Divorce is a mentally and emotionally exhausting process to get through. On top of the emotional distress of leaving your partner and continuing life on your own, you will have to walk through complex court processes to finalize the separation. This can be made even more difficult if you have many assets or are working through a separation with any children involved. Because of this, you may be seeking some alternative to divorce that still gets you the distance that you need from your partner while offering a less severe (or less final) solution to your marriage. If this sounds like you, the team at Ascent Law wants to help. Below, we’ve listed alternatives for divorce in Utah and explained how your lawyer can help you to navigate the divorce process.
Is divorce permanent?
Divorce is a permanent, court-supported, and legally-binding separation between you and a married partner. Any remaining elements of your marriage will be legally dissolved.
Are there alternatives for divorce in Utah?
Because of the permanent nature of a divorce, many are seeking possible alternatives for divorce in Utah. If you need to separate but do not want the finality and permanency that a divorce can bring, we recommend that you seek legal support as soon as possible to explore what option is right for you. Alternatives to divorce include:
1. A “non-divorce”
A non-divorce doesn’t require a court process, making it a popular alternative to divorce for families who may find themselves in financial hardship or who don’t want to include their children in a lengthy court process. A non-divorce works similarly to how it may sound and includes informal methods of separation. Examples of these include:
- Separated living situations
- Informal, mutually agreed upon shared custody
- A “parenting-only” marriage
- Mutually agreeing to see other people
While this is a viable option for avoiding a true divorce and can give you the flexibility that you need to possibly reconcile later, it isn’t necessarily recommended as a strong long-term course of action. This is because it is extremely easy for communication issues to arise and further disrupt your relationship’s dynamic. There also is no legal support behind this option, so if your situation became complicated, you would have a longer process to involve the court and pursue any secondary needs: such as a protective order or legal custody arrangement. If you’re considering this option, it’s important to have the communication pathways in place to ensure that all parties can mutually benefit from the arrangement wherever possible.
2. Annulment
Annulment in Utah is not a single court filing process. In order to use annulment as the legal justification behind your separation, you must be a resident of the district or county that you live in for 90 days. After this time, you would be able to file a Complaint of Annulment form with your local district court system. While it seems easier than a formalized divorce, it is not a decision to be taken lightly. The idea behind an annulment is that your marriage never “technically” existed or somehow existed in a nonviable, fraudulent, or otherwise mistaken or incorrect way. You’re undermining the validity of your marriage’s existence in the first place when you move to seek an annulment in Utah.
Annulment has state-specific requirements that are required to prove, most built around the lack of validity behind your marriage. For example, you may need to prove that there was a fraudulent force from the very start of your relationship or marriage petition or that you were somehow incapacitated at the time of your marriage occurring. This can be difficult to prove, so having a seasoned attorney can help to streamline your process. Your lawyer can come alongside you and review any evidence you have, building the strongest court case possible to protect your interests.
3. Legal separation
Legal separation is a viable alternative to divorce in Utah and can provide you with a more streamlined way to get a divorce decree issued if you decide that is the best step for you to take. In a legal separation, both you and your spouse will have no legal or financial obligation to each other. To file for legal separation in Utah, you have to determine if your case is a no-fault or a faulted separation (which would be the case of domestic violence, abuse, or similar cases). After that, your lawyer can assist you in compiling your documentation and building a case for the court.
The benefit of choosing legal separation over divorce is the lack of permanency that it has compared to other options. You are able to live entirely separately, work on yourselves, and rejoin your union at a later point if you want. With a divorce, it can be more time-consuming to do this, as it is permanent.
Ascent Law is here to help in the Utah divorce process
If you are considering a divorce, The team at Ascent Law is here to help. For more information and to book your free intro call today, please visit our website. We look forward to serving you!
Salt Lake City
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Salt Lake City, Utah
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|---|---|
| City of Salt Lake City[1] | |
Clockwise from top: The skyline in July 2011, Utah State Capitol, TRAX, Union Pacific Depot, the Block U, the City-County Building, and the Salt Lake Temple
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| Nickname:
“The Crossroads of the West”
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Interactive map of Salt Lake City
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| Coordinates: 40°45′39″N 111°53′28″WCoordinates: 40°45′39″N 111°53′28″W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Salt Lake |
| Platted | 1857[2] |
| Named for | Great Salt Lake |
| Government
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| • Type | Strong Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Erin Mendenhall (D) |
| Area | |
| • City | 110.81 sq mi (286.99 km2) |
| • Land | 110.34 sq mi (285.77 km2) |
| • Water | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| Elevation
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4,327 ft (1,288 m) |
| Population | |
| • City | 199,723 |
| • Rank | 122nd in the United States 1st in Utah |
| • Density | 1,797.52/sq mi (701.84/km2) |
| • Urban
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1,021,243 (US: 42nd) |
| • Metro
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1,257,936 (US: 47th) |
| • CSA
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2,606,548 (US: 22nd) |
| Demonym | Salt Laker[5] |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 |
| ZIP Codes | |
| Area codes | 801, 385 |
| FIPS code | 49-67000[7] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1454997[8] |
| Major airport | Salt Lake City International Airport |
| Website | Salt Lake City Government |
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Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, as well as the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 199,723 in 2020,[10] the city is the core of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which had a population of 1,257,936 at the 2020 census. Salt Lake City is further situated within a larger metropolis known as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Provo Combined Statistical Area, a corridor of contiguous urban and suburban development stretched along a 120-mile (190 km) segment of the Wasatch Front, comprising a population of 2,606,548 (as of 2018 estimates),[11] making it the 22nd largest in the nation. It is also the central core of the larger of only two major urban areas located within the Great Basin (the other being Reno, Nevada).
