Custody Modification Attorney in Utah
A candid read on what changed. Clear answers. Your next step.
Utah courts do not reopen custody casually. To change an order you have to show a substantial and material change in circumstances since it was entered, and that the new plan serves your child better. At Richards & Richards, we tell you whether your facts clear that bar before you spend anything on filing.
Callback within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation
We'll call you back within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consult — credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Years in Weber County family court
Cases handled across Utah by our attorneys
Languages: English · Spanish · Portuguese
Jaime Richards leads our family law practice.
Changing a Utah custody order means proving what has changed since the day it was signed. Jaime is the patient explainer, and a strategic fighter when the case calls for it. He’ll walk you through it without making you feel stupid for asking the same question twice, and he’ll fight hard when needed: when another attorney dropped the ball, when the other side is running up your clock with discovery games, or when you’ve been told to expect an outcome you’re not willing to accept.
To better address our Hispanic community, three other attorneys at the firm speak Spanish: Kevin, Carl, and Roy. Jaime speaks Portuguese. Consultations happen in the language you’re most comfortable in, not through a translator.
How Modification Cases Reach Us
An order that fit three years ago may not fit now. These are the four situations that bring parents back to court, and each one is argued differently.
Not sure which one fits your case? Tell us what happened and we will tell you where you stand.
Talk to Us →Serving Ogden and Communities Across Utah
Our office is in Ogden and we handle custody modifications across nine Utah counties. Whether the schedule broke down, one parent is moving, or the existing order is simply being ignored, we can help.
Weber County
North Ogden, Ogden, Riverdale, Roy, South Ogden
Davis County
Bountiful, Centerville, Clearfield, Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse
Salt Lake County
Draper, Herriman, Murray, Riverton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley City
Utah County
American Fork, Eagle Mountain, Lehi, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Spanish Fork, Springville
Cache County
Hyrum, Logan, Mendon, Nibley, Providence, Smithfield
Box Elder County
Brigham City, Garland, Mantua, Tremonton, Willard
Tooele County
Grantsville, Stansbury Park, Tooele
Sanpete County
Ephraim, Manti, Mount Pleasant
Rich County
Garden City, Randolph
Not seeing your city? We take custody modification cases across Utah. Call and we will confirm whether we can help with yours.
Call 801-528-9357Why Choose Richards & Richards for Your Modification
Modifications fail for one reason more than any other: the facts never met the standard. You should know which case you have before you file, not after. Here is how we work.
You Get a Straight Read on Your Odds
After your consultation we tell you whether your facts amount to a substantial change in circumstances, what evidence we would need to prove it, and what we think a Utah judge does with it. If your case is not there yet, we say so instead of taking a retainer.
One Attorney, One Point of Contact
The attorney on your case handles your case. You are not shuffled between five lawyers or handed to a paralegal who cannot make decisions. When you call, you reach someone who already knows your situation.
Patient Explainer, Strategic Fighter
Jaime Richards leads our family law practice. He walks you through the process without making you feel stupid for asking the same question twice, and he pushes hard when the case calls for it.
We Are Transparent About Costs
You get our hourly rate and retainer requirement upfront, plus an estimate of what the work costs through mediation. We also tell you plainly what we cannot predict, because the rest depends on the other side’s conduct and how quickly you reach agreement.
Clear Communication, Always
We answer calls and emails within 24 business hours. When something significant happens on your case, you hear it from a person, not a form letter. We explain what is happening, and why, in plain English.
A Family Firm Since 1988
Two generations of Ogden-raised attorneys. We are invested in this community, and we built this firm on the principle that you are not just a case number.
Ready to talk it through? A one-hour consultation is $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Modification Consultation →What Our Clients Say
Five-star reviews from our public Google Business Profile, from people who came to us in the middle of a modification, a custody fight, or a divorce.
Richards & Richards law firm had my back through my divorce. I could tell that they cared about me and wanted the best outcome for me. Jaime and his paralegal Taeler were knowledgeable and quick to answer my questions and address my concerns, and they walked me step-by-step through the process. They are fair, and honest in their dealings with me.Stacie W.
I would highly recommend the services of Richards and Richards. They represented me through my divorce. I found them to be very approachable and clear throughout the process, making a very stressful period of my life more manageable.Patricia A.
I came to Richards and Richards to represent me on my divorce. Kevin and his team were amazing to work with from the start. Gave it to me straight and didn't jerk me around. He never tried to prolong the process or make it feel like he wasn't being attentive. I am happy with the results and all in all he was honest.Shea K.
Jaime Richards was my divorce attorney. He was witty and humorous, but most of all, he knew his stuff. He was able to get my divorce done with minimal work on my end. He went to all of my court dates on my behalf when I had to work. I wanted a fast and fair divorce and that is what he gave me.Meagan G.
