Utah Family Law Attorneys
Why Hoyer Law
Clear Legal Guidance for Utah Families
Family law cases involve decisions that shape daily life for years, where children live, how finances are divided, and what comes next after a marriage ends. At Hoyer Law, we represent clients across Utah in divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, and property division matters. Our attorneys serve families from two office locations: Lehi (801-855-8235) and St. George (435-291-7326).
Utah family law is specific in how courts weigh custody arrangements, calculate support, and divide marital property, and the outcomes of these cases are rarely undone easily. Whether your situation is straightforward or genuinely contested, having clear legal guidance from the start makes a difference.
If you’re facing a family law matter anywhere in Utah, contact Hoyer Law to discuss your situation with our attorneys.
Our Expertise
Our Practice Areas
Divorce
Our attorneys guide clients through every stage of the Utah divorce process, from initial filing through final decree, whether or not issues are disputed.
Alimony
We help clients seek or defend against spousal support, analyzing income, need, and the factors Utah courts apply when awarding alimony.
Child Custody
Our attorneys assist parents in establishing, negotiating, and litigating legal and physical custody arrangements that reflect the child’s best interests under Utah law.
Visitation
We help parents establish clear parent-time schedules and address disputes over existing visitation orders, including modification and enforcement.
Child Support
We handle support calculations, orders, modifications, and enforcement under Utah’s income shares guidelines for families across the state.
Contested Divorce
When spouses cannot agree on custody, property, or support, we represent clients through negotiations, mediation, and courtroom proceedings.
Uncontested Divorce
For spouses who have reached agreement on all terms, we prepare legally sound divorce documents and help clients finalize matters efficiently.
Property Division
We assist clients in identifying, valuing, and equitably dividing marital assets and debts, including real estate, retirement accounts, and business interests.
Our Process
A Clear Path Forward
Initial Consultation
We start by understanding your situation, your goals, and what is at stake for your family.
Tailored Legal Strategy
We build a strategy grounded in Utah law and the realities of your local court, not a one-size-fits-all template.
Representation & Resolution
We advocate for you through negotiation, mediation, or trial, and work toward a resolution that protects your future.
Our Approach
How Utah Courts Approach Family Law Cases
Utah family courts operate under a set of statutes and judicial standards that govern everything from how physical custody is shared to how marital debts are allocated. Judges prioritize the best interests of children in custody and support matters, and they apply equitable distribution principles when dividing property, which does not automatically mean a 50/50 split.
Understanding how these standards apply to your specific facts is where legal representation becomes most valuable. A parenting plan that looks reasonable on paper may not hold up under Utah Code requirements, and a settlement that seems fair may leave one party at a serious financial disadvantage.
Utah family law matters are handled in district courts, and procedural timelines, including mandatory waiting periods in divorce cases, are fixed by statute. Knowing what to expect at each stage helps our clients make informed decisions rather than reactive ones.
Divorce
Contested and Uncontested Divorce
Utah law provides two broad paths through divorce, and the right one depends on how much the parties agree on before filing.
- Uncontested divorce: Both spouses reach agreement on all terms: property division, debt allocation, custody, support, and alimony. This path typically moves faster and costs less. Utah requires a 30-day waiting period after filing before a divorce decree can be entered, even when parties agree on everything.
- Contested divorce: One or more issues remain in dispute. These cases proceed through discovery, possible mediation, and ultimately a court hearing if no settlement is reached. Contested cases take longer and require more preparation, particularly around financial documentation and parenting evidence.
Our attorneys handle both paths, including contested divorce cases where the stakes (custody schedules, business assets, retirement accounts) require careful legal strategy. We also assist clients in straightforward uncontested matters where the goal is a clean, legally sound decree without unnecessary delay.
Get In Touch
Speak With Our Utah Family Law Attorneys
Whether your situation is straightforward or genuinely contested, clear legal guidance from the start makes a difference. Reach out to discuss your family law matter with our attorneys.
Our People
Meet Our Team
Casey Hoyer
Founder & Lead Attorney
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Analia Hoyer
Co-Founder & General Manager
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JL Stiggins
Attorney
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Missy Luke
Assistant Manager & Lead Paralegal
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Lorenzo Salazar
Financial Specialist
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Michael Smith
Case Manager
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Yasmeen Shabaneh
Scheduler
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Charee Stewart
Receptionist
View Bio →Your Children
Child Custody and Visitation
Utah distinguishes between two types of custody: legal custody, which governs decision-making authority over a child’s education, healthcare, and welfare, and physical custody, which determines where the child primarily lives. Courts may award joint or sole arrangements for either type, and the two are decided independently.
Utah Code Section 30-3-10 directs courts to determine custody based on the best interests of the child, weighing factors such as each parent’s relationship with the child, the child’s ties to school and community, each parent’s willingness to support the other’s relationship with the child, and any history of domestic violence or abuse.
