West Valley City is Utah’s second largest city. On 26 February 1980 an incorporation vote was held for an unincorporated section of western Salt Lake County. By scant ninety-vote margin incorporation as West Valley City was approved for portions of Granger, Hunter, and Chesterfield. Almost immediately a petition drive was started for a disincorporation vote. In May, petitions signed by 7,787 residents were filed with the Salt Lake County Clerk and a disincorporation vote was scheduled for 8 July, seven days after the city was scheduled to go into operation. Since the name West Valley City was seen as too cumbersome, a seven member committee was appointed to select a name for the new city. The Committee’s choice of “Oquirrh City” was determined to be more awkward and it was decided to retain the original name of West Valley City. On 1 July 1980 the city’s new officials were sworn in, with Henry H. Price as mayor and Renee W. MacKay and Jerry L. Wagstaff as city commissioners. West Valley City was begun with no money, with borrowed equipment and personnel, and housed in a converted warehouse; in addition, it faced a disincorporation vote within a week. Since no financial institution would lend the new city funds, city officials were forced to pay for gasoline for the city’s police cars with personal funds.

On 8 July, the disincorporation vote failed by a margin of over 2,500 votes. Settlement began in the western area in the fall of 1848, when Joseph Harker became the first white man to settle the west side of the Jordan River, probably near present-day 600 West and 3300 South. Within a year, seven other families had moved into the area. In 1853, the settlers built a fort with thick walls of rock and adobe to protect themselves against possible Indian attack. Until the 1880s settlement was relatively slow in the western part of the county. From 1890 to 1900, however, the population increased by 79 percent as compared to 19 percent for Salt Lake City and an average of 33 percent for the state. Though the population steadily grew in the western section of Salt Lake County, it remained largely agricultural until the 1960s. Development progressed haphazardly. Subdivisions were built without sidewalks, gutters, and landscaping. By 1978 the population had increased to 72,000, and increasing service problems and perceived county indifference provoked residents to action. Some believed incorporation was the solution.

In 1978, the first incorporation vote failed, but the second vote held in 1980 succeeded. Since West Valley City was born more or less already full grown, it was confronted with a wide range of problems. At incorporation, West Valley City immediately became Utah’s third largest city. Most city watchers doubted its survival and predicted its early demise. Others proclaimed its incorporation heralded the incorporation of all unincorporated sections of Salt Lake County. Neither prediction has proved true. West Valley City celebrated its first decade by moving into a newly constructed and fully paid for city hall which replaced the totally inadequate remodeled warehouse. As the city began its second decade it boasted a population of 86,976, a 19.5 percent increase from 1980. By 1990 West Valley City was gaining respect both as a residential area and as a home for business and industry, with 25 percent of its area residential, 11 percent agricultural, 4 percent commercial, 1 percent parks, and 38 percent undeveloped.

Separation And Divorce In West Valley City

Going through a separation or divorce can be very difficult, no matter the reason for it. It can turn your world upside down and make it hard to get through the work day and stay productive. But there are things you can do to get through this difficult adjustment. Recognize that it’s okay to have different feelings. It’s normal to feel sad, angry, exhausted, frustrated and confused and these feelings can be intense. You also may feel anxious about the future. Accept that reactions like these will lessen over time. Even if the marriage was unhealthy, venturing into the unknown is frightening.

Give yourself a break. Give yourself permission to feel and to function at a less than optimal level for a period of time. You may not be able to be quite as productive on the job or care for others in exactly the way you’re accustomed to for a little while. No one is superman or superwoman; take time to heal, regroup and re-energize.

Don’t go through this alone. Sharing your feelings with friends and family can help you get through this period. Consider joining a support group where you can talk to others in similar situations. Isolating yourself can raise your stress levels, reduce your concentration, and get in the way of your work, relationships and overall health. Don’t be afraid to get outside help if you need it.

Take care of yourself emotionally and physically. Be good to yourself and to your body. Take time out to exercise, eat well and relax. Keep to your normal routines as much as possible. Try to avoid making major decisions or changes in life plans. Don’t use alcohol, drugs or cigarettes as a way to cope; they only lead to more problems.

Avoid power struggles and arguments with your spouse or former spouse. If a discussion begins to turn into a fight, calmly suggest that you both try talking again later and either walk away or hang up the phone.

