What Is a Utah Domestic Relations Commissioner, and How Does a Commissioner Differ from a Judge?

If you file a divorce, child support, or parentage action in Utah, you may discover that your case has both a judge and a domestic relations commissioner assigned to it.…

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“Hold Your Objections”: Why Proffer Hearings Need Contemporaneous Objections

Some Utah judges and domestic relations commissioners instruct lawyers to hold their evidentiary objections until opposing counsel finishes presenting. One commissioner explained that objections during proffer were unnecessary because the…

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Trust Me Is Not Evidence: The Custody Black Box in Utah Family Court

In most courtrooms, a litigant cannot restrict another person’s fundamental rights by repeating untested, out-of-court accusations. If a party tries to prove serious allegations through “someone told me” evidence, the…

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