Sole Custody Archives - Divorce Utah

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

May 14, 2021

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,…

Good news, for parents deserving of joint equal physical custody

April 13, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Children in Divorce, Coping With Divorce, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Physical Custody, Separation, Sole Custody, Termination of Parental Rights, Unwed Parents, Utah Law, Visitation, Women's Divorce Issues

2021, 2021 legislative session, basis, change of an existing custody award, children, criteria, deserving, effect, fighting, fit, good news, joint equal physical custody, May 5, new Utah Code section. § 30-3-35.2, parents, unfair, uphill battle, Utah Legislature

Good news, apparently, for parents deserving of joint equal physical custody of their children but who have, up until now, been fighting an unfair, unnecessarily uphill battle. The Utah Legislature passed, during the 2021 legislative session, a new Utah Code section.…

What would you do if your child’s father who is only entitled to supervised visitation filed for a modification of a court order so a family member you don’t approve of could supervise visits?

What would you do if your child’s father who is only entitled to supervised visitation filed for a modification of a court order so a family member you don’t approve of could supervise visits? Here’s what I would do: First,…

Can a mother lose custody even if the child is still very young?

April 2, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Education, Evidence, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Mental Illness, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Personality Disorders, Preparing for Divorce, Sole Custody, Stepchildren, Stepparents, Supervised Parent-time, Supervised Visitation, Utah Code, Women's Divorce Issues

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Can a mother lose custody even if the child is still very young? Are there any situations where a mother can lose custody even if their child is still very young (e.g., under 5 years old)? Oh, heck yeah. Many…

Judge says stay away from my paramour. Can judge do that?

Judge says stay away from my paramour. Can judge do that? I became pregnant by my paramour after my husband and I separated. The court order states we are not to have paramours around our child. Will the judge take…

Why do I pay child support if we have joint custody and we both work?

I know two people that separated and share custody and both have jobs yet he pays child support? How does this work? This is a great question and a question that many parents ask. I will answer it using the…

What are suggestions for modifying child custody for an alternating weekend schedule if Monday drop-offs are removed and weekdays are not an option?

What are suggestions for modifying child custody for an alternating weekend schedule if Monday drop-offs are removed and weekdays are not an option? Is this a trick question? Correct me if I am mistaken, but if the requirements and restrictions…

Why is it difficult for a father to get child custody?

February 13, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Children in Divorce, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Attorneys, Divorce Court, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Lawyers, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Holiday Parent-time, 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, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Parentage, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Parenting Plan, Paternity, Petition to Modify Decree of Divorce, Physical Custody, Preparing for Divorce, Procedure and Evidence, Sole Custody, Uncategorized, Women's Divorce Issues

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Why is it difficult for a father to get child custody? Because there is a pernicious and false belief in far too many of the courts (not, notably, in society at large) that generally: mothers are better parents than fathers;…

2019 UT App 207 – Peeples v. Peeples – modification of child custody

January 7, 2020

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Best Interest of the Child, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Contempt of Court, Coping With Divorce, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Lawyers, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Expert Witnesses, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, GAL (Guardian ad Litem), Joint Legal Custody, Mediation, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Negotiation, Parenting Plan, Physical Custody, Procedure and Evidence, Protective Orders, Restraining Orders, Sole Custody, Utah Code, Utah Court of Appeals Decisions, Utah Law, Women's Divorce Issues

2019, 2019 UT App 207, best interest, bifurcate, bifurcated decree, children failed to demonstrate substantial change in the circumstances, clear error, custody evaluator, December 19, denied visitation, distinction between stipulated and adjudicated decrees, domestic relations commissioner, emotional, emotional abuse, failed to meet burden to prove change in circumstances, five out of every fourteen, guardian ad litem, in “high conflict” cases burden of demonstrating a change in circumstances is higher than normal, incorrect legal standard decree was stipulated rather than adjudicated, intellectual, joint legal custody, modify divorce decree, moral development, motion to dismiss, no change in circumstances, no separate standard that courts are to apply in high-conflict cases when considering whether a substantial change of circumstances is present in the context of a petition to modify, Opinion No. 20180713-CA, overnights, PEEPLES v. PEEPLES, ping-pong custody awards, presence or absence of a substantial change in circumstances, primary physical custody, protective order, reasonable degree of stability, res judicata, school year, settlement conference, sole custody, sole physical custody, stable employment, stable home environment, summertime, Utah Code Ann. § 30-3-10.4(2)(b), Utah Court of Appeals, violations of decree could be resolved in contempt proceedings, violence

