I was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support? Can you try? Yes. Will you…
Do I have to respond to discovery questions in a divorce? Yes, unless you can persuade the court that some or all of the discovery requests: violate the rules governing discovery, such…
Are all lawyers psychopaths? No, although social science research repeatedly finds that law is one of the top professions to which psychopaths are drawn (it’s #1 or #2 on most…
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 was divorced and lied to during my divorce and I am disabled can I take my ex back to court for spousal support? Can you try? Yes. Will you…
If I can’t find an attorney, can it honestly be said I got a fair trial? If a person seeks legal representation in a court, and every attorney they tries…
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?…
Are there laws that protect one parent from being a victim of the other parent's continuous reporting, through the other parent's attorney, about violations of a restraining order that are…
Thomas v. Thomas - 2021 UT App 2021 UT App 8 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JEREMY THOMAS, Appellant, v. JODY TASKER THOMAS, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190242-CA Filed January 22,2021…
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…
2020 UT App 171 - Miller v. Miller THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS RYAN MILLER, Appellant, BRENDA MILLER, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190748-CA Filed December 24, 2020 Second District Court, Farmington…
Are older lawyers better? If by “older” you mean lawyers who are not fresh out of law school, the answer is: almost always yes. They don’t teach you how to…
GALs and custody evaluators waste too much money and time, and can never provide the same accuracy as a judge’s direct interview of the child. This post is the fifteenth…
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…
GAL recommendations are nowhere close to being the best way to determining the child’s best interest. This post is the thirteenth 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”…
We need more consistency in family law, more predictability. Divorce lawyers who know the law deserve commissioners and judges they can expect to be consistent and predictable. Cases with similar facts too rarely have similar outcomes because…
This post is the tenth 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…
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…
What will a judge do if a mother gives up her full custody right to the father of her kids, wants nothing to do with them, refuses to pay child…
How is it possible that people go bankrupt during divorce in the USA? Isn't it a 50/50 split? It’s not “the divorce” that causes people to go bankrupt, it’s the…
There is nothing a GAL could learn how to do that a judge cannot also learn how to do equally well. This post is the ninth in series of 15…
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…
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…
What happens after an affair when you have kids? I will answer as if this question were asked in the belief that the affair will have a profound effect upon…
2020 UT App 146 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JERRY V. BROWN, Appellant, v. YVONNE A. BROWN, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190543 Filed October 29, 2020 Fourth District Court, Provo Department…
Can an unmarried parent legally keep the other parent from the children without having gone to court? Yes. In the absence of a court order to the contrary, it is…
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…
If I have a prescription for marijuana, will this affect my custody case? I do not smoke in front of my child or have it around my child. Probably not,…
2020 UT App 141 - THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS HUGH LYNN BJARNSON, Appellant, v. JENNIFER LOU BJARNSON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20190734-CA Filed October 16, 2020 Fourth District Court, Provo…
QUESTIONS: Do I pay half of any child care costs my ex incurs? Or just work-related child care costs incurred? Are “occupational training”-related child care costs something I have to…
How can I choose which of my parents gets custody of me? In Utah, a child can’t choose. At least not anymore. Under current Utah law, children do not get…
The unique challenges men and women face in divorce and child custody cases What follows is my opinion, but my honest and sincere opinion born of experience over the past…
Can I get a cost-free divorce if, say, my spouse is verbally and emotionally abusive? In a sense, yes, but not because of a finding that your spouse “verbally and…
What should you know as a woman about divorcing? Consider the source of this answer, as it comes from a married (not divorced), male divorce lawyer. To many reading this,…
What does it take to get the court to award custody to the father? Either: A) a miracle or B) the mother has to be so clearly an unfit parent…
Can one spouse or the other avoid paying taxes on a joint tax? Tax law does not require married couples to file joint income tax returns simply by virtue of…
Are prenuptial agreements used only to avoid divorce settlements? Prenuptial agreements are used primarily to avoid the expense, the misery, and the waste of time divorce actions can (and usually…
How does the court view mothers that abandon their family during a divorce? Generally, with disbelief, at first. Why? A few reasons. One, to its credit, our culture still holds…
“It’s pretty awful, but do you have a better alternative?” I was asked the following question in response to this answer I gave to a question on Quora.com: https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-dirty-secrets-a-lawyer-wishes-they-could-tell-us-but-can-t/answer/Eric-Johnson-311 Here…
Home Heartbreak: People Divulge the Home Details of Their Divorce (from Porch.com https://porch.com/resource/home-heartbreak) Life is full of transitions. We all remember moving out of our childhood home. For many of…
Can a parent discipline a child by taking the child’s phone away? Before researching this question, I thought the answer was obvious. It’s not. As a both a lawyer and…
https://www.utcourts.gov/opinions/supopin/State%20v.%20Norton20200713_20180514_46.pdf This opinion is subject to revision before final publication in the Pacific Reporter 2020 UT 46 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF UTAH STATE OF UTAH, Respondent,…
How can I calm my nerves? I hired an attorney to help with my child custody case against my BPD ex. I’m so scared of what he will do when…
Who files for divorce more? Men or Women? Why? Women file more In the United State of America, although the percentages vary depending on the study, the research is unanimous in…
Why does a parent asking questions turn into a trial? A parent questioning a child often turns into “a trial” when either 1) the child questioned is guilty of wrongdoing…
Who initiates divorce more often? Husbands or wives? In the United State of America, although the percentages vary depending on the study, the research is unanimous in finding that wives initiate divorce more…
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…
When the fall school break parent-time period begins was a common question that the Utah State legislature addressed in the 2020 legislative session by making a clarifying change to the…