Who Makes The Decisions About Child Custody And Support, Property Division, Spousal Maintenance And Other Matters?
Utah law encourages the couples to work out these decisions between themselves as much as possible and create a written agreement, often with the assistance of their lawyers. A growing number of people have been trained to act as mediators to assist couples in these negotiations. Whatever reasonable agreements a couple makes will be sanctioned by the court. If the couple cannot agree on one or more of these issues, it will be necessary for the court to make the decision for them. In many courts, there are commissioners who specialize in divorce matters who will first hear the issues. If the matter goes to trial, the judge will make the final decision. There is no jury in divorce cases in Utah. What Is A Legal Separation And What’s The Difference Between That And Divorce? In a legal separation, the parties live separately, but remain legally married to one another. The individuals’ rights and duties to each other are determined in a Decree of Legal Separation which will cover matters su