I had such a great experience at this law firm. A divorce is never a fun or comfortable situation to go through, but with Jaime as my attorney it was less stressful and easy to understand. I was able to get everything finalized without a hassle.Tyler C.
Kevin and his firm have always been responsive to my needs. He was instrumental in ending a divorce that my previous attorney let drag on for years.Bill
Jaime and his paralegal, Taeler, provided exceptional support while assisting my father with both his Trust & Will and divorce proceedings. They were consistently responsive to our questions and concerns, offering clear guidance that greatly eased our minds throughout the process.Suzanne M.
Jaime and Lesa at this office helped me with my child support modification case. I was very pleased with the help and support they provided me during this stressful time. They were both very professional and provided me with all the necessary information I needed to feel confident in my decision to move forward.Celeste N.
I hired Jaime as my attorney in a child custody case. From our first meeting to mediation Jaime has answered every question without judgment, and made me feel SO much better about the situation and always reassured me and let me know exactly what to expect. He genuinely cares about people and wants to help.Christina H.
Jaime and his staff are simply the best. Jaime has helped guide me through a difficult child custody and relocation matter. He has been very transparent and honest throughout the entire process which has been very reassuring during a stressful time.Lacee M.
The attorneys at Richards & Richards handled my custody case. Since I started working with them, they have prioritized my case. I now have more time with my daughter and I am less stressed; a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And the best part is that they speak Spanish.Mayra A.
They are always super fast to respond with updates on our case and answer any questions we might have. They have a fair price and are very talented and great at what they do.Caleb G.
Reviews are sourced from our public Google Business Profile. Some have been condensed for length; the clients and the underlying text are real. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome, because every case turns on its own facts and the applicable law. We do not solicit reviews in exchange for fee reductions or other consideration. Read more reviews →
Every review here started with one conversation. If your custody order stopped working, yours can start today.
Request a Modification Consultation →What Parents Ask Us About Changing a Custody Order
These come up in almost every first consultation. Here is what we tell people.
- Can a custody order be changed in Utah?
- Yes, but not simply because you want something different. You have to show a substantial and material change in circumstances since the last order, and that the new arrangement is in the child’s best interest. Both parts are required. A judge who agrees your plan is better but sees no real change will leave the existing order alone.
- What counts as a substantial change in circumstances?
- A real, lasting change that nobody anticipated when the current order was entered. Common examples are a parent relocating, a significant change in work schedule, a child’s needs changing as they get older, a remarriage that changes the household, substance abuse, or a parent repeatedly failing to exercise the time they were given. Ordinary disagreements and minor scheduling friction do not qualify.
- How do I file to modify custody in Utah?
- You file a petition to modify in the same court that entered the original order. The other parent is served and gets time to respond, and Utah requires mediation before a contested hearing. At the consultation we tell you whether your facts actually meet the standard before you spend money filing.
- How long does a custody modification take?
- An agreed change is fast. A contested one runs like a fresh custody case. The timeline depends on whether the other parent opposes it, whether the court orders an evaluation, and how quickly you can show what has changed. Call us and we can tell you which track yours is likely to be on.
- Can I get an emergency custody change?
- Only when a child faces immediate physical or emotional harm. Utah courts can enter temporary orders quickly in a genuine emergency, but the bar is high, and an emergency motion that fails can damage your credibility for the rest of the case. We tell you honestly which one you have before you file it.
- How often can custody be modified?
- There is no fixed limit, but every petition needs its own substantial change in circumstances. You cannot re-litigate facts a court has already heard. Judges also notice a parent who files repeatedly, and that pattern tends to work against the person filing.
- Do we both have to agree to change the schedule?
- No, but agreeing is far cheaper and far faster. If you agree, we draft a stipulated order and submit it for the judge’s signature. If you do not, it becomes a contested modification. Either way, a handshake arrangement between parents is unenforceable the day one of you stops honoring it.
- Will changing custody change child support?
- Usually yes. Utah’s child support calculation depends partly on how many overnights each parent has. A meaningful change to the schedule normally changes the support number, and it is worth addressing in the same filing instead of coming back for a second case later.
- Can my child decide to change the schedule?
- No. A judge may consider the preference of a child mature enough to express one, and gives an older teenager more weight, but a child’s wishes are one factor and never control the result. A teenager who refuses to go is a problem to solve, not a change in circumstances on its own.
General information about Utah law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts.
Still have a question about your own situation? That is what the consultation is for. One hour, $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Modification Consultation →An Order You Cannot Live With Is Not Final
Parents put up with a broken schedule far longer than they need to, usually because they assume the decree is permanent or that going back to court means starting over. Neither is true. What matters is whether something real has changed, and whether you can prove it.
Richards & Richards has been an Ogden family firm since 1988. You get one attorney who knows your case, a former prosecutor who knows how judges think, and an honest answer about whether your modification will succeed before you pay for it.
The order changed your life. Change the order.
$100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case. Virtual or in person in Ogden. No legal jargon, just honest answers.