What are the 3 main issues that lead to divorce these days?
Every time you hear about divorce, what are the 3 main issues that lead to divorce these days? I have been a divorce and family law attorney for 26 years.…
What are the primary parenting issues of concern by the court?
What are the primary concerns of the courts in determining parenting issues? Why? In Utah (and in no particular order), the court must consider the factors articulated in these sections…
What can you do if your ex-husband does not want to pay school fees?
What can you do if your husband does not want to pay school fees for his children when you are divorced? First, it is not necessarily a given that a…
When do courts value the marital estate?
When do courts value the marital estate? At time of separation, or at the time the court enters the Decree of Divorce? This is a question that often causes divorcing…
How do you protect your assets from divorce, lawsuits, etc.?
How do you protect your assets from divorce, government confiscation, lawsuits, garnishments, or seizure? Best way: own nothing. The government (in all its forms) cannot seize from you that which…
If you get a divorce but everything is in your name, do you have to split it?
If you get a divorce but everything is in your name, do you get to keep everything or do you have to split it? I will answer your question in…
2022 UT App 103 – Divorce Tax Consequences
2022 UT App 103 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS LISA PETERSON LABON, Appellee, v. PIOTR ARKADIUSZ LABON, Appellant. Opinion No. 20200547-CA Filed August 18, 2022 Third District…
What will the court do if I do not sign a letter sent by my ex-husband?
What will the court do if I do not pick up a letter my ex-husband sent that needs to be signed by me from the courts about his back court ordered alimony…
Can a parent with full custody deny visitation due to unsanitary conditions?
Can a parent with full custody refuse to allow visitation due to unsanitary living conditions? Good question. I will answer this question in the context of some applicable law for…
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…
Is it easier to get a divorce if you and your spouse have nothing shared?
Is it easier to get a divorce if you and your spouse have no debts, no shared property, and no children? Typically, generally, usually, yes. In the overwhelming majority of…
So I want to ask my dad to divorce my mom.
So I want to ask my dad to divorce my mom. She has a troublesome personality, to say. I'm currently 16 and the relationship between not just me and my…
Can you go back to your ex-spouse after a divorce?
Yes, there is no law (I know of in any jurisdiction of which I am aware, but check in your jurisdiction to be sure) against a divorced couple resuming a…
Are divorce records public?
I cannot speak for all jurisdictions, but for the jurisdiction where I practice divorce law the answer is “yes”. See Utah Code § 30-3-4(2)(b): §30-3-4. Pleadings--Decree--Use of affidavit--Private records (b)…
If each parent is fully capable, will the court still give full custody to mom?
If both parents are wonderful, will the court still lean towards full custody to the mother? [Note: I am a divorce lawyer of 25 years. I am not bitter about…
Can an adult child be sued for helping one parent divorce the other?
Taking your question literally: Can? Yes. You can file a lawsuit for any “reason” or no reason at all. Crazy and/or malicious people file crazy/malicious/frivolous/unintelligible lawsuits all the time. Just…
What is the brutal truth about a third marriage?
That it is likely going to end in divorce. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-intelligent-divorce/201202/the-high-failure-rate-second-and-third-marriages Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277 https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-brutal-truth-about-a-third-marriage/answer/Eric-Johnson-311?prompt_topic_bio=1
How do I get a quick, cheap divorce?
Easiest way up front, but usually most foolish, most financially and psychologically expensive in the long term: give your spouse whatever he she wants/demands (while it is possible for your…
Is staying with parents during pregnancy grounds for filing for divorce?
You don't have to come up with creative reasons for getting a divorce anymore in the age of no-fault divorce (in the U.S.A.). You don't have to find a reason…
How can I better understand the importance of marriage?
As a child with divorced parents, I find it hard to answer questions such as, “What is the importance of marriage?” How can I better understand the importance of marriage?…
Why would a father give a child’s abusive mother full custody?
Why would a father whose attorney had outed his children's mother as a schizophrenogenic narc monster give her full custody? “Give?” If the father had it within his power to…
How do you win financially in a divorce?
It depends upon what you mean by “win financially.” Man divorcing people define this term differently, and the differences are extreme. Some people define "winning financially" as: coming away from…
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…
True or false: Better to divorce than have a miserable life.
