Title 81, Title 81: Utah Domestic Relations Code

81-4-105. Mandatory orientation course for divorce or temporary separation actions. (1) There is established a mandatory divorce orientation course for all parties with minor children who file a petition for temporary separation or for a divorce. A couple with no minor children i…

81-4-201. Definitions for part. As used in this part: (1) "Petitioner" means an individual who brings a petition for separate maintenance. (2) "Respondent" means the individual against whom a petition for separate maintenance is brought.

81-4-202. Petition for separate maintenance -- Grounds. (1) A married individual may bring a petition seeking separate maintenance from the married individual's spouse if: the married individual, or the married individual's spouse, is a resident of this state; and the married ind…

81-4-203. Venue -- Procedure. (1) Notwithstanding Title 78B, Chapter 3a, Venue for Civil Actions, a petitioner shall bring an action under this part in any county in which the petitioner or respondent is found. (2) An action under this part shall proceed in accordance with the Ut…

81-4-204. Custody and maintenance of children -- Property and debt division -- Support payments. (1) In an action under this part, the court may by order or decree: provide for the care, custody, and maintenance of a minor child of the parties; provide for support of a spouse and…

81-4-205. Restraining disposal of property. (1) At the time of the filing of a petition described in Section, or at any time subsequent to the filing of the petition, a party may procure from the court, and file with the county recorder of any county in the state in which the oth…

81-4-206. Rights and remedies -- Imprisonment of spouse. If a party to an action for separate maintenance is imprisoned in the state prison for a sentence of one year or more and a suitable provision of support has not been made for the other party, the rights and remedies of thi…

81-4-301. Definitions for part. As used in this part: (1) "Petitioner" means an individual who brings a petition for an annulment. (2) "Respondent" means the individual against whom a petition for an annulment is brought.

81-4-302. Annulment -- Grounds. A court may annul a marriage for any of the following causes existing at the time of the marriage: (1) when the marriage is prohibited or void under Title 81, Chapter 2, Part 4, Validity of Marriage; or (2) upon grounds existing at common law.

81-4-303. Petition for annulment -- Venue -- Judgment on validity of marriage. (1) When there is doubt as to the validity of a marriage, a party to the marriage may bring a petition for annulment to demand avoidance or affirmance of the marriage. If one of the parties was under 1…

81-4-401. Definitions for part. As used in this part: (1) "Cohabitation" means the same as the term, "cohabit," is defined in Section. 81-4-501 (2) "Mandatory courses" means: the mandatory divorce orientation course described in Section; and 81-4-105 the mandatory parenting cours…

81-4-402. Petition for divorce -- Divorce proceedings -- Temporary orders. (1) An individual may bring a petition for divorce if: the individual or the individual's spouse is an actual and bona fide resident of the county where the petition is filed for at least 90 days before th…

81-4-403. Mediation requirement. (1) There is established a mandatory domestic mediation program to help reduce the time and tensions associated with obtaining a divorce. (2) If there are any remaining contested issues after the filing of a response to a petition for divorce, the…

81-4-404. Allegations of child abuse or child sexual abuse in a divorce proceeding -- Investigation. (1) When an allegation of child abuse or child sexual abuse is made in a divorce proceeding, or a request for modification of a divorce decree, that implicates a party, the court,…

81-4-405. Grounds for divorce. (1) A court may order the dissolution of a marriage contract between the petitioner and the respondent on the grounds of: impotency of the respondent at the time of marriage; adultery committed by the respondent subsequent to marriage; willful deser…

81-4-406. Decree of divorce -- When decree becomes absolute -- Remarriage -- Jurisdiction to modify a decree for a child born after the decree. (1) The court shall enter a decree of divorce upon the evidence or the petitioner's affidavit in the case of default as described in Sub…

81-4-501. Definitions for part. As used in this part: (1) "Child support guidelines" means the same as that term is defined in Section. 81-6-101 (2) "Cohabit" means to live together, or to reside together on a regular basis, in the same residence and in a relationship of a romant…

81-4-502. Determination of alimony. (1) For a proceeding under Chapter 4, Dissolution of Marriage, or in a proceeding to modify alimony, the court shall consider at least the following factors in determining alimony: the standard of living existing during the marriage, which fact…

81-4-503. Imputed income for payee for alimony purposes -- No recent work history or disability. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 81-4-502 or 81-6-203, the court may, in determining imputation of income to a payee, apply the provisions of this section if the payee: h…

81-4-504. Modification of alimony after divorce decree. (1) The court has continuing jurisdiction to make substantive changes and new orders regarding alimony based on a substantial material change in circumstances not expressly stated in the divorce decree or in the findings tha…

81-4-505. Termination of alimony. (1) Except as provided in Subsection, or unless a decree of divorce specifically provides otherwise, any order of the court that a payor pay alimony to a payee automatically terminates upon the remarriage or death of that payee. (1)(b) If the rem…

81-5-102. Definitions for chapter. As used in this chapter: (1) "Adjudicated father" means a man who has been adjudicated by a tribunal to be the father of a child. (2) "Alleged father" means a man who alleges himself to be, or is alleged to be, the genetic father or a possible g…

