Child Custody Modification Archives

Do letters vouching for one’s character really matter?

My lawyer asked me to get letters of my character from my friends for family court to introduce as evidence, but do they really matter and is 12 enough? Do letters vouching for one’s character really matter? If so, are…

T.W. v. S.A. – 2021 UT App 132 – child custody

January 14, 2022

Divorce Utah

Alimony and Support, Amicable Divorce, Annulment of Marriage, Antenuptial Agreements, Appeal, Assets/Debt/Property, Attorney Fees, Best Interest of the Child, Business Interests, Business Valuation, Child Abuse, Child Care Costs, Child Care/Surrogate Care, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Child Protective Order, Child Protective Services, Child Support, Child Support Calculation, Child Support Enforcement, Child Support Modification, Children in Divorce, Civil Stalking, Civil Stalking Injunction, Co-parenting, Cohabitation, Common Law Marriage, Contempt of Court, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custodial Interference, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Daycare, Debts, Dirty Tricks, Discovery, Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), Division of Marital Property, Divorce, Divorce and Taxes, Divorce Attorneys, Divorce Causes, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Utah, Utah Court of Appeals Decisions, Utah Law, Women's Divorce Issues

appellate courts, child custody, child custody arrangement, child custody award, court decisions, custody, Utah Court of Appeals, Utah law

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 Gibson No. 134401457 David Pedrazas, Attorney for Appellant Laja K.…

How do I get custody back of my child if the custodial parent is not keeping the child safe?

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 my petition that the custodial parent is not keeping the…

I’m a child whose parents are divorcing and fighting over custody. What can I do?

October 14, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Children in Divorce, Custody, Divorce, Divorce Law, Family Law, GAL (Guardian ad Litem), Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Utah Law

best interest of child, child custody, guardian ad litem. Utah law, Parent Time

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 case that I want to see my mother. What can…

Why is child support still garnishing my friend’s wages and her children are back in her custody?

September 6, 2021

Divorce Utah

Child Care Costs, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Support, Child Support Modification, Children in Divorce, Divorce, Divorce Costs, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Support, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Women's Divorce Issues

child custody, Child Support, divorce, finances

There could be at least two possible reasons. 1. Even though the child is living with you, if the court and/or the child support collection agency has not been made aware of the change in custody and modified the child…

Can you seek a temporary custody award if you have an apartment but you’re not on the lease, but your fiancé is on the lease and also the child does have their own room?

I get this question frequently. The answer: Sure, you can ask (you can always merely ask) the court to award you temporary custody of the child(ren) under such circumstances, but whether the court will grant your request under such circumstances…

Law from a legal assistant’s point of view, week 4: Trial by fire

By Quinton Lister, Legal Assistant I attended my first trial this past week. I did not question any witnesses or argue the case at the trial or anything like that because I am not a lawyer (I’m a legal assistant), and it was fascinating to experience. The trial was…

I was awarded joint equal custody of my children, but in practice I have them with me more. Their mother’s income is at least equal to (if not greater than) mine. Could I be entitled to child support?

This is a good question and a question that comes up often. I will answer your question as it would apply to the law of Utah, which is the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law. In many jurisdictions,…

MacFarland v. MacFarland – 2021 UT App 58

July 16, 2021

Divorce Utah

Amicable Divorce, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Support, Child Support Calculation, Child Support Enforcement, Child Support Modification, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Cohabitation, Contempt of Court, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Custody, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Equitable Interest, Equity, Evidence, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Justice and Equity, Legal System, Marital Home, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Alimony, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Child Support, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Petition to Modify Decree of Divorce, Physical Custody, Preparing for Divorce, Special Circumstances, Spousal Support, Termination of Alimony, Uncontested Divorce, Utah Court of Appeals Decisions, Utah Court Rules, Utah Law, Women's Divorce Issues

§ 30-3-10.1, § 30-3-5, § 78B-12-108, § 78B-12-201, alimony, child custody, decree of divorce, joint physical custody, Modification, modifying, physical custody, Utah code

021 UT App 58 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS BRUCE RAY MCFARLAND, Appellant and Cross-appellee, v. NICOLE S. MCFARLAND, Appellee and Cross-appellant. Opinion No. 20190541-CA Filed June 4, 2021 Second District Court, Farmington Department The Honorable David J. Williams No.…

Can a divorced parent with the parties’ child primarily lives stop the child from switching to live with the other parent?

