Utah Courts - DIVORCE EDUCATION CLASSES

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DIVORCE EDUCATION CLASSES

Utah requires that parents filing for temporary separate maintenance or divorce attend two classes. Where possible, these classes will be combined.

Divorce Orientation Course. This class is one hour long and explains:

Alternatives to divorce
Resources available from courts and administrative agencies for resolving custody and support issues without filing for divorce
Resources available to improve or strengthen the marriage
A discussion of the positive and negative consequences of divorce
A discussion of the process of divorce
Options available for divorce, including mediation, collaborative law and litigation
Post divorce resources

Petitioner is required to attend within 60-days after filing a petition for divorce. Respondent is required to attend within 30 days after being served with the petition for divorce. The class costs $20 per person. Spouses may attend together or separately.

Educational Course for Divorcing Parents. This class discusses the needs of children during and after a divorce. The class is not marriage counseling. It is intended to give parents a better understanding of the issues divorce presents for children and how parents might make the divorce easier for the children. The class costs $35 per person. The class must be attended within 45 days of receiving notice. Spouses may attend together or separately.

More Information about both courses: If either spouse lives out of state, the requirement may be met by attending a similar class in the state where that parent is residing and providing proof of attendance. If either parent is incarcerated, moves out of state, has employment that takes him or her out of state for long periods of time, or lives more than sixty miles away from a course site, he or she may view a DVD of the class. A Certificate of Completion will be provided after showing proof that the DVD has been watched. To find out more about these courses, or to obtain a DVD call 801-238-7180 or 801-238-7181. You may also find out about course schedules at http://www.utcourts.gov/specproj/dived.htm.

The costs will be waived if you cannot afford the fee. Read the instructions that will be printed out for you with your OCAP divorce papers so you will know which document to take to court to request the filing fee be waived. The same document should be taken with you when you attend the class.

You may ask the court to excuse you or respondent from the class if there are special circumstances. Be aware that asking the court to excuse one of you from the class may delay your divorce.

Page Last Modified: 7/6/2015
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