Utah Divorce & Family Law Articles
This blog provides guidance, commentary, and legal insight on Utah divorce, child custody, parent-time, mediation, and related family-law issues. The articles below are designed to help individuals better understand Utah family-law procedures, legal standards, and practical issues that commonly arise in divorce and custody cases in Saratoga Springs, Lehi, American Fork, Eagle Mountain, Provo, and surrounding communities.
Blog Categories:
- Utah Divorce
- Child Custody & Parent-Time
- Mediation & ADR
- Utah Family Law Insights
- Divorce & Family Law Tips
Recent BLOG Articles:
Tithing and Alimony in Utah: Does Religious Giving Count as a Living Expense?
Tithing and Alimony in Utah: Does Religious Giving Count as a Living Expense? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A couple pays tithing throughout a long marriage. After ...
Religion and Child Custody in Utah: Who Decides What a Child Believes After Divorce?
Religion and Child Custody in Utah: Who Decides What a Child Believes After Divorce? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A marriage ends. One parent continues attending the ...
How Utah Courts Divide Debts in Divorce: When the Marriage Owes More Than It Owns
How Utah Courts Divide Debts in Divorce: When the Marriage Owes More Than It Owns By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Some divorces involve dividing substantial equity, retirement accounts, ...
Imputation of Income in a Utah Divorce: Challenging a Commissioner’s Recommendation
Imputation of Income in a Utah Divorce: Challenging a Commissioner's Recommendation By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A parent loses a job. The paycheck stops. Yet, at a divorce ...
50/50 Child Custody: Why a Family-Centered Utah Should Lead
50/50 Child Custody: Why a Family-Centered Utah Should Lead By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A divorce ends a marriage. It should not unnecessarily reduce a child's relationship ...
Utah 2027 Child Care Minimum and Child Support Accountability
Should Utah's 2027 Child Care Minimum Be Repealed By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Utah parents should pay their fair share of legitimate child care expenses. But a ...
Does a Child Get to Decide Custody in Utah?
Does a Child Get to Decide Custody in Utah? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation “My child is 14 now. Doesn’t that mean she gets to choose where ...
How to Enfoce a Divorce Decree in Utah
How to Enfoce a Divorce Decree in Utah By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A divorce decree is not a suggestion. Once a Utah court enters an order concerning ...
Utah Divorce
Articles in this section explain the Utah divorce process, including filing, temporary orders, property division, alimony, financial issues, and what parties can expect as a divorce case moves through the court system.
Tithing and Alimony in Utah: Does Religious Giving Count as a Living Expense?
Tithing and Alimony in Utah: Does Religious Giving Count as a Living Expense? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A couple pays tithing throughout a long marriage. After separation, both submit financial declarations. One spouse includes the same religious giving in the monthly budget. The other argues that ...
How Utah Courts Divide Debts in Divorce: When the Marriage Owes More Than It Owns
How Utah Courts Divide Debts in Divorce: When the Marriage Owes More Than It Owns By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Some divorces involve dividing substantial equity, retirement accounts, and investments. Others involve deciding who will leave the marriage with the credit cards, an underwater mortgage, and bills neither ...
Imputation of Income in a Utah Divorce: Challenging a Commissioner’s Recommendation
Imputation of Income in a Utah Divorce: Challenging a Commissioner's Recommendation By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A parent loses a job. The paycheck stops. Yet, at a divorce hearing, the other party asks the court to calculate support as though that paycheck is still arriving every month. For ...
Utah Financial Declaration in Divorce | Rule 26.1 Explained
Utah Financial Declaration in Divorce | Rule 26.1 Explained By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation For many people going through a Utah divorce, the Financial Declaration looks like another form in an already large stack of paperwork. It is not. The Financial Declaration is one of the most important ...
How to Deal With a Narcissist in Utah Family Court by Staying Two Steps Ahead
How to Deal With a Narcissist in Utah Family Court by Staying Two Steps Ahead By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Dealing with a narcissistic opposing party in a Utah divorce or child custody case requires a different strategy than dealing with an ordinary disagreement between reasonable people. In ...