This blog post is in response to this question: I don't think it's bad to get a divorce. I think it's more unhealthy to have miserable lives. — Ginger Wynn.…
Why do people get married only to divorce a few years later?
Why do people get married only to divorce a few years later? Doesn't really sound like love to me. With the exception of those divorces that take place shortly after…
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…
Can I get an annulment instead of a divorce?
Many people call me asking about whether they can get an annulment instead of a divorce. Their reasons are almost always the same: "I would prefer to say that I…
Is the percentage of married people getting a divorce still about 50%?
Is the percentage of married people getting a divorce still about 50%, or is it now higher? It’s actually a bit less than 50% currently and for the past few years. This…
How do I stop being afraid of divorcing?
How do I stop being afraid of divorcing? I’m so scared. I’ve been a stay-at-home mother for 18 years. I have health issues. I don’t know if I can provide…
Do you pay tithing on child support?
Nothing is more frustrating to a sincere Christian than to ask the question, “Should I pay tithing on child support money I receive as a parent?” and to receive this…
What will the court do if I do not pick up a letter my ex husband sent?
What will the court do if I do not pick up a letter my ex husband sent that needs to be signed by me from the courts about his back…
Can you go back to your ex-spouse after a divorce?
Yes, there is no law (I know of in any jurisdiction of which I am aware, but check in your jurisdiction to be sure) against a divorced couple resuming a…
Is it wrong for a parent to go to their adult child for emotional support?
Is it wrong for a parent to go to their adult child for emotional support concerning the parent’s marriage? I am a divorce and family lawyer and a parent, but…
Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 45
By Quinton Lister, legal assistant I work for a divorce attorney, but I am not pro divorce. I understand that if there were no divorces I would be “out of…
What are the chances of a mother getting full custody?
In my experienced opinion: If the fight is over which parent will be awarded sole (full) custody of the children, and if no other factors are considered: the chances of…
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…
How does being a child of divorce change the way you approach marriage?
I saw something on Facebook recently that is applicable here. Two brothers had followed divergent paths into adulthood. One was a lonely alcoholic bum. The other was a successful and…
What should the child support award be if my ex makes $1,200 per week?
Should I be receiving more than $300 a month in child support if my ex-husband makes $1,200 per week? Each jurisdiction has different child support laws and rules, but I…
Can a parent take kids out of state while divorce is pending?
Can a parent who has filed for divorce and moved out with her 2 children now take her children for a week to another state for Thanksgiving, or will it be…
How long after my divorce am I considered single?
I can’t speak for all jurisdictions, but for the jurisdiction where I practice divorce law (Utah), the answer is that you are considered single as soon as the court issues…
Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 42
Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 42: Do you like divorce law? By Quinton Lister, legal assistant Often when I tell people I know that I am…
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…
What are the most empirically robust factors that predict divorce?
What are the most empirically robust (causal) factors that predict marital dissolution (divorce)? I can give you my guess as to what I believe a rigorous study would reveal based…
Why isn’t 50/50 custody the default resolution in child custody cases?
I have studied this question throughout my career, and I've been a divorce and family lawyer for 25 years. If there is one family law question to which I know…
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…
Is it damaging for a child to witness a divorce/parents fighting constantly?
Is it damaging for a child to witness a divorce or witness their parents fighting constantly? Yes. Yes, of course. Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277 https://www.quora.com/Is-it-damaging-for-a-child-to-witness-a-divorce-or-witness-their-parents-fighting-constantly/answer/Eric-Johnson-311
Why is the Divorce Rate Higher than Ever?
First, the divorce rate is not currently higher than ever. It has been higher in the past. Unfortunately, the reason the divorce rate is declining is likely because fewer people…
How do I get help with a divorce?
Asking a question on Quora is a start and better than doing nothing (as so many people contemplating divorce do when they are too afraid to do anything), but only…
Why do spurned spouses often refuse to cooperate in their own divorce proceedings?
Why do spurned spouses often refuse to participate in certain aspects of their own divorce proceedings despite the headache it creates for all parties involved? Spurned spouses sometimes refuse to…
How can I enforce my power when I have final say in joint custody?
My sons father and I have joint custody but I have final say over his well being health and education. How can I enforce my power? If you are asking: “How do I enforce in good…
