Utah Divorce Lawyer

Are you looking for a divorce lawyer in Utah?
At Felt Family Law & Mediation, we provide trusted divorce counsel for individuals and families throughout Utah.

If you’re facing a divorce in Utah, you need an attorney who understands your situation and has the experience to help you. Most people come to us with practical worries first, like who stays in the house, how the kids will split their week, or whether one paycheck can cover two rents.

We have handled Utah divorces for over 10 years. Jonathan L. Felt is a trained mediator, and we try to settle cases when a fair settlement is possible. If it isn’t, we take the case to trial. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a divorce lawyer in Utah.

Divorce Lawyer Utah

A divorce lawyer represents one spouse through the legal end of a marriage. In Utah, the work usually covers four issues: property and debt, custody and parent-time, child support, and alimony. We prepare the filings, negotiate with the other spouse or their attorney, and argue the case in court when an agreement can’t be reached.

Utah’s divorce rate fell from 4.1 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 3.1 in 2023, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. With a population of more than three million, that still means thousands of divorces statewide every year.

Types of Divorce Cases We Handle in Utah

No two divorces involve the same mix of issues. The cases we see most often fall into these categories:

• Uncontested divorce. Both spouses agree on the major terms, and the case mostly comes down to accurate paperwork. We draft the documents for an uncontested divorce and check the terms before anything is signed, since mistakes in a decree are hard to fix later.
• Contested divorce. Some spouses can’t agree on the house, the kids, or the money. In these cases we handle discovery, temporary orders hearings, and trial preparation.
• Divorce mediation. A neutral third party helps the spouses negotiate. Jonathan is a Master Mediator. Mediation usually costs less than a trial and gives the spouses more control over the result.
• Legal separation. Utah allows a separate maintenance order for couples who want support and custody terms in place without ending the marriage. Some choose this for religious reasons, others for health insurance.
• Annulment. A marriage can be declared void only in limited situations. We look at the facts and tell you whether an annulment is realistic or whether a divorce is the better route.
• Property and debt division. The home, retirement accounts, a family business, vehicles, and credit card balances all need to be accounted for. We help clients divide assets and property in a divorce without overlooking anything of value.
• Parent-time. Any decree involving minor children includes a parenting plan. We work with parents on child custody and parent-time schedules built around school, work, and the children’s activities.
• Child support. Child support follows Utah’s guidelines, which use both parents’ incomes and overnights. We review the income numbers closely, because an error there changes the entire calculation.
• Alimony. We represent the spouse asking for alimony and the spouse asked to pay it, both during the case and after the decree.
• Modifications and enforcement. When a job, a move, or a child’s needs change, a decree can be modified. When an ex-spouse stops following it, we pursue enforcement.

Why Choose Felt Family Law & Mediation as My Divorce Lawyer in Utah?

Mediation Training With Trial Experience Behind It

Jonathan L. Felt started Felt Family Law & Mediation in 2016, and family law is the only area he practices. His mediation training affects how he handles divorce. Agreements the spouses help create are more likely to last than orders imposed on them. He is also a Guardian ad Litem, appointed by courts to represent children in contested cases, which gives him a practical sense of how judges evaluate custody.

He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Hamline University School of Law. His memberships include the Utah State Bar, the American Bar Association’s Family Law and Dispute Resolution sections, and the American Inns of Court. Since divorce touches custody, support, and property all at once, clients benefit from a family law lawyer in Utah who handles every piece of it.

Results From Our Divorce Clients

Outcomes our clients have reached include:

• Divorces settled at mediation with no trial
• A father who kept primary physical custody after his co-parent moved to Colorado
• Cases resolved without running up unnecessary fees

A former client told us Jonathan “was not going to drag me along” just to bill more hours. More reviews are on our testimonials page.

What Is Important to Understand About Divorce Cases in Utah?

Grounds for Divorce and Property Division in Utah

Utah allows both no-fault and fault-based divorce. Property is divided according to what is fair, not according to whose name appears on the title.

• Irreconcilable differences is the no-fault ground, and it’s the basis for most Utah divorces. Neither spouse has to prove misconduct.
  Fault-based grounds include adultery, willful desertion for more than one year, and cruel treatment. Fault may be considered when the court sets alimony.
• Marital property, meaning assets and debts acquired during the marriage, is divided equitably. The split is often close to even.
• Separate property, such as assets owned before the marriage or received by gift or inheritance, generally stays with its owner. That can change if it was mixed with marital funds.
• Retirement accounts and business interests are usually marital to the extent they grew during the marriage.

What Are Important Aspects of a Divorce Case?

Several Utah requirements apply before a divorce can be finalized:

• Residency. One spouse must have lived in Utah, and in the county where the case is filed, for at least three months.
• Parent classes. Parents of minor children must complete the divorce orientation and parenting courses before the decree is entered.
• Waiting period. The court generally can’t finalize a divorce until 30 days after filing. A judge may waive this in unusual circumstances.
• Mediation. Contested cases usually go through divorce mediation before trial.

What Is the Divorce Case Timeline?

How long a divorce takes depends mostly on the number of disputed issues. A typical case moves in this order:

1. One spouse files a petition and has it served on the other.
2. The other spouse responds within 21 days if served in Utah, or 30 days if served out of state. Clients often ask whether they can refuse to sign divorce papers. Refusing doesn’t stop the case.
3. Either side may request temporary orders for custody, support, and use of the home.
4. Both spouses exchange financial disclosures and attend mediation.
5. A settlement becomes a signed decree. Anything still disputed goes to trial.

When spouses agree on everything, a divorce can be complete in a few months. Contested cases often take a year or more.

What Should You Bring to Your Divorce Consultation?

Financial documents are the most useful things to bring to a first meeting:

• Any divorce papers you’ve filed or received
• Tax returns for the past two or three years and recent pay stubs
• Bank, retirement, and investment account statements
• Mortgage, car loan, and credit card statements
• Your current parenting schedule and any prenuptial or postnuptial agreement

We’ll review your documents, explain how Utah law applies to your case, and discuss realistic next steps.

Utah Divorce Court and Local Resources

Divorces in Utah are filed in district court. Northern Utah is part of the Second District Court, which has courthouses in Farmington, Bountiful, Layton, Ogden, and Morgan and serves Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties. Addresses and hours for each location are on the court’s website. Our office is in Syracuse, and we represent spouses across the region, including clients who need a Syracuse divorce lawyer, a Clinton divorce lawyer, or an Ogden divorce lawyer.

Reach Out to Felt Family Law & Mediation to Schedule a Consultation

If you’re thinking about divorce or have already been served, talking with an attorney early can help you avoid costly mistakes. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a Utah divorce attorney at Felt Family Law & Mediation. We’ll go over your situation, answer your questions, and explain what comes next. Our office responds to inquiries promptly.