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In Need of a Child Custody Lawyer in Salt Lake City & Park City, Utah?

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for the work you did and for your patience.

I just wanted to thank you for the work you did and for your patience. From the beginning you understood what needed to be done legally. You had a big heart. You also understood the psychology of this…

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them to anyone with family law issues.

I hired Just Law LLC, back in October because my ex-husband had failed to pay on the obligations that he took on in our divorce decree. After that, my case exploded into something that was horrible for myself and my children…

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we feel the whole office cares about

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We were referred to Just Law, specifically Laura Hansen-Pelcastre, by a friend after a grueling three years of a custody battle, two different lawyers, and over 30,000 dollars without an end in sight…

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Child Custody Lawyers in Salt Lake City & Park City, Utah

Although spouses might fight over many expensive assets during a divorce, children are priceless. The stakes are high when it comes to custody battles in Utah, and parents are often willing to fight tooth and nail for even just a few extra hours per week with their children. These legal battles can be passionate, emotional, and downright stressful. But it is important to approach your custody battle in the most logical, professional, and calm manner possible. You can do this with help from child custody lawyers in Salt Lake City and Park City.

How exactly does child custody work in Utah? How do courts determine who should get custody? Is it true that mothers get preferential treatment? These are all common questions among parents fighting for custody in Utah. The best way to answer these questions is to book a consultation with a qualified child custody attorney in Salt Lake City. Our legal professionals can listen carefully to your questions and assess your unique situation. From there, we can offer personalized advice based on your unique situation.

How Does Child Custody Work in Park City?

A child custody case may occur in tandem with a divorce in Utah. In other situations, custody battles occur between unmarried spouses. In still other cases, custody disputes may arise between parents who have already concluded their divorces long ago. But when it comes to all custody-related issues in Utah, the same basic laws apply.

In order to determine who should get custody, courts consider the child’s best interests. Note that these interests have absolutely nothing to do with either parent’s personal desires or goals. Family courts in Utah focus entirely on the needs of the children, not the needs of the parents. Your own feelings and wishes are entirely inconsequential as far as the family courts are concerned. While this may be difficult to accept, all of your arguments must be built around your child’s best interests for the best results.

For example, instead of stating that you do not want to drive one hour every week to pick up your kids from your ex’s house in another county, you should argue that these long commutes place too much stress on your children.

There are many types of custody in Utah, including joint custody, shared custody, legal custody, and physical custody. The end result of a custody battle in Utah will leave parents with a visitation schedule that dictates how much time children spend with each parent and exactly when visits or “exchanges” should take place. If you are curious about how child custody works in Utah, it might be worth getting in touch with a child custody lawyer in Park City.

What are a Child’s Best Interests in Utah?

As previously noted, all aspects of child custody in Utah revolve around a child’s best interests. But what exactly are these best interests? Utah considers a number of relevant factors when determining a child’s best interests:

  • Each parent’s ability to prioritize their child’s welfare.
  • Each parent’s ability to reach shared decisions and cooperate with their ex.
  • Each parent’s communication skills with the other parent.
  • Each parent’s capacity for love and affection.
  • Distance between parents’ homes.
  • Each parent’s mental maturity.
  • Each parent’s willingness and ability to protect their children from conflicts.
  • Each parent’s history of domestic violence.
  • Each parent’s physical and mental health.
  • The child’s ties to their local community.
  • The child’s connection to their siblings and nearby extended family.
  • The child’s preference (under certain circumstances).
  • The financial responsibility of each parent.
  • Any other factor the court sees as significant.

Note that these are only a few factors, and the complete list of relevant factors under Utah law is extensive. For more information about a child’s best interests in Utah, be sure to get in touch with child custody attorneys in Salt Lake City.

Physical vs. Legal Custody in Salt Lake City

There is a distinction between physical and legal custody:

  • Physical Custody: This type of custody merely refers to the amount of time the child spends with each parent.
  • Legal Custody: This type of custody is more complex, and it involves decision-making authority over major child-raising choices. These might include decisions on religion, medical procedures, education, and others.

The most common outcome today is shared legal custody and shared physical custody. To learn more about the various types of custody in Utah, consider booking a consultation with a child custody attorney in Salt Lake City.

Can Custody Change in Utah?

Yes, your custody agreement may change over time if there is a change in circumstance.

Examples include:

  • Relocation of either parent.
  • Allegations of neglect or abuse.
  • Financial difficulties.
  • Disabling injuries.
  • Mental health issues.
  • Substance abuse problems.
  • The child’s preference.

If you’re wondering whether you might be able to modify your child custody agreement, be sure to speak with a child custody lawyer in Park City.

Can I Negotiate a Child Custody Agreement With My Spouse?

