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Courts and
Community Resources
Lawyers and Divorce
Mediation
Glossary of Family Law Terms
Utah State Bar
S.J. Quinney Law Library
State Statutory Resources
Utah Code
Utah State Legislature
Divorce Law
FAQs on Utah Divorce Law
A divorce
ends the marriage and all direct legal relationships between
the couple, except those specifically written out in the divorce
decree. These may include such things as spousal support, parenting
arrangements and support of children, division of property and payment
of debts. The Utah divorce laws allow for no-fault divorce on the
grounds of irreconcilable differences.
"Divorce"
- information created by Salt Lake County Bar Association
Marital Separation Agreements Explained
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Child Support
Utah Child Support Worksheets:
Utah
has enacted Child Support Guidelines that are used by the courts
to calculate a parent's child support obligation. The guidelines
consist of three components: base child support, medical care and
child care expenses. A table determines the combined support for the
children. A support obligation is shared between the parents according
to their incomes. The non-custodial parent pays the custodial parent
child support. In addition, the guidelines require parents to provide
medical coverage for their minor children, and to share the costs of
the children's portion of the premium and non-covered expenses,
including deductibles and co-payments, for the children's medical
care. Finally, the courts require the parties to share work-related
child care expenses. Child support continues until the child is 18 and
has completed high school.
Child Support Explained in Detail
Utah Office of Recovery Services
Child Custody and Visitation Law
FAQ on Child Custody and Visitation
Child Custody Resources
Visitation Guidelines (Child(ren) over 5 years)
Visitation Guidelines (Child(ren) under 5 years)
Divorce Education - After filing a complaint for a divorce and
receiving a docket number, parties who have a child or children are
required to attend a course regarding their children's needs. This
divorce education course is a prerequisite to receiving a divorce
decree, unless a court determines that attending the course is not
feasible or in the best interests of the parties.
Property Division
In Utah,
the law recognizes that spouses who work in the home and outside the
home both contribute to the property acquired during the marriage,
regardless of the income source. Utah requires an "equitable" though
not necessarily equal division of such property, depending upon how
long the marriage lasted, the age and health of the parties, their
occupations and the amounts and sources of income and related matters.
The courts have the power to apportion all property owned by either or
both of the spouses, regardless of whose name it is in or where it is
located, and there are special rules for apportioning property owned
by the spouses prior to the marriage or received by gift or
inheritance. Usually, these properties are considered separate. If the
parties divide their property by agreement, the judge must review the
decision to be sure that it is equitable; however, the division of
property cannot be reopened after it is final, except under a few very
rigid circumstances.
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