Helping You Navigate the Process
Family law is a broad area of the law encompassing divorce, separation, adoption, paternity, custody, child support, alimony, asset division, and much more. The lawyers at Jennings & Medura practice family law because we feel a connection to important family issues. Our background and experience in family law can help you navigate a particularly difficult time in your life and the life of your family. During a time of family crisis, no matter what the cause, you want compassionate, competent and professional legal help. You will find it here at Jennings & Medura.
Areas of Practice
- Divorce - the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court.
- Annulment - a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void; this procedure is usually retroactive, making it as if the marriage never occurred.
- Separation - not as permanent as a divorce, but until and unless a divorce is put into effect, the court can decide terms of separation such as child custody, child support and parent time, as well as property division.
- Alimony - also known as spousal support, a monthly payment from one spouse to the other for living expenses, as well as to equalize any inequities caused by a marriage (e.g., when one spouse has spent the marriage taking care of the home rather than acquiring job skills); the amount is decided by court order or settlement.
- Child support - payment made for the support of children in a divorce; usually paid until they reach the age of majority.
- Parent time - a legally binding agreement or order that determines which parent a child or children should live with and how much time children spend with each parent.
- Name change - taking a spouse’s surname after marriage, or removing a spouse’s surname after divorce, or changing a name for any other legal reason.
- Prenuptual and postnuptual agreement - A contract signed by both spouses before (or after) the marriage agreement to delineate what should happen with a couple’s assets in case of divorce.
- Adoption - the process whereby a person becomes the legal guardian of a child, gaining the legal rights originally possessed by the biological parent.
- Visitation - the rights of a noncustodial parent having to do with how much time he or she can visit the child or children.
- Emancipation - the court process by which a minor is recognized as an adult independent of his or her parents.
- Restraining order - a court order that requires one spouse to refrain from certain actions, often (but not always) to prevent domestic violence.
There are many other legal areas you may find yourself with a need to navigate, such as:
- Private Guardian ad Litem (PGAL)
- Asset/debt division
- Business valuation/division
- Termination of parental rights
- Parental defense
- Abuse, dependency and neglect proceedings involving the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS)
- Guardianship
- Non-parent custody actions
- Same-sex marriage and divorce issues
The law is complicated, and when it comes to the welfare of your children and yourself, the stakes are high. That’s why it’s important to hire a highly credentialed professional when approaching any issue of family law, and why Salt Lake City- and Ogden-area residents should seek a trusted attorney.
Seek Trusted Advice
Most family law cases are very fact-sensitive, and commissioners and judges have wide discretion in deciding cases. Seek advice from a trusted legal counsel before making decisions that can affect you and your family for many years.
Jennings & Medura family lawyers serve clients in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and surrounding areas in Utah. Call us for a 30-minute consultation today to discuss your legal concerns.