July 13, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Children in Divorce, Custody, Divorce, Divorce Fears, Family Law, Legal Custody, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Physical Custody, Women's Divorce Issues

custody, divorce, parent

So, the question is this: if I am the parent to whom custody of our child was awarded, and that child doesn’t want to live with me anymore, what can I do to stop this child from living with the…

Can I legally stop talking to my dad if he has custody (I live with my mom full time, but he’s still legally my parent as well)?

This is a good question because it deals with an issue that the law either has not addressed or cannot effectively address. First, is there any legally permissible and practicable way to force a child to talk with a parent?…

Do you agree with Brad Pitt winning joint custody of his children with Angelina Jolie?

I normally don’t comment on popular culture matters dealing with divorce, but for this question I will make an exception. I have no idea what kind of parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are. I don’t know what findings the…

How hard did you have to fight to get custody of your child after divorce as a father? What was the biggest problem you faced?

Allow me to start this answer by clearing the air a bit: First, there are many fathers who are clearly unfit fathers but who nonetheless believe the only or the “real” reason they are denied sole or even joint custody…

What is being a single parent without joint custody like in your country?

If a loving, able parent (i.e., a fit parent who lives in close enough proximity to the child(ren)’s other parent such that joint legal and physical custody does not work a genuine hardship on the children) would like nothing more…

After a divorce, should my kids be with me or with the mom?

June 1, 2021

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Addiction, Adoption, Best Interest of the Child, Business Interests, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Children in Divorce, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Domestic Violence, Emotional abuse, Equity, Evidence, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Justice and Equity, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Motion Practice, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Unwed Parents, Utah Code, Utah Law, Women's Divorce Issues

child custody, fathers, joint custody, joint equal custody, legal custody, mothers, parent, parents

First, you need to understand that you’re asking the wrong question. Child custody is not a zero-sum game; otherwise stated, when parents divorce, or when unmarried parents separate, where you get the idea that the children must be in the…

Why is it OK for a parent to be given custody without their kids’ consent?

May 28, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Lawyers, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Expert Witnesses, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, GAL (Guardian ad Litem), Holiday Parent-time, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Women's Divorce Issues

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Why is it okay for a parent to be given custody without their kids consent or at least their input? This is a great question. I can’t speak for all lawyers, and the laws and rules governing what the courts…

I have custody of my child. He’s refusing to come home. What now?

May 19, 2021

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Addiction, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custodial Interference, Custody, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Petition to Modify Decree of Divorce, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Women's Divorce Issues

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I have custody of my child. He left to go to his mom’s last Friday for the weekend. He is refusing to come home because he wants to live there. What happens now? I will answer this question in the…

“Best interest of the child” and a “material and substantial change of circumstances”

May 18, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Change of Circumstances, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Material and Substantial Change of Circumstances, Modification of Child Custody

child custody, child custody award, child custody modification, material and substantial change of circumstances, modification of child custody, modification of custody

Doyle v. Doyle, 258 P.3d 553 (Utah Ct.App. 2011) 2011 UT 42m ¶ 38, “Even an overwhelming case for the best interest of the child could not compensate for a lack of proof of a change in circumstances. See Becker,…

Child refuses to leave noncustodial parent’s house. What happens now?

May 14, 2021

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Addiction, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custodial Interference, Custody, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Petition to Modify Decree of Divorce, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Women's Divorce Issues

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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 answer this question in the context of my experience as…

Father has 50/50 custody. Now ex is trying to take it away. What to do?

May 7, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Support, Child Support Modification, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Coping With Divorce, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce Costs, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Lawyers, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Justice and Equity, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Child Support, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parenting Plan, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Women's Divorce Issues

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I am a father who has exercised at least 50/50 custody with my ex. Now she’s trying to take me to court for full custody and me getting every other weekend visits. How can I avoid losing 50/50 custody? First,…