Parenting Plan Archives

Is 50/50 custody likely when the parents live in the same neighborhood?

What is the likelihood of reverting to 50/50 custody when the parents live in the same neighborhood? Mom still cares for the child over 80% Your question states in part, “What is the likelihood of reverting to 50-50 custody.” Your…

Who do you pick between a present father and an absentee mother?

Who do you pick, your father who has been there your whole life or your mother who was never there until now and wants custody of you? Assuming that 1) custody of you must be awarded to one parent or…

Child refuses to exercise shared custody with the stricter parent

Teenager Child (16) refuses to see me after spending a month with my ex. I have 50% custody. What can I do about it? I’m a stricter parent unlike my ex who lets him play computer games all day and…

Should I get sole custody of my children if the dad does not want custody?

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 it? Your children deserve a loving, salutary relationship with both…

How can I make sure father won’t gain custody?

My husband cheated on me and we’re getting a divorce. He begged me not to take his children away, but I want him to suffer. How can I make sure that he won’t gain custody or even visitation rights? Surely…

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 divorced parent must pay for a child’s school fees. I…

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 with the parent time “visitation” scheduling orders that a court…

What are the primary concerns in determining parenting issues? Why?

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 of the Utah Code when making a legal and physical…

How can I better understand the importance of marriage?

July 13, 2022

Divorce Utah

Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Divorce, Divorce Prevention/Marriage Preservation, Parentage, Parenting Plan

advice, children, counsel, decisions, divorce, importance of marriage, marriage, parenting

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? Being a divorced parent does make it harder to make…

How can I reveal my soon-to-be ex as having NPD in our custody case?

How can I reveal my soon-to-be ex as having NPD in our child custody case? You’re asking the wrong question. You shouldn’t be asking how you can prove your spouse has NPD (or some other mental or emotional disorder), but…

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 well. Think about your own experience as a child. Did…

What is the argument for hearing a child’s view in a custody decision?

What argument supports taking the views of a child into account when making custody determination? The argument is this: the judge cannot determine if such evidence is relevant if the judge never actually has such evidence to consider. In Utah (where I practice divorce…

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 family lawyer, and I see this question arise frequently. If…

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 over the other is not expressly among the factors specified…

Twitchell v. Twitchell – 2022 UT App 49 – child custody and support

April 18, 2022

Divorce Utah

Appeal, Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Support, Child Support Calculation, Children in Divorce, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custody, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Domestic Violence, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, Judges, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parent Time, Parental Fitness, Parenting Plan, Physical Custody, Preparing for Divorce, Procedure and Evidence, Sole Custody, Utah Code, Utah Court of Appeals Decisions, Utah Court Rules, Utah Law, Visitation, Women's Divorce Issues

appeal, calculation, child custody, Child Support, child support obligation, conclusions of law, deviate, district court, divorce decree, Domestic Violence, evidence, findings of fact, income, moral character, neglect, Parent Time, physical abuse, physical custody, statutory minimum schedule, trial court, Utah Code § 30-3-10, Utah Code § 30-3-34, Utah Code § 30-3-35, Utah Code § 30-3-35.5, Utah Code § 78B-12-203, Utah Court of Appeals

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 District Court, Logan Department The Honorable Brian G. Cannell No.…

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 do kids talk and text online so freely with strangers?

Why do kids talk and text online so freely with strangers? Don’t they understand how potentially dangerous that is? Why? Because kids that age aren’t very smart or wise. Don’t you remember how stupid and foolish you were as a…

What to do when child won’t comply with the custody award?

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 to stay with the father? This situation (and this question)…

Family Law Legislation 2022 – Part 1

January 29, 2022

Divorce Utah

Child Support, Divorce Law, Family Law, Parenting Plan, Unwed Parents, Utah Law

2022 legislative session, Child Support, divorce law, family law, gestational agreements, parenting plans, Utah State Legislature

Family Law Legislation 2022 – Part 1 This blog post reviews four bills among new proposed legislation during the 2022 session of the Utah State Legislature that deal with divorce and family law matters. H.B. 51 Title: Gestational Agreements The…

Why does paternity leave benefit everyone?

December 20, 2021

Divorce Utah

Co-parenting, Family Law, Parent Time, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Paternity

co-parenting, Father's rights, maternity leave, men, newborn child, parents, paternity leave, women

I’m not sure it does (and this comes from the father of four children himself). A little paternity leave would do no harm in most cases, but I’m not sure it confers any substantial or significant personal or societal benefits. …