81-5-103. Scope -- Choice of law -- Determination of maternity. (1) This chapter applies to determinations of parentage in this state. (2) The tribunal shall apply the law of this state to adjudicate the parent-child relationship. (3) The applicable law may not depend upon: the p…

81-5-104. Authority of Office of Recovery Services -- Duty of attorney general and county attorney. (1) The Office of Recovery Services is authorized to establish parentage in accordance with this chapter,, and. Title 26B, Chapter 9, Recovery Services and Administration of Child …

81-5-105. General requirements for parentage action or settlement -- Filing parentage with the Office of Vital Records and Statistics. (1) A court shall, without adjudicating parentage, dismiss a petition that is filed under this chapter by an unmarried biological father if the u…

81-5-201. Establishment of parent-child relationship. (1) The mother-child relationship is established between a woman and a child by: the woman's having given birth to the child, except as otherwise provided in; Part 8, Gestational Agreement an adjudication of the woman's matern…

81-5-202. No discrimination based on marital status. A child born to parents who are not married to each other whose parentage has been determined under this chapter has the same rights under the law as a child born to parents who are married to each other.

81-5-203. Consequences of establishment of parentage. Unless parental rights are terminated, a parent-child relationship established under this chapter applies for all purposes, except as otherwise specifically provided by other law of this state.

81-5-204. Presumption of parentage. (1) A man is presumed to be the father of a child if: the man and the birth mother of the child are married to each other and the child is born during the marriage; the man and the birth mother of the child were married to each other and the ch…

81-5-301. Declaration of paternity. The birth mother of a child and a man claiming to be the genetic father of the child may sign a declaration of paternity to establish the paternity of the child.

81-5-302. Execution of declaration of paternity. (1) A declaration of paternity described in Sectionmust: 81-5-301 be in a record; be signed, or otherwise authenticated, under penalty of perjury, by the birth mother and by the declarant father; be signed by the birth mother and d…

81-5-303. Denial of paternity. (1) A presumed or declarant father may sign a denial of the presumed or declarant father's paternity. (2) The denial is valid only if: a declaration of paternity signed, or otherwise authenticated, by another man is filed in accordance with Section;…

81-5-304. Rules for declaration and denial of paternity. (1) A declaration of paternity and a denial of paternity shall be contained in a single document. If the declaration of paternity and the denial of paternity are both necessary, neither is valid until both are signed and fi…

81-5-305. Effect of declaration or denial of paternity. (1) Except as otherwise provided in Sectionsand, a valid declaration of paternity filed with the Office of Vital Records and Statistics is equivalent to a legal finding of parentage of a child and confers upon the declarant …

81-5-306. Proceeding for rescission. (1) A signatory may rescind a declaration of paternity or denial of paternity by filing a voluntary rescission document with the Office of Vital Records and Statistics in a form prescribed by the Office of Vital Records and Statistics before t…

81-5-307. Challenge after expiration of period for rescission. (1) After the period for rescission under Sectionhas expired, a signatory of a declaration of paternity or denial of paternity or a child support services agency, may commence a proceeding to challenge the declaration…

81-5-308. Procedure for rescission or challenge. (1) Every signatory to a declaration of paternity and any related denial of paternity must be made a party to a proceeding to rescind or challenge the declaration or denial. (2) For the purpose of rescission of, or challenge to, a …

81-5-309. Ratification barred. A tribunal or administrative agency conducting a judicial or administrative proceeding may not ratify an unchallenged declaration of paternity.

81-5-310. Full faith and credit. A tribunal of this state shall give full faith and credit to a declaration of paternity or denial of paternity effective in another state if the declaration or denial has been signed and is otherwise in compliance with the law of the other state.

81-5-311. Forms for declaration, denial, or rescission. (1) To facilitate compliance with this part, the Office of Vital Records and Statistics shall prescribe forms for the declaration of paternity, the denial of paternity, and the rescission of a declaration of paternity. (2) A…

81-5-312. Release of information. The Office of Vital Records and Statistics may release information relating to the declaration of paternity or denial of paternity to a signatory of the declaration or denial and to tribunals and federal, tribal, and state child support services …

81-5-313. Rulemaking by Office of Vital Records and Statistics. The Office of Vital Records and Statistics may adopt rules in accordance with, to implement this part.

81-5-401. Maintenance of records. (1) The Office of Vital Records and Statistics shall register the following records that are filed with the office: all declarations of paternity; all judicial and administrative determinations of parentage; and all notices of proceedings to esta…

81-5-402. Effect of registration. (1) An unmarried biological father who desires to be notified of a proceeding for adoption of a child must file a notice of the initiation of parentage proceedings as required by Sections,, and. 81-13-207 81-13-212 81-13-213 (2) A registrant shal…

81-5-403. Notice of proceeding. Notice of an adoption proceeding shall be given to an unmarried biological father as described in Section.

81-5-404. Required form. (1) The Office of Vital Records and Statistics shall prepare a form to be filed with the agency. The form shall require the signature of the registrant and state that the form is signed under penalty of perjury. (2) The form shall also state that: a timel…