Believing that broken homes lead to lives of crime and habitual drug use, a Salt Lake City senator has proposed measures to reduce the occurrence of divorce in the region. Senator Allen Christensen, of R-North Ogden, has proposed Senate Bill SB54, with terms including a $20 price hike on marriage licenses, which could be waived if the engaged couple attended pre-marital counselling. Proof of attendance would be required, and the fee waiver only applies in counties operating an online marriage license application system.
According to recent figures, 10,000 of the 23,000 marriages taking place in Utah each year end in divorce, a statistic which lawmakers believe could be improved through introducing the proposed changes. It has been estimated that the proposals could save Utah around $2 million per year, through decreasing the divorce rate.
Christensen, who oversees the Legislature’s social services budget has stated that he is concerned about the effect on people’s lives more than the financial aspect, and believes this could be reduced through discouraging those with already-troubled relationships from going through with their wedding, only to divorce later.
Working with a Salt Lake City Divorce Attorney
No matter how well intentioned the proposed Senate Bill may be, the reality is that divorce is a far more complex matter. Regardless of how in love you were when you tied the knot, life does not always go to plan, and there are countless reasons why a marriage may come to an end. While reducing the divorce rate would, of course, save many people from the emotional turmoil associated with such an event, it is important to have empathy for those who find themselves facing divorce. When you work with a Salt Lake City divorce attorney from The Ault Firm, you can rest assured that we have your best interests at heart, whatever your circumstances.
Did you know that some 95% of Utah divorces are settled out of court? Working with an experienced Salt Lake City divorce attorney can ensure you get the best possible settlement, whether that involves going to court or not. Your individual circumstances will determine whether an out-of-court settlement or a divorce trial is the most appropriate route for you to take.
Whichever route you opt for, the length of time taken to finalize a divorce depends on many factors, which generally include:
- Willingness of both parties to work together in coming to a prompt, fair agreement
- The complexity of issues such as child custody, child support, alimony, division of assets and similar
- The amount of time taken to provide the court with the required documents
- Emotional or psychological issues getting in the way of an efficient resolution
- Procrastination on the part of one or both parties
- Reasonableness of the demands and expectations of both parties
Working with a dedicated Salt Lake City divorce attorney can help reduce the impact of each of these factors – to find out how we could make your divorce as smooth as possible, call us today on 801-539-9000.