Yes, you can negotiate the terms of your child custody agreement without going to court. However, you should know that the family courts in Utah have the power to reject or alter your agreement if they feel that it violates the child’s best interests. If you would like to negotiate a child custody agreement with your spouse, consider facilitating productive discussions with help from child custody lawyers in Park City.

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Where Can I Find an Experienced Child Custody Attorney in Park City?

If you have been searching for a qualified child custody attorney in Park City, look no further than Just Law Utah. Over the years, we have assisted numerous parents with custody-related issues. You might be approaching divorce for the first time, and you may be unsure of how custody will be handled.

Perhaps you have been divorced for many years, and you would like to modify your custody arrangement. Maybe you were never divorced, and you are fighting for custody despite never being married. Whatever the case may be, we can help. Book your consultation today to get started with an effective action plan.

Putting Your Children First

When making decisions on behalf of children, it is important to remember that a divorce can affect them as well. Parents sometimes want to keep the children to themselves, but kids might need contact with both parents in order to be as happy as possible.

We know that shared custody may not be realistic for every situation, so our Salt Lake City family lawyers are here to help you decide on a plan that protects your child(ren)’s best interests.

This may include:

  • Supervised Visitation.
  • Weekend Custody Arrangements.
  • Holiday Alternation.
  • Summer Vacations.
  • School Enrollment Decisions.

Just Law knows that this is stressful for your family and hard decisions need to be made. Our divorce attorneys in Salt Lake City will handle your case with the care and discretion that you would expect from a results-driven and family-oriented Utah firm.

Contact our office now. You can call 801-274-7000 to set up an appointment to discuss your situation.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Child Custody Lawyers in Salt Lake City & Park City:

Can a parent deny visitation?

No, if there is a court ordered child custody arrangement that states the other parent has parenting time, the custodial parent can’t deny visitation. This includes if the noncustodial parent has not been paying child support. If the other parent has not been paying child support you can take that up with the courts to enforce the payment, but you still must allow the parent to see their child.

How is a child custody order enforced?

If a party is not abiding by the court ordered child custody arrangement you can file a motion to have the courts enforce it. Depending on the courts findings the party who did not follow the custody order can have a variety of punishments. You may also be able to file a modification of judgment to get the child custody agreement changed.

What happens if we can’t agree on a parenting plan?

The parenting plan must be for the best interest of the child for the judge to sign off on it. If the parents can’t agree on the parenting plan they may need to seek mediation in order to create a parenting plan. Both parents are able to submit their own parenting plan and have a judge determine which is in the child’s best interest.

Does Utah grant full sole custody?

Sole custody can be granted in Utah, but it is not common. In most situations it is more beneficial for the child to have a relationship with both parents and have visitation with both.

Can I make my child on a vacation out of the state during my visitation schedule?

In Utah, you are able to take your child out of the state during your visitation time without the other parent’s consent. You do have to inform them you are taking the child and give them the duration of your visit and the time frame you will be gone. There are instances that in your parenting plan it specifically says you need to get their consent, so make sure you read over your agreed plan before you leave the state with your child.

How can I get a child custody arrangement if we were never married?

If you were never married and are not on the birth certificate the mother is granted full custody automatically. In order to get a child custody arrangement in this situation is to establish paternity. Once paternity is established you can start the process of getting a child custody agreement in place.

Is the parenting plan the same as the child custody agreement?

A parenting plan is a part of the child custody agreement. The parenting plan is the plan that you and the child’s other parent come up with outlining how you want to parent your child going forward. This could include what you will do when you have a disagreement on a situation regarding your child, how you are handling holidays, healthcare, and after school activity schedules. Child custody regards to court ordered agreement that spells out the legal and physical custody agreements, that may have been spelled out in the parenting plan.

If we have joint physical custody does that automatically mean we will both have equal time with our child during the week?

There are varying degrees of joint custody meaning that you may or may not have an equal joint custody agreement. If you have 50/50 physical custody then it would be as close to getting the same amount of overnights and parenting time during the year. Each situation is different and each custody agreement is different meaning you may switch off every week, meaning some weeks you may have your child the entire time and other weeks you don’t see them at all. It all depends on your specific agreement. Speaking to a Park City child custody attorney can help you get as close to the parenting plan you want, be sure to express your wishes your attorney.

How do I set up a consultation with Just Law Utah’s Salt Lake City child custody lawyers?

Setting up a consultation with Just Law Utah, is a simple process. All you have to do is fill out this form for a 30 minute meeting. In this meeting you can discuss the nature of your child custody case, what outcome you’d like to see, and allow their lawyers to help you see a reasonable outcome.

Does Utah offer split custody arrangements?

There are instances in which Utah does offer split custody arrangements. Split custody is when the couple has multiple children and each parent has legal custody of different children. Split custody can also refer to siblings living at different parent’s houses. In these arrangements the children can rotate between houses still, and have visitation with their noncustodial parent.

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