Bill > HB0555

This bill modifies existing Utah family law statutes to clarify and expand provisions related to court costs, attorney fees, and temporary support in domestic cases. Specifically, it broadens the types of actions where a court can order one party to pay the other's attorney fees and costs, including dissolutions of marriage, cohabitant abuse protective orders, and actions to establish or modify custody, parent-time (visitation), child support, alimony (spousal support), or property division. For temporary orders in these domestic cases, the court is now required to consider and make specific findings about the parties' ability to pay these costs. The bill also mandates that in actions to enforce custody, parent-time, child support, alimony, or property division orders, the court *shall* award reasonable attorney fees and costs to the prevailing party, rather than *may* award them, and removes the requirement that the prevailing party must have "substantially" prevailed. Additionally, it clarifies that if a court finds a party is indigent or for other specific reasons does not award fees, it must enter a finding explaining why. The bill also makes a technical correction to a cross-reference within the definition of "temporary alimony" and adjusts language regarding frivolous or harassing filings in custody or parent-time modification cases, and clarifies when attorney fees are awarded if a modification petition is denied. Finally, it sets an effective date for these changes.

Justice

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0555.html