Utah Divorce Information and FAQ

» Return to top

Due to your request, some of the information provided applies to a contested, as well as an uncontested divorce in Utah.
Grounds -
Insupportability
On the petition of either party to a marriage, the court may grant a divorce without regard to fault if the marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities that destroys the legitimate ends of the marital relationship and prevents any reasonable expectation of reconciliation. 6.001
CRUELTY
The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if the other spouse is guilty of cruel treatment toward the complaining spouse of a nature that renders further living together insupportable. 6.002
ADULTERY
The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if the other spouse has committed adultery. 6.003
CONVICTION OF FELONY
(a) The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if during the marriage the other spouse:
(1) has been convicted of a felony;
(2) has been imprisoned for at least one year in the state penitentiary, a federal penitentiary, or the penitentiary of another state; and
(3) has not been pardoned.
(b) The court may not grant a divorce under this section against a spouse who was convicted on the testimony of the other spouse. 6.004
ABANDONMENT
The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if the other spouse:
(1) left the complaining spouse with the intention of abandonment; and
(2) remained away for at least one year. 6.005
LIVING APART
The court may grant a divorce in favor of either spouse if the spouses have lived apart without cohabitation for at least three years. 6.006
CONFINEMENT IN MENTAL HOSPITAL
The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if at the time the suit is filed:
(1) the other spouse has been confined in a state mental hospital or private mental hospital, as defined in Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code, in this state or another state for at least three years;
and
(2) it appears that the hospitalized spouse's mental disorder is of such a degree and nature that adjustment is unlikely or that, if adjustment occurs, a relapse is probable. 6.007
General Residency Rule for Divorce Suit
A suit for divorce may not be maintained in this state unless at the time the suit is filed either the petitioner or the respondent has been:
(1) a domiciliary of this state for the preceding six-month period; and
(2) a resident of the county in which the suit is filed for the
preceding 90 day period.

» Return to top

Pleadings
(a) A petition in a suit for dissolution of a marriage is sufficient
without the necessity of specifying the underlying evidentiary
facts if the petition alleges the grounds relied on substantially
in the language of the statute.
(b) Allegations of grounds for relief, matters of defense, or facts
relied on for a temporary order that are stated in short and plain
terms are not subject to special exceptions because of form or
sufficiency.
(c) The court shall strike an allegation of evidentiary fact from the
pleadings on the motion of a party or on the court's own motion. 6.402

» Return to top

Answer
The respondent in a suit for dissolution of a marriage is not required to answer on oath or affirmation. 6.403

Waiver of Service
(a) A party to a suit for the dissolution of a marriage may waive the
issuance or service of process after the suit is filed by filing with the clerk of the court in which the suit is filed the waiver of the party acknowledging receipt of a copy of the filed petition.
(b) The waiver must contain the mailing address of the party who
executed the waiver.
(c) The waiver must be sworn but may not be sworn before an attorney
in the suit.
(d) The Utah Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply to a waiver
executed under this section. 6.4035

» Return to top

Utah Divorce in Three Easy Steps - Click Here!

Statement on Alternate Dispute Resolution
(a) A party to a proceeding under this title shall include in the first pleading filed by the party in the proceeding the following
statement:
    "I AM AWARE THAT IT IS THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
    TO PROMOTE THE AMICABLE AND NONJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
    INVOLVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. I AM AWARE OF ALTERNATIVE
    DISPUTE RESOLUTION METHODS, INCLUDING MEDIATION. WHILE I
    RECOGNIZE THAT ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION IS AN ALTERNATIVE
    TO AND NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A TRIAL AND THAT THIS CASE MAY BE
    TRIED IF IT IS NOT SETTLED, I REPRESENT TO THE COURT THAT I WILL
    ATTEMPT IN GOOD FAITH TO RESOLVE BEFORE FINAL TRIAL CONTESTED
    ISSUES IN THIS CASE BY ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION WITHOUT
    THE NECESSITY OF COURT INTERVENTION."

(b) The statement prescribed by Subsection (a) must be prominently
displayed in boldfaced type or capital letters or be underlined and be signed by the party.
(c) The statement prescribed by Subsection (a) is not required for:
    (1) a pleading in which citation on all respondents entitled to
service of citation is requested, issued, and given by publication;
    (2) a motion or pleading that seeks a protective order as provided by Title 4; or
    (3) a special appearance under Rule 120a, Utah Rules of Civil
Procedure.

» Return to top

Service of Citation
Citation on the filing of an original petition in a suit for dissolution of a marriage shall be issued and served as in other civil cases. Citation may also be served on any other person who has or who may assert an interest in the suit for dissolution of the marriage. 6.408
Citation by Publication
(a) Citation in a suit for dissolution of a marriage may be by
publication as in other civil cases, except that notice shall be
published one time only.
(b) The notice shall be sufficient if given in substantially the
following form: [see USLF divorce package]

...
(d) If the citation is for a suit in which a parent child relationship does not exist, service by publication may be completed by posting the citation at the courthouse door for seven days in the county in which the suit is filed.
(e) If the petitioner or the petitioner's attorney of record makes an oath that no child presently under 18 years of age was born or adopted by the spouses and that no appreciable amount of property was accumulated by the spouses during the marriage, the court may dispense with the appointment of an attorney ad litem. In a case in which citation was by publication, a statement of the evidence, approved and signed by the judge, shall be filed with the papers of the suit as a part of the record.
Waiting Period
(a) The court may not grant a divorce before the 60th day after the
date the suit was filed. A decree rendered in violation of this subsection is not subject to collateral attack.
(b) A waiting period is not required before a court may grant an
annulment or declare a marriage void other than as required in
civil cases generally. 6.702