Temporary Alimony in Utah: When It Is Ordered, How It Is Calculated, and What Happens When Income Changes
Temporary Alimony in Utah: When It Is Ordered, How It Is Calculated, and What Happens When Income Changes By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Divorce does not place a family’s financial obligations on hold. Mortgages, rent, utilities, insurance, food, transportation, and other expenses continue while the parties wait for ...
Can I receive Child Support after my child turns 18 in Utah?
Utah Child Support After Age 18: What Wadman v. Wadman Means for Families of Incapacitated Adult Children By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Most Utah parents understand the general rule: child support ordinarily ends when a child turns 18 or graduates from high school during the child’s normal ...
How Much Does It Cost to Modify a Divorce Decree in Lehi?
How Much Does It Cost to Modify a Divorce Decree in Lehi? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation People considering a petition to modify a divorce decree in Utah often begin with a practical question: how much will the modification cost? There is no fixed answer. The total cost ...
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Child Custody & Parent-Time
This section discusses Utah child custody and parent-time law, including how courts evaluate the best interests of the child, custody modifications, relocation disputes, and parenting-plan issues affecting families after separation or divorce.
Religion and Child Custody in Utah: Who Decides What a Child Believes After Divorce?
Religion and Child Custody in Utah: Who Decides What a Child Believes After Divorce? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A marriage ends. One parent continues attending the same church. The other changes faith, stops attending, or wants the children exposed to different beliefs. Before long, ordinary parenting ...
Utah 2027 Child Care Minimum and Child Support Accountability
Should Utah's 2027 Child Care Minimum Be Repealed By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Utah parents should pay their fair share of legitimate child care expenses. But a child care charge should have a defensible connection to the care a child actually needs and the expense a family ...
Does a Child Get to Decide Custody in Utah?
Does a Child Get to Decide Custody in Utah? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation “My child is 14 now. Doesn’t that mean she gets to choose where she lives?” That question confuses two different things: having a voice in a custody decision and having the authority to ...
Utah Minimum Parent-Time: Why the Minimum Should Be the Floor, Not the Goal
Utah Minimum Parent-Time: Why the Minimum Should Be the Floor, Not the Goal By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation When parents separate or divorce, one of the most important questions a Utah court must answer is deceptively simple: how much time should the children spend with each parent? Utah ...
Utah Courts Cannot Simply Assume That a Parent’s Job Prevents Equal Parent-Time
Utah Courts Cannot Simply Assume That a Parent's Job Prevents Equal Parent-Time What Nakkina v. Mahanthi means for working parents, 50/50 custody, and evidence in Utah child custody cases By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation For years, one of the easiest arguments to make in a child custody case ...
Utah Special Masters in Divorce & Child Custody Cases | Rule 53A
Utah Special Masters in Divorce and Child Custody Cases: What They Are, What They Can Do, and How Their Decisions Are Reviewed By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Some Utah divorce and child custody cases do not really end when the judge signs the decree. The decree may ...
Modifying Parent-Time in Utah After Duffin v. Duffin: Changed Circumstances Are Only the Beginning
Modifying Parent-Time in Utah After Duffin v. Duffin: Changed Circumstances Are Only the Beginning By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Moving closer to your children, improving communication with the other parent, or becoming more available may support a request to modify parent-time in Utah. But those facts do not ...
Parental Alienation in Utah Custody Cases: 10 Telltale Signs a Parent May Be Turning a Child Against the Other Parent
Parental Alienation in Utah Custody Cases: 10 Telltale Signs a Parent May Be Turning a Child Against the Other Parent By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Parental Alienation Is One of the Most Damaging Issues in Utah Custody Cases Few things damage a child custody case more than ...
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Mediation & ADR
These articles explain mediation and alternative dispute resolution in Utah family-law cases, including how mediation works, how it differs from litigation, and how parties may resolve custody, support, and property disputes outside of trial.
