Utah Child Custody Attorneys

Are you a parent going through a divorce? 

If so, who gets custody of the children is likely the biggest question on your mind.

At Preston Day Law, we understand just how important your children are to you. After all, there is no greater love than that between a parent and their child. That's why you need a capable child custody attorney on your side—Attorney Preston Day and his legal team stand ready to help. 

Understanding Legal and Physical Custody in Utah

There are two types of custody available: 

• Legal custody — Which parent will be responsible for making decisions for the child and taking care of their well-being. It consists of determining where the child will go to school, what kind of medical care the child will receive, what religion the child will practice, and more. It is common for both parents to share legal custody. 

• Physical custody — Where and with whom the child will live. The parent the child will spend most of their time with is the custodial parent, whereas the parent the child spends less time with is called the noncustodial parent. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Filing for Child Custody in Utah

To file for child custody in Utah, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Determine the type of custody you want to seek: Choose one of of legal custody or physical custody is best for your situation.

2. Complete the necessary forms: You will need to fill out the required forms to file for custody. You can find these forms on the Utah Courts website or at your local courthouse. Depending on the type of custody you are seeking, you will need to complete different forms.

3. File the forms: Once the forms have been completed, they need to be filed with the county court where the child lives. When you file the forms, you will have to pay a filing fee.

4. Serve the other parent: Following the filing of the forms, you will need to serve a copy to the other parent. Process servers, friends and family members, as well as the sheriff can serve process.

5. Attend a hearing: A hearing will be scheduled after the other parent has been served. Both parties will be heard at the hearing and a custody decision will be made.

In order to ensure that your rights are protected and the custody arrangement is in your child's best interest, our Utah child custody attorneys recommend that you seek the assistance of an attorney.