Salt Lake City Uncontested Divorce Lawyer
Utah attorney helps spouses with quick marriage dissolutions
Once you and your spouse have made the decision to dissolve your marriage, you don’t want to deal with a lengthy and expensive legal process. You can avoid emotional turmoil and ease your legal expenses by cooperating in a negotiated settlement that avoids a trial. Attorney Victoria Cramer has extensive experience achieving settlements for clients in uncontested divorces throughout Utah. She will put her negotiation skills to work as she pursues a reasonable settlement that upholds your rights.
Utah requirements for an uncontested divorce
To file for divorce in Utah, either you or your spouse must have lived in the Utah county where you file for at least three months prior. The petitioner files on no-fault grounds, so there is no accusation of marital misconduct causing the break up. Divorcing parents of minor children are required to complete two classes: Divorce Orientation and Divorce Education for Parents.
The main practical requirements for an uncontested divorce are that the spouses treat each other respectfully and be willing to cooperate. They must focus on the future, rather than on past resentments, and they must put their children’s interests above their own.
Benefits of an uncontested divorce
Working cooperatively towards a mutually beneficial settlement has many advantages over going to court, namely the following:
- Lower cost
- Lower stress levels
- Flexible self-scheduling of appointments
- Less overall time spent
- Greater privacy, since negotiating sessions are confidential and filing no-fault does not create a public record of marital misconduct
- Greater control over the outcome, since neither spouse runs the risk of an adverse court ruling.
- Greater buy-in on the ultimate agreement, which is especially important for parents who must continue to cooperate on custody matters.
A Salt Lake City divorce lawyer can explain whether uncontested divorce is right for your circumstances.
How long does an uncontested divorce take in Utah?
Under Utah law, couples must wait 30 days from the date of filing the divorce petition before a court can issue a final decree. The waiting period is often a fruitful time for negotiations, and couples often enter mediation to work out an agreement. Some couples are able to reach a marital settlement agreement within that time frame, but those with more complex parenting or property issues might require slightly longer to hammer out the details. The court might waive the waiting period if good cause is found.
The process for an uncontested divorce in Utah
The process for an uncontested divorce case begins with filing the petition in the court of the county where at least one spouse resides. The respondent spouse then has 20 to 30 days to answer. The answer gives a good indication of how far apart the parties are in their positions. Attorneys for each spouse can then agree to meet and confer to negotiate an agreement on the key issues, which are usually alimony, child custody, child support and division of marital property.
There is also a discovery period, where parties can demand answers to Interrogatories and production of documents. When parties are cooperative and transparent, discovery goes smoothly and furthers the effectiveness of negotiations.
Eventually, there will be a court date set. If the couple has reached a settlement agreement, the agreement is incorporated into the final divorce decree. If they only resolve some of these points, the outstanding issues must go to trial in a contested divorce.
Contact an accomplished Utah family law attorney for uncontested divorce
Attorney Victoria Cramer in Salt Lake City provides uncontested divorce representation for Utah residents. To schedule a consultation, call 801-299-9999 or contact her office online.
