Utah Divorce Representation Statistics

By Rebecca Long

There is a high proportion of divorces in Utah that proceed through the court system with at least one party unrepresented by an attorney. A study of divorce data in Utah gives some ideas on why Utah has such a high rate of pro se divorce litigants.

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.

Statistics from 2000, which is the most recent available data, show that 50% of Utah divorces happen within the first five years of marriage. In Utah,'% of divorces occur during the first twelve months of marriage.

So why do many parties in Utah choose to go without representation? One possibility is that kids and custody problems can add complexity and expense to a divorce case, making it unaffordable for some. Additionally, in Utah, a lot of the couples are young and haven't been married long enough to reach their most efficient money earning years, and are unable to afford legal representation.

This year, 2009, the Utah court system has been attempting to figure out how many divorce cases have parties unrepresented by counsel. Estimates are that at least one party does not have a lawyer in 70% of the divorce cases in Utah. Judges are encouraging attorneys to do everything they can to provide help to litigants who are tempted to go forward without the assistance of counsel.

The Utah state courts are running leaner now because of recent budget cutbacks. Judges and commissioners have less administrative help, and are working an increased volume of cases. The additional stress of having to put up with an unrepresented party is more acute now, as the the efficiency of their court is reduced even further when an attorney is not present to supply the correct procedures and arguments.

Several law firms have responded to this call by providing free consultations or allowing clients to hire the attorney for bits and pieces of the litigation when the help is strongly needed. Some firms are providing both, such as Long Okura, P.C. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Think about obtaining help before you walk into court without a lawyer. - 31397

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