Utah starts from a presumption that parents share legal custody, meaning the big decisions about school, health care, and religion (Utah Code § 81-9-205, explained). A court can rebut that presumption. For physical custody, meaning where the child lives, Utah states no preference for joint or sole. The court decides based on the child's best interests.
Utah decides legal custody and physical custody separately, and you can hold one without the other. Legal custody is who decides about school, healthcare and religion; physical custody is where the children sleep — and the overnight count is what drives child support.
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Legal custody covers major life decisions: education, health care, religion, and similar choices. Physical custody is where the child lives and how parent-time is scheduled. Utah decides them separately.
The presumption of joint legal custody is a starting point, not a rule. Under Utah Code § 81-9-205, explained, it does not hold when there is evidence of domestic violence, neglect, or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse involving the child, a parent, or a household member; special physical or mental needs that make joint legal custody unreasonable; physical distance between the parents' homes that makes joint decision-making impractical; or any other factor the court considers relevant. The party arguing against joint legal custody has to show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that it is not in the child's best interest (§ 81-9-205(2)).
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Sharing legal custody does not split the child's time 50/50. The statute says joint legal custody is not based on equal or nearly equal time, because a child's best interest often calls for one primary home (§ 81-9-205(3)). Joint physical custody is a separate question. For child support, Utah Courts: Child Support describes it as each parent having the child at least 111 overnights a year. Utah Code § 81-9-101 defines joint physical custody as the child staying with each parent overnight for more than 30% of the year, and both parents contributing to the child's expenses beyond child support.
An equal parent-time schedule is a further option. A court may order the schedule in § 81-9-305 when it finds that equal time is in the child's best interest, that both parents have been involved, and that the logistics work. There is no presumption of equal time.
The court may consider a child's preference, depending on age and maturity. Utah Code § 81-9-204(5)(b) gives the desires of a child who is 14 or older added weight, and those desires are not the single controlling factor.
Optional schedule (§ 81-9-303): counted as 145 overnights for child support, and the support impact is consistent with joint physical custody. The minimum parent-time schedule (§ 81-9-302) states no overnight total.
The number of overnights decides which child-support worksheet applies. Utah Courts: Child Support describes joint physical custody, for that calculation, as each parent having the child at least 111 overnights a year, and sole physical custody as the child spending over 255 nights a year with one parent. Run the figures in the child support calculator and count the nights with the overnight counter.
For legal custody, Utah starts from a rebuttable presumption in favor of joint legal custody (Utah Code § 81-9-205). A court can depart from it when the evidence shows joint legal custody is not in the child's best interest, such as domestic violence, distance, or a parent's inability to share decisions. For physical custody, Utah states no preference for joint or sole; the court looks at the child's best interests (§ 81-9-204).
No. Joint legal custody is about who makes major decisions. Utah's statute says it is not based on equal time, because a child's best interest often calls for one primary residence (§ 81-9-205(3)).
Legal custody covers major decisions: education, health care, religion, and similar choices. Physical custody covers where the child lives and the parent-time schedule. Utah treats them as separate determinations.
Yes. Utah Courts describes "joint legal and sole physical" as an arrangement where both parents make important decisions and the child lives with one parent over 255 nights a year while the other has regular parent-time.
For child support, Utah Courts describes joint physical custody as each parent having the child at least 111 overnights a year. Utah Code § 81-9-101 defines joint physical custody as the child staying with each parent overnight for more than 30% of the year, and both parents contributing to the child's expenses beyond child support. The count also decides which child-support worksheet applies, so it's worth tracking. divvi's overnight counter helps.
If a parent wants joint legal or joint physical custody, Utah requires a proposed parenting plan to be filed with the petition or answer (§ 81-9-203). A plan parents build together is usually the clearest way to show what they agreed to.
The court may consider a child's preference, depending on age and maturity. It is one best-interest factor, not a decision the child makes.
Working out a parenting plan? divvi's parenting-plan builder walks through parent-time, decisions, and exchanges in plain English, and Utah law requires a proposed plan whenever joint custody is requested (§ 81-9-203).
Build a parenting plan →Sources: Utah Code §§ 81-9-101, 81-9-203, 81-9-204, 81-9-205, 81-9-302, 81-9-303, and 81-9-305 on le.utah.gov; the Utah Courts custody page; and Utah Courts: Child Support.
General information, not legal advice. divvi is a document preparation service and is not a law firm.
For a question about your own situation, start with the Utah Courts Self-Help Center.