UT divorce

Based on 2021 changes to Utah law, we did the following in English and Spanish:

1. Updated Can a judge change or end my alimony order? in our Utah Divorce section to reflect the new standard of proving a “substantial material change in circumstances” that were not specifically addressed in the divorce decree nor in the judge’s “findings” (determinations) that were entered into the court record at the time of the divorce decree.
2. Added the newly-enacted crimes of “unlawful distribution of a counterfeit intimate image” and “online impersonation” to our Utah Crimes page and our Selected Utah Statutes.
3. Changed four questions in our Utah Restraining Orders section to reflect the change of the length of temporary orders from 20 to 21 days.
4. Updated What types of protective orders are there? How long do they last? to explain that the“civil provisions” in a cohabitant abuse protective order could expire within 150 days unless the judge believes there is “good cause” to extend the expiration date of the civil provisions.
5. Added information to Can I modify the order? and Can the order be dismissed? about being able to modify the civil provisions of a cohabitant abuse protective order in a divorce, parentage, custody, or guardianship proceeding that is pending between the parties under certain circumstances. 

Lastly, based on a change that became effective July 2020, we updated What types of sexual violence protective orders are there? How long do they last? in English and Spanish to reflect that final orders last three years, not one year. We regret the delay in making this update.