Utah Divorce Education Classes

Teacher's apple for Utah Divorce Education Course
There are two classes that parents with children must take before they will be granted a Utah divorce.  The classes do not need to be taken together, but both parties must take the classes. Instructions on taking the classes can be found here.

Utah Divorce Orientation Course

The orientation course educates parents about divorce in Utah and its alternatives. The course informs parents about:
  • Resources to improve or strengthen the marriage.
  • Resources to resolve custody and support issues without filing for a Utah divorce.
  • The positive and negative consequences of divorce in Utah.
  • Procedural options in a divorce, including mediation, collaborative law, and litigation.
  • The Utah divorce process.
  • Post-divorce resources.
The Utah Divorce Orientation Course can be completed in person, along with the Utah Divorce Education Course, or you can complete the Divorce Orientation Course online.  Either way, a Certificate of Completion must be submitted by both parties before your divorce can be finalized. A schedule of class times and instructions on how to view the course online can be found here. Or contact Pearson Law Firm for a free consultation with an experienced Utah divorce attorney.

Utah Divorce Education Course

The Utah divorce education course teaches parents to understand their children's reactions to their Utah divorce and to help their children adjust. Parents learn how children of different ages express their pain and loss and the best parenting methods for helping them cope during and after the divorce. Some of the topics discussed are:
  • Grieving stages common to divorce.
  • How children experience divorce. What to expect from a child based on the child's developmental age, and how to help a child adjust to the divorce.
  • Helpful ways to communicate with a child about the divorce. What children need to know and what they don't need to know.
  • Parental behavior that promotes good self-esteem in children. Encouraging and supporting expression of your child's feelings.
  • How and why conflict between parents creates stress for children. How to decrease the conflict children are exposed to.
  • Why children need continued and meaningful relationships with both parents during and after a divorce. Helpful ways to share parenting responsibilities and encourage cooperative behavior with both parents.
  • The financial and legal aspects of divorce.
Parents must attend the Utah Divorce Education Course in person, it is not available online.  If a parent lives out of state or is physically unable to attend the course live, he or she can order the DVD.  A schedule of course times and instructions for purchasing the DVD can be found here.

My Spouse Refuses to take the Utah Divorce Courses

If your spouse refuses to take the courses and is inhibiting the Utah divorce from going through, you may request that the courses be waived as to your spouse by filing the appropriate Motion. If the court waives the courses it will generally revoke the non-complying spouse's right to court redress.  This means if the complying spouse refused to give the non-complying spouse the children for parent-time, the non-complying spouse would have no recourse through the courts until he/she took the courses. 

The Utah divorce process can be difficult and requirements for a divorce can be confusing. Contact Pearson Law Firm today for a free consultation with an experienced Utah divorce attorney, 801-888-0991
Call for a free consultation today:
801-888-0991
Address:
Pearson Law Firm, PLLC
9192 South 300 West, 
Suite 35
Sandy, Utah 84070