Utah Divorce And Self Representation
The State of Utah has a high rate of parties going through divorce proceedings without a lawyer. An examination of statistics sheds some light on why Utah has such a high rate of cases with lack of legal representation.
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.
According to statistics from 2000, in Utah over ten thousand children were affected by a divorce that year. This number has since increased significantly.
According to the most recent data available from the year 2000, about half of the Utah marriages that end up in divorce last no more than 5 years. In Utah 50% of divorces in Utah occur in the first year of marriage and 70% by 10 years of marriage. (Statistics abstracted by David Schramm, Utah State University).
So why do many parties in Utah choose to go without representation? One possibility is that children and custody issues can add complexity and expense to a divorce case, making it unaffordable for some. Also, in Utah, a lot of the couples are young and have not been married long enough to reach their most efficient money earning years, and are unable to afford legal representation.
Recently, the Utah courts have been trying 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 are asked by Judges to find a way to provide assistance to parties who are planning on going to court without a lawyer.
The Utah state courts are running leaner now because of recent budget cutbacks. Judges and commissioners have less administrative help, and are handling a higher volume of cases. The extra 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 isn’t present to provide the right procedures and arguments.
Several Utah law firms have answered the call and are providing free consultations, or affordable billing options for self-representation assistance on specific elements of the litigation. Firms like Long Okura in Salt Lake City offer both. If you’re considering a court appearance without an attorney, think about finding some legal assistance first.
Contact a Utah divorce law firm to learn more.