» Return to top

Failure to Answer
In a suit for divorce, the petition may not be taken as confessed if the respondent does not file an answer. 6.701
Jury
In a suit for dissolution of a marriage, either party may demand a jury trial unless the action is a suit to annul an underage marriage under Section 6.101 or 6.102. 6.703
Testimony of Husband or Wife
(a) In a suit for dissolution of a marriage, the husband and wife are
competent witnesses for and against each other. A spouse may not be compelled to testify as to a matter that will incriminate the spouse.
(b) If the husband or wife testifies, the court or jury trying the
case shall determine the credibility of the witness and the weight to be given the witness's testimony. 6.704

» Return to top

Change of Name
(a) In a decree of divorce or annulment, the court shall change the
name of a party specifically requesting the change to a name
previously used by the party unless the court states in the decree
a reason for denying the change of name.
(b) The court may not deny a change of name solely to keep the last
name of family members the same.
(c) A change of name does not release a person from liability incurred by the person under a previous name or defeat a right the person held under a previous name.
(d) A person whose name is changed under this section may apply for a
change of name certificate from the clerk of the court as provided
by Section 45.106. 6.706
Copy of Decree
The clerk of the court shall mail a copy of the final decree of dissolution of a marriage to the party who waived service of process under Section 6.4035 by mailing the copy of the decree to the party at the mailing address contained in the waiver or to the office of the party's attorney of record. 6.710
Remarriage
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, neither party to
a divorce may marry a third party before the 31st day after the
date the divorce is decreed.
(b) The former spouses may marry each other at any time. 6.801
Spousal support/alimony
Utah Courts have limited authority to order alimony after a divorce is granted. However, while your case is pending, the Court has unlimited authority to award temporary spousal support. The Court will consider the needs of the requesting spouse and the ability of the other spouse to pay. The Court will additionally consider the health and age of the parties, ability to work, responsibility for children, availability of funds, and the length of the marriage. As a general rule, spousal support will be ordered for a limited period of time and in an amount necessary to cover the basic necessities of life. To receive alimony after divorce, generally you must have been married for a period exceeding 10 years, and in certain situations, you may be qualified to receive up to $2,500 per month for a maximum of three years.
Property Distribution
Utah is a so-called "equitable distribution" state. This means that the division of property and debts between the divorcing parties should be fair and equitable, but not necessarily equal. The court has wide discretion in dividing property.
Child Custody and Visitation
In Utah, there is a rebuttable presumption that parents should serve as the Joint Managing Conservators of their children. In Utah, "Conservatorship" is "Custody" of the children. Joint Managing Conservatorship does not mean that each party will have the children one-half of the time. It also does not mean that child support will not be awarded to one parent. Joint Managing Conservatorship does mean that the parents will either share, allocate, or apportion parental rights and duties. In most cases, it also means that the child's domicile must be established in the final Court orders.
In the absence of extenuating circumstances, it is advisable for parents to work out appropriate custody arrangements rather than have strangers do it for them. A custody fight involves a great deal of time, commitment, and emotional and financial expense. In some instances, the child can be damaged more by the court action than the worst trait of the other parent. Further, you need to remember that your child's other parent will be a continuing part of your child's life and activities. It will be easier for your child if the child is kept out of the parents' conflict. This is not possible if a trial occurs. If you are able to reach an agreement, and make a commitment to work together to resolve disputes that may arise in the future, it is very probable that the child will be able to have both parents at the important events in the child's life.
Child Support
The Utah Family Code contains guidelines for the computation of child support. The guidelines are specifically designed to apply to situations in which the obligor's monthly net resources are $6,000.00 or less. In such cases, the court presumptively applies the following schedule:
1 child ... 20% of Obligor's Net Resources
2 children ... 25% of Obligor's Net Resources
3 children ... 30% of Obligor's Net Resources
4 children ... 35% of Obligor's Net Resources
5 children ... 40% of Obligor's Net Resources
6+ children .. Not less than 40%
If the Obligor has children from another relationship, the percentages listed above may be reduced.
If the obligor's net resources exceed $6,000.00 per month, the Court shall presumptively apply the above percentages to the first $6,000.00 of net resources. Without further reference to the
percentage, the court may order additional amounts of child support. The court may not order the obligor to pay more child support than the presumptive amount (as calculated by multiplying the above applicable percentage times $6,000.00) or an amount equal to 100% of the proven needs of the child, whichever is greater.
Net resources is defined very broadly, and income can also be imputed to a party.
In addition to monthly child support payments, the payor is required to maintain the children on the payor's employment health insurance policy. If insurance is not available through the payor's employment, but is available through the payee's employment, the payor will be ordered to pay the premium costs. If insurance is not available through either parties' employment, the payor will be ordered to provide insurance coverage to the extent available and affordable. Additionally, the Court usually makes orders regarding the payment of deductibles and other uninsured expenses. All Orders dealing with child support must now be accompanied by an Order of Withholding. This order, after presented to the payor's employer, has the Court-ordered child support deducted directly from the payor's paychecks.
Absent marriage or other acts which would emancipate the child, child support orders continue until the child reaches age 18. If the child is in high school at age 18, support continues until high school graduation. If the child is disabled, it may be possible to continue child support for an indefinite period. Utah law makes no provision for support during college, or the payment of college expenses. However, this can be done by a contract between the parties if an agreement can be reached on this issue.

Utah Divorce in Three Easy Steps - Click Here!