Finding Legal Help
You are not required to hire an attorney, but legal matters can be complicated. Consider talking to an attorney to go over your options. See the Finding Legal Help page for information about free and low cost ways to get legal help.
Como encontrar ayuda legal
Usted no está obligado a contratar un abogado, pero los asuntos legales pueden ser complicados. Considere la posibilidad de hablar con un abogado para hablar de sus opciones. Para información sobre cómo obtener ayuda legal vea nuestra página Como encontrar ayuda legal.
Separate Maintenance
Introduction
Under some limited circumstances, one spouse may ask the district court for an order for alimony, property and debt management and division, health care insurance, housing, child support, child custody and parent time without filing for divorce. This is known as a petition for separate maintenance.
Utah Code Section 30-4-1 governs separate maintenance.
Return to TopRequirements
You may petition for separate maintenance if your spouse is a resident of Utah and one or more of the following circumstances apply:
- Your spouse deserted you without good cause.
- Your spouse is able to support you but does not.
- Through no fault of your own, you are living apart from your spouse.
- Your spouse is in prison for one year or more and has made no provision for you.
You may also petition for separate maintenance if you are a resident of Utah and your spouse has property in Utah and does not support you.
The court proceedings in separate maintenance are the same as for divorce, but a separate maintenance petition may be filed in any county where either spouse is present.
A separate maintenance order may be enforced or modified by the court if necessary. A separate maintenance order terminates upon the death of either spouse. Any obligation in the order ends if the parties prove voluntary and permanent reconciliation.
Forms
There are no forms on this website for requesting a separate maintenance order.
Related information
- Alimony
- Annulment
- Answering a Complaint or Petition
- Appeals
- Child Custody and Parent Time
- Child Support
- Debt Division
- Default Judgments
- Divorce Mediation
- Fee Waiver
- Domestic Relations Injunction
- Fees
- Filing Procedures
- Finding Legal Help
- Going to Court
- How to get a Temporary Order
- Informal Trial of Support, Custody and Parent-Time
- Initial Disclosures
- Judicial Recognition of a Relationship as a Marriage
- Mandatory Education in Divorce and Temporary Separation
- Modifying Child Custody
- Modifying Child Support
- Modifying Parent-time
- Motion to Enforce Order
- Motion to Waive Divorce Waiting Period
- Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP)
- Parentage
- Parenting Plans
- Property Division
- Public and Non-public Records
- Relocation of a parent in divorce and custody cases
- Separate Maintenance
- Serving Papers
- Temporary Separation
- Utah Statutes, Title 30, Husband and Wife
- Utah Statutes, Title 78B, Chapter 12, Utah Child Support Act
- Utah Statutes, Title 78B, Chapter 13, Utah Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
- Utah Statutes, Title 78B, Chapter 14, Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
The Utah State Courts mission is to provide the people an open, fair, efficient, and independent system for the advancement of justice under the law.
