Business Details
25 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Trusted Family Law Partner in Salt Lake City
BartonWood is a boutique family law firm serving Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front since 2001. Our attorneys specialize in providing personalized legal representation for individuals navigating complex family law matters, including divorce, child custody, alimony, and protective orders. With over 30 years of combined experience, we prioritize client needs by combining legal expertise with compassionate guidance to minimize stress during emotionally challenging times.Our approach emphasizes ethical practices, efficient case management, and tailored strategies that reflect each client's unique circumstances. We maintain strong relationships with local courts and professionals to ensure informed advocacy while upholding transparency in all communications. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition from clients and peers alike, establishing us as trusted advisors in Utah family law.
Services
Divorce
Child Custody
Child Support
Alimony
Protective Orders
Complex Asset Division
Details
- Year established: 2001
Highlights and features
- We offer over 20 years of combined experience in Utah family law
- Our attorneys specialize exclusively in family law matters
- We prioritize ethical practices and transparent communication
- We provide personalized strategies for complex legal challenges
- Our team maintains strong relationships with local courts and professionals
What people say
Exceptional legal expertise
Compassionate representation
Stress reduction during proceedings
Successful case outcomes
Responsive communication
Services
Divorce
BartonWood provides comprehensive divorce representation tailored to individual circumstances. Our attorneys handle contested and uncontested cases, focusing on property division, spousal support, and post-divorce modifications. We help clients understand Utah's residency requirements, fault-based and no-fault options, and court procedures while minimizing emotional strain through strategic advocacy.
Child Custody
We advocate for clients in legal and physical custody determinations, addressing joint custody arrangements, visitation rights, and modification of existing orders. Our team works with custody evaluators to develop child-centered solutions while explaining Utah's 111-overnight threshold and decision-making authority distinctions to help clients achieve favorable outcomes.
Child Support
Our firm guides clients through Utah's child support guidelines, including daycare cost allocation, health insurance responsibilities, and healthcare expense division. We ensure accurate financial declarations and proper documentation of expenses while protecting clients' interests during support modification proceedings and enforcement actions.
Alimony
BartonWood represents clients in temporary and permanent alimony determinations, focusing on need assessments, payer ability, and standard of living considerations. We leverage local court knowledge to negotiate fair settlements or litigate complex cases involving high-income couples, business valuations, and prenuptial agreements.
Protective Orders
We assist victims of domestic violence in obtaining emergency and permanent protective orders while addressing related custody and property issues. Our team also defends against false allegations, ensuring clients' rights are protected during hearings and explaining criminal consequences for order violations.
People
Kara Lee Barton
Managing Partner
Founder of BartonWood with 20+ years of family law experience. Member of Kansas, Idaho, and Utah Bars. Specializes in divorce, custody, and complex asset division while maintaining strong local court relationships.
Ashley Wood
Partner
Focuses on divorce, custody, adoption, and protective orders. Provides compassionate representation while leveraging extensive knowledge of Utah family law procedures and local judicial practices.
Questions
What are Utah's requirements for filing divorce?
Either spouse must reside in Utah for 3 months. If minor children exist, they must live in Utah for 6 months. Both parties must attend divorce education programs.
How does Utah determine child custody?
Courts prioritize children's best interests using statutory guidelines. Physical custody considers overnight counts, while legal custody determines decision-making authority for health, education, and welfare.
What factors affect alimony awards in Utah?
Courts evaluate recipient need, payer ability to pay, and standard of living during marriage. No fixed formulas exist, requiring experienced local representation for accurate predictions.
How are child support payments calculated?
Utah uses child support guidelines considering both parents' incomes, custody arrangements, and additional costs like daycare and health insurance. Courts may deviate from standard calculations in complex cases.
What protections do protective orders provide?
Protective orders prohibit contact, threats, and harassment while addressing temporary custody, property possession, and firearm restrictions. Violations carry criminal penalties including fines and jail time.