Mediating Divorce and Custody Cases With a High-Conflict Personality in Lehi, Utah
Mediating Divorce and Custody Cases With a High-Conflict Personality in Lehi, Utah By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Some divorce and custody cases are difficult because the legal issues are complicated. Other cases are difficult because one party refuses to operate in good faith. When a spouse or ...
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Utah
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Utah Divorce mediation can be one of the most effective ways to resolve a divorce case in Utah. When properly prepared, mediation gives parties more control over the outcome, reduces litigation costs, shortens the timeline of the case, and often lowers the emotional ...
Why Mandatory Mediation in Utah Divorce Cases Often Fails
Understanding Mediation in Utah Divorce and Family Law Cases Don't get me wrong. I'm all for mediation. (I am a Master Mediator and Mentor on the Utah Court's roster and have been a mediator more years than I have practiced law.) Mediation is often presented as a faster, less expensive ...
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Utah So the Session Is Productive
Mediation is often most effective when the parties arrive prepared. Many people assume mediation is simply a meeting where everyone shows up and starts talking. In reality, productive mediation requires strategy, information, and a realistic understanding of the disputed issues. Preparation can determine whether mediation produces settlement, narrows issues, or ...
Why Mediation Often Resolves Divorce Cases Faster Than Litigation
Divorce litigation can be expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally exhausting. Many people enter the divorce process assuming that the only path forward is through court hearings, motions, and eventually a trial. In reality, many family law disputes in Utah are resolved through negotiation and mediation long before a judge ever decides ...
Divorce Mediation in American Fork, Utah – How to Settle Without Court
Divorce Mediation in American Fork, Utah - How to Settle Without Court Divorce mediation is one of the most effective ways to resolve a divorce in American Fork, Utah without prolonged litigation. While Utah courts typically require mediation before trial, how mediation is approached will determine whether it actually resolves ...
Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation in Lehi, Utah
Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation in Lehi When facing divorce in Lehi, one of the most important decisions is how your case will be resolved. Most divorces are handled either through mediation or litigation, and the path you choose can significantly affect cost, timeline, and outcome. Understanding the differences between these ...
Why Divorce Mediation Works in Many Utah Family Law Cases
Divorce litigation is not always the most efficient way to resolve a family law dispute. In many cases, mediation allows the parties to reach a better, more customized, and less expensive result than they would obtain through motion practice and trial. That does not mean mediation works in every case ...
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Divorce & Family Law Tips
This section provides practical guidance for people facing divorce or custody disputes in Utah, including preparation tips, document gathering, court procedure issues, and common mistakes that can affect the outcome of a case.
How to Enfoce a Divorce Decree in Utah
How to Enfoce a Divorce Decree in Utah By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A divorce decree is not a suggestion. Once a Utah court enters an order concerning child custody, parent-time, child support, alimony, property, debts, communication between the parties, or other obligations, the parties are expected to ...
What Are the Top 10 Family Law Keywords? What Do They Really Mean When You Need a Utah Divorce Lawyer?
What Are the Top 10 Family Law Keywords? What Do They Really Mean When You Need a Utah Divorce Lawyer? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation People do not usually begin a divorce or child custody case by studying statutes, reading appellate decisions, or learning the Utah Rules of ...
10 Reasons to Keep a Journal During a Utah Divorce or Custody Case
10 Reasons to Keep a Journal During a Utah Divorce or Custody Case By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation One of the simplest pieces of advice I give clients in a contested divorce or child custody case is also one of the most useful: keep a journal. Not a ...
Utah GRAMA Requests in Family Law Cases: ORS Records, Evidence and Hearsay
How a Utah GRAMA Request Can Uncover Evidence in a Divorce, Child Support, or Enforcement Case By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Family-law cases sometimes turn into a contest between two competing stories. One party says a payment was made. The other says it was not. One parent ...
How Much Does It Cost to Modify a Divorce Decree in Lehi?
