If I Owe Arrearages in Child Support, Do They Go Away if I Am Awarded Full Custody?
Good question. I cannot answer this question for how all jurisdictions would handle it, but I can tell you what the law is in Utah governing this question (and it’s…
What Happens in a Custody Case When Both Parents Are Proven Unfit?
This is a great question. Note: I cannot answer this question for all jurisdictions, but I can answer it as it applies in the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and…
How Can a 100% Mentally Disabled Person Keep Full Custody of Their Kids?
I will answer this question as a general matter in the context of Utah law because I practice divorce and family law (and thus I deal with child custody disputes…
How Do You Overturn Emergency Temporary Custody?
This is not the kind of situation in which you can obtain a change you want by taking certain steps. To overturn or modify a temporary child custody order you…
Can You File for Defamation While a Custody Battle Is Happening?
I cannot speak to what the law is in all jurisdictions, but I can answer this question as it applies in the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law…
If Parents Are Unable to Care For Their Children, Do Grandparents Have the Legal Right to See Them?
I cannot answer this question as the law applies in every jurisdiction, but I can give you the answer as the law applies in Utah, which is the state where…
If the Mother Loses Custody of the Child to a Third Party Does the Father Still Have to Pay Child Support
There are many weird twists that a case like the one you’ve described can take, but generally speaking (and I must speak generally because I do not know how the…
Can You Get 6 Months of Visitation With Your Child and Your Ex-spouse Gets 6 Months in Child Custody?
Can you? It is possible, yes. Will you? Not likely. Why? To get a judge/court to order that the child spends six consecutive months with one parent, then six consecutive…
What Percentage of Fathers Get Full Custody?
This is largely a factor of where the custody dispute takes place. Some jurisdictions favor mothers over fathers as much as 80% (although that number is decreasing as joint custody…
How Does Child Custody Work in Utah if the Parents Are Not Married?
Child custody is determined based upon the same statutory factors regardless of whether the parents are divorced or were never married. Those statutory factors are found at Utah Code §§…
Can I Legally Go to My Dad’s on a Day That Is Written as My Mom’s in the Custody Agreement?
Great question (and it’s good to see questions from children). No one can give you “the” answer to this question without knowing the laws of the jurisdiction involved and what…
From Pro Publica: Barricaded Siblings Turn to TikTok While Defying Court Order to Return to Father They Say Abused Them
There is far more to this story than the headline reveals. From Pro Publica: Barricaded Siblings Turn to TikTok While Defying Court Order to Return to Father They Say Abused…
Who Has the Ultimate Decision Making Authority in a Child Custody Case, the Parents, the Lawyers, the Judges, or the Child of a Certain Age?
If the case goes to trial: the judge. However, in Utah, the jurisdiction where I practice (which is the case in most other jurisdictions too), the parents, children, and lawyers…
How Can I Win Custody of My Son if I Haven’t Been There for Him for Ten Years?
About the only ways I can realistically imagine? The child’s other parent: - is dead; or - is unfit to be entrusted with the care and custody of the child.…
Is There a Way to Get Legal Action on Child Support for Free?
That does not bode well for you, if in fact the child will be in the courtroom at the same time you and the judge assigned to your case are…
If a Mom Is Abusing Her Children, and the Dad Doesn’t Want Sole Custody Because Child Support Is Cheaper, What Can the Court Do?
Thank you for your question, and forgive me for approaching this question in a way that may not answer your question as directly as it could be; I hope you…
Can You Win a Custody Battle Without an Attorney?
Can you? Meaning: is it possible? Of course it’s possible. Likely? That depends. I had written over 500 words in my first draft of the answer to this question when…
What Happens in a Custody Case Where Both Parents Try to Alienate the Child From the Other Parent and the Rest of Their Family?
My guess is that this question applies in two distinct contexts: 1) what does the court do in a child custody case where both parents try to alienate the child from the…
How Do You Prove Parental Alienation in a Child Custody Case?
Usually rarely and with great effort and difficulty. Why? I have written other responses to this question and questions like it, so my answer here will be more concise than…
Can You Win a Custody Battle Without an Attorney?
Can you? Meaning: is it possible? Of course it’s possible. Likely? That depends. I had written over 500 words in my first draft of the answer to this question when…
What Happens in a Custody Case Where Both Parents Try to Alienate the Child From the Other Parent and the Rest of Their Family?
My guess is that this question applies in two distinct contexts: 1) what does the court do in a child custody case where both parents try to alienate the child from the…
What Happens if I Get Married to Someone With Kids Then Get Divorced? Do I Get To See the Kids?
I cannot speak to what the law is and how it is applied in every jurisdiction, but I can answer this question on this topic as it applies to the…
After a Marital Breakup, Only One Parent Can Properly Raise the Children, With the Other Parent Entitled Merely to Visiting Rights, but Could There Be a Better Alternative?
You’ve picked a good topic of discussion, but your question is poorly phrased. Your claim that only one parent can properly raise children after a marital breakup is false. Not…
Kingston v. Kingston – 2022 UT 43 – Parental Rights, Due Process Rights
2022 UT 43 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF UTAH RYAN CLYDE KINGSTON, Appellant, v. JESSICA BENNY KINGSTON, Appellee. No. 20200350 Heard April 11, 2022 Filed __ On…
Is 50/50 custody likely when the parents live in the same neighborhood?