Take time to explore your interests. Reconnect with things you enjoy doing apart from your spouse. Have you always wanted to take up painting or play on an intramural softball team? Sign up for a class, invest time in your hobbies, volunteer, and take time to enjoy life and make new friends.
Think positively. Easier said than done, right? Things may not be the same, but finding new activities and friends, and moving forward with reasonable expectations will make this transition easier. Be flexible. If you have children, family traditions will still be important but some of them may need to be adjusted. Help create new family activities.

Free Divorce Consultations West Valley City

It can be a tricky process when you’re out there searching for the best divorce lawyer for your case. It can be confusing and getting a divorce is rough enough as it is. As we’ve discussed previously, there are things you need to look out for when you hire a divorce lawyer. Going to a consultation with a divorce attorney or lawyer can make or break the deal in the whole divorce process. You need to treat each consultation like an interview. You need to be prepared before you walk through that door with every question that’s been replaying in your mind written on a sheet of paper. Free consultations are now offered by most reputable and affordable divorce lawyers out there. You shouldn’t be forced to pay a fee just to discuss if a lawyer can help you or not.

What Does A Free Consultation Consist Of?

For the services a divorce attorney offers you during the entire divorce process, you’re either charged by the hour or a flat fee. However, so that you find the right match for your needs, divorce lawyers are now offering a free initial consultation for possible clients. This also gives the lawyer a chance to decide if you’re a right fit for them. They have to worry about clients who no intentions to pay their fees and clients that they just aren’t able to help. It’s just as important for you to find the right attorneys as it is for the lawyer to find the right client. A free consultation is when a lawyer sits down with you to discuss your divorce and the nitty-gritty details. You’re going to get very personal with this lawyer. Some lawyers will offer you a free consultation over the phone if it’s more convenient for you.

These meetings will usually run from a half an hour to an hour, depending on the lawyer. After hearing your side of the story, they can offer you vague advice and how they feel your case will go. They may also inform you of your legal rights that you might not be aware of. If they have a strategy in mind, they may tell you the main points of how they can help you.

WHAT INFORMATION YOU NEED BEFORE YOUR DIVORCE CONSULTATION?

A List of You and Your Spouse’s Assets

It’s very important to have a list of you and your spouse’s assets when you walk into your meeting. This can include your bank accounts, your debts, vehicles, pets, and mortgages. Your list should include any and all assets that you both have accumulated during your marriage. All this information gives the lawyer an idea of what you’re fighting over. It also gives them a chance to foresee any future issues you may have to try to come to a settlement. This includes details of your income. This gives the lawyer an idea of what you may have to pay in alimony or child support. Or an idea of how much money you may receive from your spouse.

Divorce Costs and Legal Fees

One of the first things you want to discuss is the lawyer’s legal fees. Once they’ve heard your situation they should have an idea on how much your case is going to cost. These factors depend on whether or not it’s a contested divorce or uncontested divorce as well as if the custody of a child is involved. Some attorneys may try to skip over the cost of their services because they don’t want to scare you away as a client. You might have to bring up the subject yourself.

You’re Going to Have to Get Personal

If you’re going through a nasty contested divorce, you might want to shy away from unloading the personal details of your marriage to your lawyer. Don’t be shy or embarrassed. They deal with divorces every day, they know the drill. You’re going to want to bring up if someone had an affair. You’re going to need to talk about your spouse overspending or battling with addiction. Your lawyer needs to know all the details up front to get an idea of what they need to fight or what they can do for you.
Remember: Everything you tell the lawyer, even during a free consultation, is confidential

An uncontested divorce is one where the couple reaches an agreement on all major terms of a divorce decree without needing to argue the issues in court. This however, does not mean that an uncontested divorce happens without issue merely that the couple is able to come to an agreement without the need of a judge. Even if you are considering an uncontested divorce with your spouse, you still should hire a lawyer to represent your interests while negotiating during the divorce proceedings and for other issues that may arise during the divorce. Typically, a couple will choose an uncontested divorce when there are relatively few martial assets, liabilities, no children, and the term of the marriage is less than five years. However, that is not always the case, and couples with children, pets, and substantial martial property can still divorce using the uncontested process. Issues that must be settled between the spouses include the division of property, assets and debts, child custody and parenting agreements, and spousal support. Hiring a lawyer to help negotiate the terms of an uncontested divorce can be incredibly helpful to the process. Lawyers have experience negotiating divorce settlements, and even in an uncontested divorce there can be disagreements that require a compromise before the divorce is final. Another reason to hire a lawyer for an uncontested divorce is that a lawyer can handle all of the paperwork with the opposing side as well as with the court. This takes the stress of navigating a complex legal system out of your hands and allows you to focus on rebuilding your life after the divorce. Taking the pressure off of handling the divorce yourself can also be helpful during the negotiations, creating a less adversarial environment and leading to more productive, amicable discussions. An attorney can also review the final paperwork before submitting it to the court, ensuring that you understand all legal rights you have or are forsaking in the final divorce decree before submitting it to a judge for the final signing. Finally, hiring a lawyer for an uncontested divorce is recommended because there is always the chance that an uncontested divorce turns into a contested divorce. For some couples, it simply is not possible to come to an agreement on certain issues in the marriage, and if negotiations break down, each side will need representation for the remainder of the divorce proceedings. Hiring a lawyer from the start gives the attorney full knowledge of what has occurred and allows him or her to immediately begin preparing for a contested divorce proceeding with the other side.