Salt Lake City was founded July 24, 1847, by early pioneer settlers, led by Brigham Young, who were seeking to escape persecution they had experienced while living farther east. The Mormon pioneers, as they would come to be known, entered a semi-arid valley and immediately began planning and building an extensive irrigation network which could feed the population and foster future growth. Salt Lake City’s street grid system is based on a standard compass grid plan, with the southeast corner of Temple Square (the area containing the Salt Lake Temple in downtown Salt Lake City) serving as the origin of the Salt Lake meridian. Owing to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, the city was originally named Great Salt Lake City. In 1868, the word “Great” was dropped from the city’s name.[12]
Immigration of international members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, mining booms, and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad initially brought economic growth, and the city was nicknamed “The Crossroads of the West”. It was traversed by the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway, in 1913. Two major cross-country freeways, I-15 and I-80, now intersect in the city. The city also has a belt route, I-215.
Salt Lake City has developed a strong tourist industry based primarily on skiing and outdoor recreation. It hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is known for its politically progressive and diverse culture, which stands at contrast with the rest of the state’s conservative leanings.[13] It is home to a significant LGBT community and hosts the annual Utah Pride Festival.[14] It is the industrial banking center of the United States.[15] Salt Lake City and the surrounding area are also the location of several institutions of higher education including the state’s flagship research school, the University of Utah. Sustained drought in Utah has more recently strained Salt Lake City’s water security and caused the Great Salt Lake level drop to record low levels,[16][17] and impacting the state’s economy, of which the Wasatch Front area anchored by Salt Lake City constitutes 80%.[18]
About Salt Lake City, Utah
Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, Utah
Poplar Grove, The Avenues, Ballpark, Lower Avenues, Downtown, Woodbury, Central City, Neighborhood House, Salt Lake City Community Development, Rio Grande, The Neighborhood Hive, Neighborhood Services, University Neighborhood Partners, Salt Lake City, Neighborhood Auto Service, Sunnyside Park, Building at Rear, 537 West 200 South, Washington Square Park, Area 51, Brigham Young Historic Park
Things To Do in Salt Lake City, Utah
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Reviews for Ascent Law LLC Salt Lake City, Utah
John Logan
We've gotten divorce and child custody work from Ascent Law since the beginning because of my ex. We love this divorce firm! Staff is gentle, friendly and skilled. Tanya knows her stuff. Nicole is good and Ryan is fun. Really, all the staff here are careful, kind and flexible. They always answer all my questions, explain what they're doing and provide great legal services. I personally think they are the best for divorce in Utah.
Jacqueline Hunting
I have had an excellent experience with Ascent Law, Michael Reed is an absolutely incredible attorney. He is 100% honest and straight forward through the entire legal process of things, he also has a wonderful approach to helping better understand certain agreements, rights, and legal standing of matters, to where it was easy to know whats going on the entire process. I appreciate the competency, genuine effort put forth, and assistance I received from Ascent and attorney Michael Reed, and I will be calling these guys if ever I have the need again for their legal assistance! 5star review Wonderful attorneys!
Anthony Ziegler
This review is well deserved for Ryan and Josh. New clients should know they are worth the 5 star rating we give them. We needed 2 sessions from them because of the complexity of the matter, but they are both very passionate about his helping others in need. My sister needed bankruptcy and I needed divorce. Sometimes they go hand in hand but a large shout out to this team - also Nicole is one of the sweetest people you ever did meet - she offered me warm cookies!
Thomas Parkin
Mike Anderson and his colleagues & staff are knowledgeable, attentive and caring. In a difficult and complex case that eventually went to trial, Mike was the voice of reason and the confidence I needed. His courtroom abilities are amazing and I felt his defense of me was incredible. His quick thinking and expertise allowed for a positive result when I felt the World was crumbling. His compassion, after the case, has helped me return to a good life. I trust Mike and his staff. They are friendly and very good at what they do.
Yeran Merry
I worked with Attorney Alex and Paralegal Ami in my divorce case. I got to know the team very well over the course of two years. I cannot think of a better team to have worked with. Ami and Alex are not only exceptional law professions who are very knowledgeable and thorough, they are also the best human beings who empathize with the emotions I was experiencing. Alex was conscious of my budget and worked efficiently to try to reduce unnecessary legal expenses. My case also involved some dealings with a foreign country that Alex and his team had previously dealt with. They did an amazing job addressing cultural barriers in a very respectful manner and did not fall short in quality of work or in standards when dealing with some of these new challenges. Ami deserves a medal for being extremely professional, calming, and compassionate when it is needed most. When you need family law attorneys, call this firm. I now feel I can move forward with grace and dignity.
