Child Custody and Parent-time in Utah: It's not just for parents anymore!

Child Custody and Parent-time in Utah: It's not just for parents anymore!

After the general session of the 2008 Utah State Legislature concluded, the Legislature met in special session. Among the bills that were not passed in the general session but that were passed in the special session was Utah Code Title 30, Chapter 5a, the (are you ready for this?): "Custody and Visitation for Persons Other than Parents Act."

No, this is not my April Fool's Day 2009 blog entry. I am dead serious. My comment on the Utah Custody and Visitation for Persons Other than Parents Act will follow in a later blog entry.

In the meantime, here for your information and review (and outrage) is the entire Act:

30-5a-101. Title.

This chapter is known as the "Custody and Visitation for Persons Other than Parents Act."


30-5a-102. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:
(1) "Parent" means a biological or adoptive parent.
(2) "Person other than a parent" means a person related to the child by marriage or blood, including:
(a) siblings;
(b) aunts;
(c) uncles;
(d) grandparents; or
(e) current or former step-parents, or any of the persons in Subsections (2)(a) through (d) in a step relationship to the child.


30-5a-103. Custody and visitation for persons other than a parent.

(1) In accordance with Section 62A-4a-201, it is the public policy of this state that parents retain the fundamental right and duty to exercise primary control over the care, supervision, upbringing, and education of their children. There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent's decisions are in the child's best interests.
(2) A court may find the presumption in Subsection (1) rebutted and grant custodial or visitation rights to a person other than a parent who, by clear and convincing evidence, has established all of the following:
(a) the person has intentionally assumed the role and obligations of a parent;
(b) the person and the child have formed an emotional bond and created a parent-child type relationship;
(c) the person contributed emotionally or financially to the child's well being;
(d) assumption of the parental role is not the result of a financially compensated surrogate care arrangement;
(e) continuation of the relationship between the person and the child would be in the child's best interests;
(f) loss or cessation of the relationship between the person and the child would be detrimental to the child; and
(g) the parent:
(i) is absent; or
(ii) is found by a court to have abused or neglected the child.
(3) A proceeding under this chapter may be commenced by filing a verified petition, or petition supported by an affidavit, in the juvenile court if a matter is pending, or in the district court in the county in which the child:
(a) currently resides; or
(b) lived with a parent or a person other than a parent who acted as a parent within six months before the commencement of the action.
(4) A proceeding under this chapter may be filed in a pending divorce, parentage action, or other proceeding, including a proceeding in the juvenile court, involving custody of or visitation with a child.
(5) The petition shall include detailed facts supporting the petitioner's right to file the petition including the criteria set forth in Subsection (2) and residency information as set forth in Section 78B-13-209.
(6) A proceeding under this chapter may not be filed against a parent who is actively serving outside the state in any branch of the military.
(7) Notice of a petition filed pursuant to this chapter shall be served in accordance with the rules of civil procedure on all of the following:
(a) the child's biological, adopted, presumed, declarant, and adjudicated parents;
(b) any person who has court-ordered custody or visitation rights;
(c) the child's guardian;
(d) the guardian ad litem, if one has been appointed;
(e) a person or agency that has physical custody of the child or that claims to have custody or visitation rights; and
(f) any other person or agency that has previously appeared in any action regarding custody of or visitation with the child.