How Much Does It Cost to Modify a Divorce Decree in Lehi? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation People considering a petition to modify a divorce decree in Utah often begin with a practical question: how much will the modification cost? There is no fixed answer. The total cost ...
What Is a Prenuptial Agreement in Utah?
What Is a Prenuptial Agreement in Utah? A prenuptial agreement, often called a “prenup,” is a written agreement made by two people before marriage that defines how certain financial rights, property rights, debt obligations, business interests, inheritance issues, retirement accounts, and other economic matters will be handled during the marriage, ...
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Utah
How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Utah Divorce mediation can be one of the most effective ways to resolve a divorce case in Utah. When properly prepared, mediation gives parties more control over the outcome, reduces litigation costs, shortens the timeline of the case, and often lowers the emotional ...
How to Save Money on Attorney Fees in Your Utah Divorce or Custody Case: 10 Practical Strategies That Make a Real Difference
How to Save Money on Attorney Fees in Your Utah Divorce or Custody Case: 10 Practical Strategies That Make a Real Difference When people begin a divorce or custody case, one concern rises to the top almost immediately: cost. Whether you are looking for a divorce lawyer in Saratoga Springs, ...
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Utah Family Law Insights
These posts provide deeper analysis of Utah family-law statutes, appellate decisions, and legal developments affecting divorce, custody, support, and related issues. This section is intended for readers seeking more in-depth legal commentary and interpretation.
50/50 Child Custody: Why a Family-Centered Utah Should Lead
50/50 Child Custody: Why a Family-Centered Utah Should Lead By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation A divorce ends a marriage. It should not unnecessarily reduce a child's relationship with either parent. When two parents can safely and effectively care for their child, Utah should begin with the expectation ...
When Did Common Sense Become Controversial in Child Custody Cases?
When Did Common Sense Become Controversial in Child Custody Cases? By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation There are some cases that force us to ask whether the legal system has become so focused on explanations, diagnoses, professional theories, and therapeutic objectives that it risks losing sight of something much ...
10 Reasons AI Will Never Replace Family Law Attorneys
10 Reasons AI Will Never Replace Family Law Attorneys AI will change family law. (It already has.) It may dramatically change how lawyers work. But replacing the family law attorney is another matter entirely. By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation I use artificial intelligence. Lawyers who refuse to learn ...
Utah GRAMA Requests in Family Law Cases: ORS Records, Evidence and Hearsay
How a Utah GRAMA Request Can Uncover Evidence in a Divorce, Child Support, or Enforcement Case By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Family-law cases sometimes turn into a contest between two competing stories. One party says a payment was made. The other says it was not. One parent ...
Modifying Parent-Time in Utah After Duffin v. Duffin: Changed Circumstances Are Only the Beginning
Modifying Parent-Time in Utah After Duffin v. Duffin: Changed Circumstances Are Only the Beginning By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Moving closer to your children, improving communication with the other parent, or becoming more available may support a request to modify parent-time in Utah. But those facts do not ...
When Reunification Therapy May Harm Rather Than Heal: A Utah Family Lawyer’s Perspective
When Reunification Therapy May Harm Rather Than Heal: A Utah Family Lawyer's Perspective By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation Few subjects in Utah family law generate more controversy than reunification therapy. The very phrase suggests hope—a process designed to restore a fractured relationship between a parent and a ...
My Story – My Mission. The Pursuit of Family Justice
My Story - My Mission. The Pursuit of Family Justice. By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation People often ask me, “Jeff, What is your story?” Usually, that question comes after I post or comment about Utah child custody, joint physical custody, protective orders, guardian ad litem involvement, DCFS ...
Getting Your Attorney Fees in Family Law Matters in Lehi (Updated)
Getting Your Attorney Fees in Family Law Matters in Lehi (Updated) By Jeff D. Rifleman, Rifleman Law & Mediation One of the most frustrating parts of a family law case is the cost of enforcing rights that should already be protected by court order. Whether the issue involves divorce, child ...
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