Visitation schedules for the non-custodial parent are governed by Utah’s minimum parent-time guidelines under Utah Code Section 30-3-35, though courts can deviate from those standards when circumstances warrant. Modification of an existing custody or visitation order requires showing a substantial change in circumstances since the original order was entered.
Our Difference
Why Choose Hoyer Law
Child Support
How Child Support Is Calculated in Utah
Utah child support is determined using an income shares model, meaning both parents’ gross incomes are combined to estimate what the child would have received had the household remained intact, and each parent contributes proportionally.
The Utah Child Support Guidelines, codified under Utah Code Section 78B-12-205, set the formula courts apply. Key inputs include:
- Gross monthly income of both parents: Salaries, wages, self-employment income, rental income, and other sources are included. Voluntarily underemployed parents may be imputed income based on earning capacity.
- Number of children: The guideline table adjusts support amounts based on how many children are covered by the order.
- Custody arrangement: Whether one parent has sole physical custody or both share joint physical custody affects the calculation significantly.
- Additional expenses: Work-related childcare costs and the children’s health insurance premiums are factored in and allocated between parents.
Child support orders can be modified when there has been a material change in circumstances, such as a significant income change or a shift in custody arrangement.
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Alimony and Property Division
Alimony in Utah is not automatic, and courts are not required to award it. Under Utah Code Section 30-3-5, judges consider factors including the length of the marriage, each spouse’s earning capacity, the standard of living established during the marriage, and whether the requesting spouse can meet their reasonable needs independently.
Property division in Utah follows an equitable distribution framework. Courts divide marital property fairly, which may or may not be equal depending on the facts. Separate property brought into the marriage or received as a gift or inheritance generally remains with the original owner, but commingling can complicate that distinction. Retirement accounts, business interests, and real estate each present their own valuation and division challenges.
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a divorce take in Utah?
Utah imposes a mandatory 30-day waiting period after the petition is filed before a decree can be entered. An uncontested divorce can be finalized shortly after that window. Contested divorces involving disputed custody, property, or support typically take several months to over a year, depending on complexity and whether the case settles before trial.
Does Utah favor mothers or fathers in custody decisions?
No. Utah law explicitly prohibits courts from favoring either parent based on gender. Custody decisions follow the best-interests-of-the-child standard, examining each parent’s relationship with the child, ability to meet the child’s needs, the child’s adjustment to school and community, and each parent’s willingness to support the other’s involvement.
Can I modify a custody or support order after it is entered?
Yes, but modification requires showing a substantial change in circumstances since the original order. Courts do not revisit orders simply because a parent is unhappy with the outcome. Common qualifying changes include a significant income shift, a parent relocating, a change in the child’s needs, or documented safety concerns.
What factors does a Utah court weigh when awarding alimony?
Utah courts consider the length of the marriage, the requesting spouse’s financial need and the other spouse’s ability to pay, the standard of living during the marriage, each party’s earning capacity, and whether the requesting spouse contributed to the other’s education or career. Alimony is not awarded in every case.
How is marital property divided in a Utah divorce?
Utah divides marital property equitably, meaning fairly and not necessarily equally. Marital property generally includes assets and debts acquired during the marriage, regardless of whose name they are in. Separate property owned before the marriage or received as a gift or inheritance is typically excluded, though commingling can blur that line.
What happens if one parent wants to relocate with the children?
Utah law requires a parent subject to a custody or parent-time order to give at least 60 days’ written notice before relocating 150 miles or more from the other parent. The other parent may object, and the court will hold a hearing to determine whether the move serves the child’s best interests.
What is the difference between legal and physical custody in Utah?
Legal custody is the authority to make major decisions about a child’s education, medical care, and religious upbringing. Physical custody determines where the child primarily lives. Courts award each jointly or solely and independently; it is common to share joint legal custody while one parent has primary physical custody.
Do both spouses have to agree to file for divorce in Utah?
No. Utah is a no-fault divorce state, so either spouse can file citing irreconcilable differences without the other’s consent. The other spouse’s refusal to participate does not stop the divorce; the court can enter a default judgment if that spouse fails to respond within the required time.
Statewide
Serving Lehi and St. George
Hoyer Law maintains offices in both Lehi and St. George to serve clients across northern and southern Utah. Families in Utah County and the surrounding area can reach our Lehi family law attorneys at 801-855-8235. Clients in Washington County and the greater St. George area can reach our St. George family law attorneys at 435-291-7326.
Both offices handle the full range of family law matters: divorce, custody, child support, alimony, visitation, and property division. Local court experience matters in family law, where judicial preferences, procedural expectations, and local rules vary between districts. Our attorneys work in the courts where your case will be heard.
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