Pro Se Divorces in Utah

By Rebecca Long

Utah has a very high number of divorce cases where parties are unrepresented. Looking at the statistics provides some insights into this phenomenon.

Divorces in Utah are just as common as in the other states. In Utah, the divorce rate is approximately 4.3 for every 1000 residents. This rate is a bit above the average USA rate of 4.1 for every 1000. First marriages ending in divorce in Utah have a median age of 29 for women and 31 for men.

In the year 2000, there have been 10,600 kids involved in a divorce in Utah. The number has increased greatly in the years since.

According to a study of statistics by Utah State University on the most recent data available, nearly half of the divorces in Utah happen during the first five years of marriage. Nearly 1/5 of divorces in Utah happen before the couple make it to their first wedding anniversary.

A possible explanation for Utah's high rate of self-representation may be that with the short length of marriage before divorcing and couples getting married at a young age, the parties have not had a lot of time or opportunity to earn high wages and are unable to afford a lawyer. Another factor could be the high rate of divorce cases involving child custody issues that creates additional expense and makes the case more expensive.

Recently, the Utah courts have been making an attempt to calculate the number of divorce cases that have at least one party unrepresented by a lawyer. At lawyer continuing education classes, representatives from the Utah court system have estimated that 70% of Utah divorces involve at least one participant who does not have an attorney. Lawyers have been asked by Judges to find a way to provide assistance to parties who are planning on going to court without a lawyer.

Commissioners and judges are currently having to handle a larger caseload due to cutbacks in funding for the Utah court system, and are receiving less administrative help than before. This makes dealing with self-represented litigants even more frustrating as the lack of proper arguments and procedures decreases the efficiency of the courts.

Many Utah law firms have answered the call and are providing free consultations, or affordable billing choices for self-representation assistance on specific elements of the litigation. Firms like Long Okura in Salt Lake City provide both. If you're considering a court appearance without an attorney, consider finding some help first. - 31397

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