Divorce, Utah Realities

Added: 12/15/2005

It's that thing again, the D word - D as in divorce. Utah is not immune to this country wide epidemic of easy out marriages. It seems that Utah is actually on the rise for divorce statistics. This is mostly due to the pressure to get married at a young age and producing children too quickly. People in this state get married before they have an adequate chance to get acquainted. This causes the numbers of divorce and separation to rise.

It's unfortunate, but no safe haven is immune to divorce. Utah, although local officials would like everyone to believe differently, is no exception. It has one of the highest divorce rates in the country, which is surprising considering the Utah divorce law calls for all sorts of intervention to prevent a divorce from following through.

A divorce is Utah can be difficult to attain if you have no idea what you are doing. This is easily remedied by either, researching the subject on the web or retaining an attorney. The first option will save you money but take away your time. The second option will save you time but take an awful lot of money.

So the happy medium is in the middle. Research for yourself and when the time comes, retain counsel. It's not easy to research divorce. Utah has many places to do so. If you understand legal jargon, go to the local library to see what you can find. The internet helps in research on divorce. Utah is no different. The laws are spelled out in plain English throughout many web sites.

However, this is a quick lesson on Utah divorce law and attaining a divorce in Utah 101. So read on and find out some interesting facts here.

The first step, the judge will want proof of counseling and I don't mean just one session. You are required to prove at least six months of consistent marriage counseling before you can file your case. If you file your case before you have gone to counseling, you will be stuck in state appointed counseling for six months with your estranged spouse.

After you have gotten past the counseling hurdle, there are two roads to take depending on the circumstances. If you don't have children, skip to the next paragraph. If you do have children and you want your divorce, Utah has another hurdle for you. There is a court sanctioned parenting training class that you must take before your divorce can be finalized. Both you and your estranged spouse are required to attend this four hour class on your own time. You can be held in contempt of court if you don't. If you need more information on this class and when it is offered, call your local court clerk and they can fill you in.

When you have taken this parenting class or you don't have to take the parenting class, you must then go to a mandatory mediation for your divorce. Utah law changed over the past year and it is now required before you can schedule your first hearing or make any changes to a final divorce decree. This mediation must be a minimum of two hours and the mediator must give you a certificate of mediation completion. Only after you have received this paperwork to file with your claim will the judge even look at your documents.

Acquiring a divorce in Utah will take a lot of time before you even retain an attorney. It is suggested that you hold off on retaining an attorney until the counseling has been completed. You must have all the above completed before your attorney can even dream of getting you a divorce. Utah is strict on these rules and your quick and complete compliance will speed up the process. Either way, make sure you have a good sense of Utah divorce law before proceeding.

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