Important Qualities Your Divorce Lawyer Must Have

Aside from the death of a loved one, a divorce is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through. Finding a divorce lawyer can be a daunting task when you’re faced with so many other worries. The lawyer you hire will be representing you for several months, or even a year or more, which means finding the right lawyer can make the divorce process a lot easier on you and your family.
When looking to hire an attorney to represent you in your divorce, you should look for someone with the following qualities:

1. The Ability To Communicate Well

Clear and easy communication with your divorce lawyer is critical. During your case, you will need to be able to effectively communicate your concerns and expectations to your lawyer, and your attorney will need to be able to clearly explain things to you regarding your case and provide you with realistic expectations. If an attorney doesn’t listen to you well or can’t explain things in a way you can understand, you should continue your search. While it may seem counter-intuitive, your attorney’s ability to communicate with your spouse and your spouse’s attorney is also essential, because good communication between the attorneys can facilitate fruitful negotiation and keep costs down. A good divorce lawyer will try to negotiate resolution of some of the issues that are important to you before heading straight to court. (Of course, the ability to communicate well with your spouse and his/her attorney does require some cooperation on their part as well.) If you end up in court, your attorney also needs to be able to effectively communicate with the court and litigate passionately. This is important because you will need your attorney to represent your interests clearly and to be trusted by the court.

2. Skill And Experience

You should look for an attorney who not only can represent you, but can represent you well. And in order to represent you well, the attorney must be skilled. Your divorce case is likely to touch all aspects of your life-family, finances, retirement, career, etc. To protect your interests, your attorney should be knowledgeable and experienced enough in his or her practice to deal with the complexities of your case, while allowing you to continue your daily life as much as possible. You should look for an attorney who has experience in divorce and family law with cases similar to yours. For example, if you are dealing with high-conflict custody, or perhaps a substantial net worth, find out if a divorce lawyer is knowledgeable in those specific areas. Check their credentials thoroughly and look for attorneys who continue to seek knowledge and experience through continuing education opportunities.

3. Availability

When considering hiring an attorney to represent you in your divorce, look for someone who is available at the key points in your case (or who has the support available if an issue comes up while your attorney is in court on another matter or out of the office). A good divorce lawyer should be available to respond to your questions in a timely manner or, if not available right away, give you a time frame within which to expect an answer. You should also look for an attorney who is not so busy with other cases that he/she does not have time to devote himself or herself fully to your case. Don’t expect to be your attorney’s only client, but you should not be lost in a sea of clients, either.

4. Composure

Your attorney’s ability to maintain composure is not just about staying calm and focused with you, but also about exhibiting self-control before the court or with your spouse’s attorney, even if frustrated. You should look for a divorce lawyer who will represent your interests strongly, but who will not take it personally when things do not turn out exactly as your attorney intended. Surprises happen in divorce, because you cannot fully anticipate what the other side or the court will do. Your attorney should maintain composure so that he or she is always representing your interests and is willing and able to adjust their strategy when needed. Your attorney should be focused, composed, and professional, especially when representing you to the court.

5. Support And Resources

It is unlikely that you will be your attorney’s only client, and because your attorney is human, your attorney will not always be immediately available to you when you have a question. You should look for an attorney who has support staff and other attorneys available to assist in the event of an emergency. It is also important that your attorney have support and resources available to prepare your case in a timely manner, such as experienced paralegals, support attorneys, and legal assistants.

West Valley Lawyer

When you need legal help with a West Valley City Lawyer, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.