What is the likelihood of reverting to 50/50 custody when the parents live in the same neighborhood? Mom still cares for the child over 80% Your question states in part,…
My children’s father is a bum. Can he get 50/50 custody awarded?
The question is: I’m a stay at home mom, my BD is always working unreliable and inconsistent hours, he wants 50% custody of our son. Will he be granted 50%?…
Who do you pick between a present father and an absentee mother?
Who do you pick, your father who has been there your whole life or your mother who was never there until now and wants custody of you? Assuming that 1)…
Do I have to pay the court to go to trial?
Do I have to pay the court to go to trial? I am a divorce and family lawyer. I was asked this question and was a little surprised that this…
I am looking for advice. I want to fight for full child custody. What do I need to know before moving forward?
All you need to know regarding what your first steps should be is this: determine whether you have a winning case for being awarded full or sole custody of the…
Thayne v. Thayne – 2022 UT App 122 – Change of Circumstances
2022 UT App 122 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STEPHANIE THAYNE, Appellee, v. DEVIN THAYNE, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200598-CA Filed November 3, 2022 Second District Court, Ogden Department The Honorable…
Can a child who wants to, testify of his/her desires regarding the child custody award?
Am I, as an 11-year-old, allowed to go to court in a situation where my parents are divorced to see if I can get my dad to have full custody…
What is a Settlement Conference for Child Custody?
While I cannot tell you what is meant by "settlement conference for child custody" in every jurisdiction, I can tell you what it means in the jurisdiction where I practice…
Child refuses to exercise shared custody with the stricter parent
Teenager Child (16) refuses to see me after spending a month with my ex. I have 50% custody. What can I do about it? I'm a stricter parent unlike my…
Should I get sole custody of my children if the dad does not want custody?
Should I get sole custody of my children if their dad does not want to be involved with them? Or try to talk it out before I go through with…
Can a 16-year-old child choose not to have visitation with a parent?
Technically, no. Practicably/pragmatically, yes. Technically, a minor child (even a child of 16 years of age) does not have the legal right to choose whether he or she will comply…
Can I gain full custody if I’m bipolar?
I don't want anything to do with my child's father. Can I gain full custody if I'm bipolar? First, thank you for being so candid and blunt. This is a…
How does someone take custody of a child after winning custody?
When someone wins custody of a child, does the child come to the courthouse to be taken by whoever is awarded custody or do they go to the home of…
What is the proper way to request a change of the child custody order?
What is the proper language to request a change of the child custody order in family law court? What you want to accomplish is not the kind of thing that…
How would my fiancé go about getting any sort of custody for his child?
That is an extremely broad question. The best way to start: find a good domestic relations lawyer (a good one, not just any) and schedule a consultation with him/her so…
What will happen if the child refuses to go with the custodial parent?
What will happen if the court ruled in favor of a mother to have the custody of her child but the child refuses to go with her and she prefers…
How will it affect children to switch schools every other school year?
How will it affect children to switch back and forth to schools every other school year due to child custody agreement between parents who live in different states? Probably not…
What is the argument for hearing a child’s view in a custody decision?
What argument supports taking the views of a child into account when making custody determination? The argument is this: the judge cannot determine if such evidence is relevant if the judge never…
I’m 14 and my mom is making me live with my dad. How do I stop this?
I'm 14 and my mom is making me live with my dad and is giving him custody. What can I do to prevent this from happening? I’m a divorce and…
In a divorce, should children live with their favorite parent?
I can’t speak for all jurisdictions, but I can tell you that in the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law (Utah), currently the child’s preference for one parent…
Twitchell v. Twitchell – 2022 UT App 49 – child custody and support
Twitchell v. Twitchell - 2022 UT App 49 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS JAZMIN S. TWITCHELL, Appellee, V. JOSEPH N. TWITCHELL, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200546-CA Filed April 14, 2022 First…
Do you lose child custody if you have a bench warrant?
Not merely for having a warrant out for your arrest, no. Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277 https://www.quora.com/Do-you-lose-child-custody-if-you-have-a-bench-warrant/answer/Eric-Johnson-311
Our agreement says no child support, can my ex ask for it anyway?
Can my ex ask for child support? I have a 50/50 custody and no child support divorce agreement, but his mother alienated him against me and now he refuses to visit…
Hinds v Hinds-Holm – 2022 UT App 13 – child custody award factors
Hinds v Hinds-Holm - 2022 UT App 13 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BRADLEY HINDS, Appellee, v. RACHEL HINDS-HOLM, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200586-CA Filed January 27, 2022 Third District Court,…
How do we counteract the adverse effects of trusting custody evaluators?
The question was asked: In a study in 2012 proved many custody evaluators falsely believe most DV victims lied & alienated kids. So How do you prevent that evaluators report from…
T.W. v. S.A. – 2021 UT App 132 – child custody
2021 UT App 132 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS T.W., Appellant, v. S.A., Appellee. Opinion No. 20200397-CA Filed November 26, 2021 Third District Court, West Jordan Department The Honorable Dianna…