2019 UT App 207 – THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS ADAM LEGRANDE PEEPLES, Appellee, v. ANNALEISE T. PEEPLES, Appellant. Opinion No. 20180713-CA Filed December 19, 2019 Third District Court, Salt Lake Department The Honorable Andrew H. Stone No. 044901980 Brian…

Burggraaf v. Burggraaf – 2019 UT App 195 – imputing income, vacating alimony

December 9, 2019

Divorce Utah

Alimony and Support, Appeal, Child Custody, Child Support, Child Support Enforcement, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Custody, Debts, Discovery, Division of Marital Property, Divorce and Taxes, Divorce Law, Divorce Preparedness, Domestic Violence, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Fault, Finances, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Marital Home, Marital Property, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parent Time, Personal Property, Physical Custody, Property Division, Real Estate/Real Property, Sole Custody, Spousal Support, Utah Code, Utah Court of Appeals Decisions, Utah Law, Visitation, Women's Divorce Issues

2019 UT App 195, ability to pay, alimony, appeal, calculating alimony, calculating child support, Child Support, debt, divorce, imputed income, need, property distribution, separate debt, student loans, Utah Court of Appeals, vacate

2019 UT App 195 THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS CAROL BURGGRAAF, Appellee, v. BRIAN JOSEPH BURGGRAAF, Appellant. Opinion No. 20180405-CA Filed November 29, 2019 Second District Court, Ogden Department The Honorable Camille L. Neider No. 154902227 Julie J. Nelson, Erin…

How do I respond to parental alienation?

July 26, 2019

Divorce Utah

Child Abuse, Child Custody, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Coping With Divorce, Divorce Fears, Divorce Preparedness, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Men's Divorce Issues, Mental Illness, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parental Alienation, Parental Fitness, Parental Rights, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Women's Divorce Issues

What can a parent do if, after the divorce, the other parent who has custody of the child turns the daughter against that parent? A parent in this situation can DO a lot of things, but the question is not…

LeFevre v. Mackelprang – 2019 UT App 42 – joint custody analysis

2019 UT App 42 – THE UTAH COURT OF APPEALS – LeFevre v. Mackelprang AMELIA GAYATREE LEFEVRE, Appellee, v. CASEY LEE MACKELPRANG, Appellant. Opinion No. 20171006-CA Filed March 28, 2019 Sixth District Court, Panguitch Department The Honorable Paul D. Lyman…

Nebeker v. Orton – 2019 UT App 23 – custody and parent-time

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 Honorable Marvin D. Bagley No. 154600140 Jared L. Peterson, Attorney…

Have we reached the point where mothers are not immediately deemed the best candidates for child custody?

Almost, but not yet. Until recently, it wasn’t just a cultural norm, but a legal principle that presumed during a child’s “tender” years (generally regarded as the age of four and under), the mother should have custody of the child…

If a single mother makes more annually than the father, would she have to pay child support even if she has custody?

December 31, 2018

Divorce Utah

Child Custody, Child Support, Children in Divorce, Joint Physical Custody, Sole Custody

child support obligation, custodial parent, joint physical custody, noncustodial parent., sole physical custody

In Utah, almost certainly not. I cannot think of a scenario in which a parent (mother or father) has sole physical custody of the children and would have to pay any child support to the noncustodial parent. In that scenario…

How can I get the custody of my child? What factors does the court consider?

August 8, 2018

Divorce Utah

Child Custody, Children in Divorce, Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Sole Custody

child custody, children, custody, joint custody, sole custody, Utah, winning

How can I get the custody of my two-year-old son in court? I am an SFG in service, not always at home, but I can give my child to my parents. Courts do not look at child custody as “which…