My Prosperous World

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.

The amount of children involved in a Utah divorce is rising rapidly. In 2000, there were more than 10,000 youngsters involved in divorce and the number currently is a lot higher.

According to the most recent information available from the year 2000, about half of the Utah marriages that end up in divorce last just 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 kids and custody problems can add complexity and expense to a divorce case, making it unaffordable for some. Additionally, in Utah, many of the couples are young and have not been married long enough to reach their most productive money earning years, and are unable to afford legal representation.

Recently, the Utah courts have been attempting to calculate the amount 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 have been asked by Judges to find a way to supply advice to parties who are planning on going to court without a lawyer.

The Utah state courts are running leaner now due to recent budget cutbacks. Judges and commissioners have less administrative help, and are working a higher volume of cases. The extra stress of having to deal with an unrepresented party is more acute now, as the the efficiency of their court is reduced even further when an attorney is not present to supply the proper procedures and arguments.

Many firms in Utah are responding by providing pay-as-you-go services for pro se litigants that can’t afford a full retainer or by offering free consultations. Some local law firms, like Long Okura, are providing both options. Self-represented parties ought to think about obtaining help before appearing in court without representation.

Learn more about Utah divorce.