Family law.
Divorce, custody, paternity, adoption, protective orders — the right attorney depends on whether your case is contested, whether children are involved, and which state's residency rules apply. We match you to a Utah, Idaho, or Wyoming family-law attorney whose case history fits your situation.
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Sub-specialties within this area.
Contested divorce
High-conflict cases — custody fights inside the divorce, complex marital assets, business interests, hidden-asset concerns, or one spouse who won't engage. Utah requires three months in the state plus three months in the county before filing; Idaho is six weeks; Wyoming is 60 days. Once filed, Utah has a 30-day waiting period before any decree can issue.
Uncontested divorce
Both spouses agree on the terms — assets, debts, parenting plan, support. The work is paperwork: stipulation, financial disclosures, decree. A specialist who handles uncontested cases at volume can usually move faster and cheaper than a litigation firm.
Custody, paternity & relocation
Cases brought outside a divorce — unmarried parents establishing custody, paternity actions, modifications, and out-of-state relocation requests. The UCCJEA "home state" rule (the child's six-month residence) usually controls jurisdiction. Both Utah and Idaho require advance written notice before a custodial parent can relocate.
Protective orders & domestic violence
Ex parte protective orders can issue within 24 hours when there's an immediate-danger showing. A full hearing follows within two weeks. If criminal charges are pending against the other party, the family case and the criminal case run on separate tracks — and statements made in either can affect the other.
Adoption & guardianship of minors
Stepparent, agency, private, foster-to-adopt, and relative adoptions. ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) applies whenever a child is or may be a member of a federally recognized tribe. Guardianships of a minor — grandparent, aunt or uncle, third-party — are a separate track from adoption and don't terminate the parents' legal rights.
Prenuptial & postnuptial agreements
Drafting and enforcement. Both states enforce prenups when they're fair on their face, signed voluntarily, supported by full financial disclosure, and not unconscionable at signing. Wyoming follows the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act; Utah and Idaho enforce under common-law contract rules with strong disclosure expectations.
Modifications & enforcement
Post-decree work — modifying custody or support after a substantial change in circumstances, enforcing a parenting-time order one party is ignoring, collecting unpaid support. Modification requires showing the change wasn't anticipated by the original order.
Three steps to the right specialist.
Tell us what happened
A careful AI conversation walks through the facts. Specific matter type, your state of residence and for how long, marriage and separation dates, children's ages and where they live, any existing court orders, any active protective order or criminal case, and the income and major-asset picture.
We identify the sub-specialty
Not just "family law" — contested divorce, uncontested divorce, custody outside a divorce, protective order, adoption, guardianship, prenup. The right attorney changes with the posture; a high-conflict custody firm is a different fit than a paperwork-volume uncontested firm.
Warm introduction to the right firm
We match you to the firm on our bench whose case history fits your sub-type. You're introduced, not handed off. The firm knows about your case before they call — and they know any deadline that's already running.
What we'll ask about.
- Your state of residence and how long you've lived there — Utah requires three months in the state plus three months in the county before filing for divorce, Idaho six weeks, Wyoming 60 days. For custody, the UCCJEA "home state" is the child's six-month residence.
- Whether you've been served — if divorce or custody papers were served on you, the answer deadline is running (21 days in Utah and Idaho, 20 days in Wyoming). Missing it can let the other side take a default judgment.
- Children's ages and current arrangement — where they sleep most nights, who handles school and medical decisions today, and whether any prior custody order is in place.
- Any active protective order, DCFS or Health & Human Services case, or criminal case tied to the family — these intersect with the family matter and can change strategy.
- The financial picture — both parties' approximate gross monthly income, the marital home and equity, retirement accounts, business interests, and significant debt. These drive child support, alimony, and property division.
- Any plan to relocate — moving children across state lines or to another country triggers separate notice requirements and possibly an emergency UCCJEA motion.
Deadlines to know.
Family-law deadlines compound. If divorce or custody papers were served on you, the answer window runs 21 days in Utah and Idaho, 20 days in Wyoming — missing it lets the other side ask for a default judgment on every issue in the case. Utah enforces a 30-day waiting period after filing before any divorce decree can issue, even in an uncontested case. Protective-order matters move on their own track: ex parte orders can issue within 24 hours, but the full hearing follows within roughly two weeks, and missing that hearing can dissolve the order. Relocation with children across state lines requires advance written notice in both Utah and Idaho and can be challenged. If the child is or may be enrolled (or eligible) in a federally recognized tribe, ICWA applies and adds notice obligations no state court can waive. If a parent is at risk of removal by ICE, custody planning is urgent — a temporary guardianship or power of attorney decided before detention is far easier than one decided after.
What people ask.
Most family-law attorneys charge hourly with a retainer up front. Hourly rates in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming typically run $250–$450 depending on experience and the case posture. Uncontested divorces and prenups are often flat-fee. There's no fee for talking to us or for the introduction.
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