Salt Lake City Family Law
For nearly three decades, Kara Barton has guided individuals and families through divorce, custody, and complex family legal matters with compassion, strategy, and unwavering dedication.
About Kara Barton
Kara Barton is a member of the Idaho and Utah Bars. She has practiced family law exclusively since 2003, and has been serving residents of the Wasatch Front since 2001. She is committed to providing quality legal services to her clients in the most cost-efficient manner possible.
She understands that whether it is divorce, child custody, decree modification or an enforcement issue, her clients are trusting her with all they hold most dear — their assets, their homes, and their children.
For the first seven years of her practice, Kara handled personal injury, construction, employment, medical malpractice, and corporate defense law. This broad foundation provides unique interdisciplinary insight into the complexity of family law cases.
BA English & BS Philosophy, University of Utah
JD, Washburn School of Law (Cum Laude)
Utah Legal Elite nominee
Published in the Washburn Law Journal
What We Do
Comprehensive family law services tailored to your unique situation
Guiding you through every step of the divorce process with clear counsel and strong advocacy for your interests.
Protecting your parental rights and working toward custody arrangements that serve your children's best interests.
Ensuring fair spousal support and child support arrangements through skilled negotiation and litigation.
Protecting your financial future through equitable division of marital property, businesses, and debts.
Swift, decisive action to secure protective orders when you or your children need immediate legal protection.
Helping you modify existing court orders when circumstances change, including custody, support, and visitation.
Drafting and reviewing marital agreements to protect your assets before or during marriage.
Establishing or challenging paternity to protect parental rights and ensure proper support obligations.
Our Team
Kara is a member of the Idaho and Utah Bars and has practiced family law exclusively since 2003. She founded her practice in 2001 and has served the Wasatch Front for nearly three decades. She is committed to providing quality legal services in the most cost-efficient manner possible.
Brooke is the frontline of our firm. She is dedicated to supporting clients through every step of their case with compassion and attention to detail. Her dedication to case management and exceptional client communication ensures that clients understand the process from their initial consultation to the finalization of their case. Her goal is to make the legal process as stress-free as possible for our clients. Brooke began her legal career in 2012 and has exclusively been a family law paralegal for Kara since 2016.
Traci began her legal career in 1993. Her vast knowledge and background in the legal field make her remarkably skilled at drafting and successfully supporting the Barton Law team. She methodically manages gathering and organizing of crucial information and documents.
Testimonials
"I had the pleasure of working with Kara Barton during a very difficult time in my life, and I couldn't be more grateful for the level of professionalism and support I received. From our initial consultation to the final resolution, Kara was exceptional."— Nannette Martin
"Kara is an incredible and competent attorney who was supportive through the entire legal process. Kara always gave practical legal advice and was fiercely on my side. I always felt confident with her representation."— Aydree Perschon
"I was facing a difficult divorce and needed an attorney who was smart, tough, and effective. Kara came highly recommended as just that kind of attorney. Kara is not only smart and capable — she genuinely cares about her clients."— Courtney Arrendale
"I spent years with another law firm where I never felt my divorce case mattered. Once I found Kara Barton all that changed. She immersed herself into the details of my case! I was often surprised at how knowledgeable she was about every aspect."— Jeff Eastman
"Kara astutely understood my painful and difficult situation. I'm incredibly grateful for her outstanding and reliable representation. I would recommend Kara Barton and her team without reservation."— Diane Liu
"If you are looking for the best divorce attorney in the Wasatch Front, look no further. Kara Barton helped me get through my divorce with no issues whatsoever. I felt confident through the whole process and got everything I deserved."— Cody Murray
Read more reviews on Google.
Resources
Helpful answers and links for individuals navigating divorce and family law in Utah
Unless extreme circumstances exist, there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period for divorce in Utah that must be met. Each divorce is unique and the timeframe cannot be guaranteed. Some factors that may lengthen the process include a custody evaluation, business valuation, or the inability to reach an agreement, which will then require a trial. The standard deadlines should place each case in a position to be certified for trial in approximately 300 days from the date you file for divorce. However, these deadlines can be extended if necessary.
When parents cannot agree on custody, often times a party will request that a neutral third party with credentials in psychology provide an opinion about what custody and parent time would be in the best interest of your children. There are several factors an evaluator will look at when determining their recommendations. However, a Utah court is not required to adopt the evaluator's recommendations.
Mediation is a confidential process and is required by Utah courts in divorce cases. Parties must attend mediation at least once prior to trial. It is a forum where you, your spouse, attorneys, and a neutral mediator meet in an attempt to reach a settlement, whether temporary or permanent. This allows the parties to reach an agreement that caters to their family's particular needs rather than having a judge dictate the division of the marital estate and what custody will be.
Utah courts require each party to a divorce to complete a financial declaration and provide supporting documents to the other party. These are called Initial Disclosures. These documents provide transparency between sides and helps determine a person's gross and net income; debts; assets; investments and retirement; bank accounts; and living expenses. Gross income is used to determine child support, while net income and living expenses help attorneys and the court determine whether alimony is appropriate.
Under Utah child custody law, sole physical custody is when the noncustodial parent has parent time one evening each week (not overnight) and every other weekend from Friday to Sunday — or the equivalent of 110 overnights per year or less. Whereas the minimum threshold for joint physical custody is 111 overnights per year.
Legal custody of a child has to do with decision-making authority. If a parent has sole legal custody, he/she can make all major decisions regarding the child's health, education, religion, and other important decisions. Joint legal custody requires the parents to consult with one another prior to making major decisions regarding the child. Joint legal custody of some kind is presumed to be in the best interest of your children unless proven otherwise.
Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation. Your first conversation is without obligation.
Get in TouchContact Us
Legal matters involving your family can create some of the most stressful times of your life. Our approach is to provide exceptional legal services in a manner that alleviates the stress of your case.
551 East South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Utah · Idaho