

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I wonder which state in the U.S. has the highest rate of awarding joint physical custody of children in divorce

I wonder which state in the U.S. has the highest rate of awarding joint physical custody of children in divorce. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Utah…

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What are the odds of a ballot measure for 50/50 custody?

What are the chances of a ballot measure in CA for a rebuttable presumption that child custody should be 50/50 if both parents wish at least 50%? Slim. This isn’t…

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Christmas Break Parent-time 2017 – how it works

NOTE: this will explain how to calculate Christmas break parent-time for any period, in any year (but we'll use 2017 as an example). QUESTION: I'm trying to figure out what day…

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Defending Yourself Against a Protective Order

My friend is a good man. His wife is crazy. She put a protection order against him, to help manipulate the court proceedings. What should he do? Defend himself with…

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Nicholson v. Nicholson – 2017 UT App 155 – termination of alimony – foreseeable – lack of need

Nicholson v. Nicholson - 2017 UT App 155 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS RONALD J. NICHOLSON, Appellant, v. PAULA ANN NICHOLSON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20151021-CA Filed August 24, 2017 Second…

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Vanderzon v. Vanderzon – 2017 UT App 150 – August 17, 2017 – custody on relocation, alimony, and attorney fees

Vanderzon v. Vanderzon - 2017 UT App 150 - August 17, 2017 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS HEIDI KIRSTEN VANDERZON, Appellant, v. JOHN MATTHIAS VANDERZON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20140946-CA Filed…

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Is there a way to stop ORS from taking child support directly out of my pay checks?

QUESTION: Is there a way to stop ORS from taking child support directly out of my pay checks? For the first 10 years of my husband’s divorce decree, he and…

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Rule v. Rule – 2017 UT App 137 (August 3, 2017) – alimony – standard of living

Rule v. Rule - 2017 UT App 137 (August 3, 2017) – alimony – standard of living THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS GEOFFREY S. RULE, Appellee, v. RICHELLE RULE, Appellant.…

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MacDonald v. MacDonald, 2017 UT App 136 (August 3, 2017) – modification of alimony – unforeseeable circumstances

MacDonald v. MacDonald, 2017 UT App 136 (August 3, 2017) THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS KIRKPATRICK MACDONALD, Appellant, v. LEE ANNE MACDONALD, Appellee. Opinion No. 20150785-CA Filed August 3, 2017…

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Christensen v. Christensen – 2017 UT App 120 – July 20, 2017

Christensen v. Christensen - 2017 UT App 120 - July 20, 2017 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS ELENA KAY CHRISTENSEN, Appellee, v. BRENT CHRISTENSEN, Appellant. Opinion No. 20150994-CA Filed July…

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Spousal (and Ex-Spousal) Spying – You Can Go to Prison, If You Do It Wrong

Have you ever thought about “bugging” your children’s teddy bear or diaper bag to eavesdrop on your ex? A parent in Utah tried this exact thing (spoiler alert: it didn’t…

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Can a parent get custody of a child if he has a domestic violence protection order against him?

Can a parent get custody of a child if he has a domestic violence protection order against him? Nothing in Utah law prohibits a parent against whom a protective order…

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Fit parents and their children deserve joint custody

As a matter of basic human rights and human nature, unless they are unfit then divorced and separated parents and their children deserve joint custody. "[A] parent's right to the…

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What factors does a court consider when making a child custody determination?

What factors does a court consider when making a child custody determination? Here are the minimum factors the courts in Utah must consider in making a child custody award in divorce actions:…

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What are the biases shown in family law?

What are the biases shown in family law? Every human bias imaginable can affect a family law case, but the ones that I find most common and most troubling are…

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