Orem City v. Jakeman – 2025 UT App 187 – continuous protective orders after sentencing

2025 UT App 187 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS OREM CITY, Appellee, v. DAVID AMMON JAKEMAN, Appellant. Opinion No. 20241042-CA Filed December 18, 2025 Fourth District Court, Spanish Fork Department…

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“Erring on the Side of Caution” Is Still Error: Why Utah Courts Must Stop Quietly Abandoning the Burden of Proof in Protective Order Cases

Utah law requires domestic violence protective orders to be supported by a preponderance of the evidence. Increasingly, courts are not applying that standard. Instead, they substitute an unwritten “better safe than…

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Can My Ex Legally Let a Sex Offender Be Around My Kids in Utah?

TL;DR: No, not without strict limits. In Utah, no parent may not allow a registered sex offender to be around your children—even in that parent’s own home—without the other parent’s…

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The Cause of “Protective Orders Disorder” and How to Prevent It.

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” (Benjamin Franklin) It is undeniable that courts frequently take a "better safe…

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State v. King – 2024 UT App 151 – Domestic Violence – Evidence – Effective Counsel

State v. King - 2024 UT App 151 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, Appellee, v.. PHILLIP MASON KING, Appellant. Opinion No. 20210710-CA Filed October 24, 2024 Second…

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2024 UT App 52 – In re A.S. – child neglect, photographing genitals

2024 UT App 52 - In re A.S.   THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF UTAH, IN THE INTEREST OF A.S. AND J.S., PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.…

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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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