Can a Parent Lose their Parental Rights Based on a Procedural Deficiency in their Response to a Petition for Adoption?

Under Utah law, parents have a fundamental right to parent their children. The Utah Termination of Parental Rights Act states: “Under both the United States Constitution and the constitution of this state, a parent possesses a fundamental liberty interest in the care, custody, and management of the parent’s child.” Utah Code Ann. §78A-6-503(1). Typically, a…

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Expert Witnesses in Utah Courts

While most Utah lawsuits get resolved through settlement, some go to trial; and of the lawsuits that go to trial, some will involve “expert witnesses.” An expert witness is someone considered to be an expert in a particular trade, practice, or field of study, and is hired to testify in a trial solely regarding topics…

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What Does it Mean to Be “In Contempt of Court?”

We’ve all heard the phrase “contempt of Court,” whether it be from a courtroom scene in a television show, or a neighbor talking about their real-life lawsuit. But what does being “in contempt of Court” actually mean? Generally speaking, when someone is “in contempt of Court,” it means they have been disobedient or disrespectful to…

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