Child custody and support in Utah

Custody of the Children In Utah

If, and only if, the court determines that it would be in the best interests of the child, it may choose to award joint legal custody. In this case, both parents must agree to the order of joint legal custody and both parents must be deemed capable of implementing it.

Joint legal custody does not usually mean the children will split time equally between the parents, but it does give both parents the right to be involved in important decisions regarding the child’s upbringing.

Utah Child Support Guidelines

The standard child support guidelines developed for the state of Utah will apply in almost all do-it-yourself divorce cases, barring exceptional circumstances. Both parents’ gross incomes and child-related expenses are considered when figuring the child support calculations. The payments for child support continue for a child until he or she reaches age 18, and they may last until graduation from secondary education in some cases.