Good question. A generation or two ago, it was all but unheard of for parents to be awarded joint physical custody of their children. It was literally unthinkable in the…
One of the increasingly worst kept secrets in Utah divorce and child custody law is the fact that after a certain age, minor children are essentially ungovernable when it comes…
So many people believe (and I don’t know how or why they have come to this belief) that “if I can show that the other parent has this flaw, I…
Can being a noncustodial parent improve the child’s relationship with the noncustodial parent? Recently, a reader on Quora, where I comment regularly, commented on a post of mine with this: …
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…
Here is a summary of new law affecting divorce and family law that was created by the Utah State Legislature in 2022: HB (House Bill) 122 1st Substitute, entitled “Family…
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…
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…
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…
Widdison v. Widdison - 2022 UT App 46 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS NICOLE WIDDISON, Appellant, LEON BRYANT WIDDISON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20200484-CA Filed April 7, 2022 Third District…
Christmas/Winter Break for Parents Under Utah Code § 30-3-35 or (§ 30-3-35.5 for a child 18 months and older) If your Christmas/Winter break starts December 17, 2021 and ends January…
The best way to phrase this question is as follows, “How do I get an order awarding custody of our child to me, if I assert as the basis for…
Here is an example of an important gotcha factor to be on guard against, if you are a good father being forced by the legal system to fight for joint…
I’m 15, about to be 16, and my parents are getting a divorce. My father has full custody, but he doesn't want to take me to court to present my…
Child support is for the financial support of your children, not a fee (or “ransom”) you pay to keep the children near you. Regardless of where your children live, they…
How? Not very well, generally. But before I elaborate, let’s ask and answer this question first: is the legal system designed to protect the visitation (“visitation” is also known as…
I am the noncustodial parent. Our child came to my house for parent-time and now refuses to leave because he wants to live with me. What happens now? I will…
Can grandma sue for custody/visitation if you stopped taking the child to visit because of COVID-19? What would you do if your mother sued you for custody/visitation of a grandchild…
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…
If a parent exceeds parent-time by an hour or so, what can I do? Our custody order provides that child visitation is 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. My ex and I agreed by e-mail to change it to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. But now my ex picks…
Can I refuse visitation when a non-custodial parent refuses to take a child to school? In the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law (Utah), the answer is: Unless…
“Can my ex use the panic over Coronavirus/COVID-19 to withhold the kids from me?” “Will I still be free to pick my son up at the end of the week…
“Can my ex use the panic over Coronavirus/COVID-19 to withhold the kids from me?” “Will I still be free to pick my son up at the end of the week…
After filling for legal separation where is my only child going to stay? I have my child with me right now. How is the custody going to work after separation?…
In some jurisdictions, interference with or noncompliance with child custody orders issued by a court are not enforceable by police officers or sheriff’s deputies because there is no statute or statutes…
If one parent has bedbugs and the children will not sleep at the parents home, does the other parent have to make a motion for full custody? Can the parent…
UPDATE on new Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 109: Utah Court Notices notices@utcourts.gov via usblists.utahbar.org 8:57 AM to utahstatebarnews Subject: [UtahStateBarNews] Notice of new effective date for Rule 109…
Welcome back to our feature on new laws from the 2019 Utah Legislative Session. There were a lot of changes in family law in 2019. The legislature amended section 78B-15-610…
2019 UT App 23 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS SHANE NEBEKER, Appellant, v. TRISHA ANN ORTON, Appellee. Opinion No. 20170438-CA Filed February 14, 2019 Sixth District Court, Richfield Department The…
Parent-Time During the Holiday Season 2018 The holiday season is upon us, and many divorced and single parents need to prepare and plan for your holiday season parent-time this time…
If a divorced parent doesn’t want visitation rights (i.e. doesn’t want to see his/her child), is that legal, or would the court order the unwilling parent to have visits? This…
2018 UT App 137 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BRANDON CHRISTOPHER LAY, Appellant, v. CORINNA NICOLE LAY, Appellee. Opinion No. 20170230-CA Filed July 12, 2018 Third District Court, West Jordan…
Perspective of a Law Student: How my views on court decisions have changed after 2 years of law school by Alyssa Miller Before law school I perceived court cases and the…
Noncustodial Parents: Understanding Parent-Time When going through a divorce, one of the most common issues is child custody. A common misperception about child custody is that it is simply who…
QUESTION: Is it unreasonable for me to assume my kids would have their own clothes at their dad's place? He has been requesting that I send specific items with the…
Child Custody: How do courts provide for parents to take care of their children after divorce? When parents divorce, one of the biggest potential conflicts is the question of child…
What happens if a non-custodial parent habitually brings a son back days late from a visitation, resulting in unexcused absences from school (kindergarten)? Am I responsible for the truancy? The…
QUESTION: Dear Eric, My ex and I have been separated for a while now. He has not given us any money for child support. I am supporting my child and…
What happens when the child violates the custody or parent-time order? The best examples I can give you of this experience that I have had as a lawyer are as…
BULLET PROOF ADVANCE NOTICE Note: This is the first of four blog postings on bullet proofing your summer parent time, that I’ll publish in as many weeks. You will want…
BULLET PROOF YOUR HEARING Note: This is the fourth of four blog postings that I’ll publish in as many weeks. You will want to read them all (and likely want…
BULLET PROOF YOUR REQUEST FOR COURT ASSISTANCE Note: This is the second of four blog postings that I’ll publish in as many weeks. You will want to read them all.…
BULLET PROOF YOUR MOTION YOU FILE WITH THE COURT AND YOUR ARGUMENT IN COURT Note: This is the third of four blog postings that I’ll publish in as many weeks. …
One of the ways you can enforce your parent-time or custody rights is through a Writ of Assistance. You should know up front that most judges and court commissioners consider…
KIRSTEEN D. BLOCKER, Appellee, v. MICHAEL P. BLOCKER, Appellant. 2017 UT App 10 The Utah Court of Appeals Memorandum Decision No. 20150720-CA Filed January 12, 2017 Fourth District Court, Provo…
Bullet Proofing Your Holiday Time: Send Notice in Writing NOW Many divorced or single parents have issues with parent-time, not because they can’t use a calendar or make a plan,…
Request mediation (move to compel it, if need be)! Our previous posts ensuring you enjoy and enforce your holiday parent time dealt with giving your ex as much advanced notice…
"The fairest rules are those to which everyone would agree if they did not know how much power they would have.” — John Rawls Quarreling means trying to show that…
This blog post covers provisions that are not required by Utah law to be in a parenting plan but that you either are allowed to include in the parenting plan…
Every Utah parenting plan must contain the following minimum provisions: Provisions for resolution of future disputes between the parents. This means: A process for resolving disputes, unless precluded or limited by…