Legal Question in Family Law in Utah

3rd party custody complaint exaggerates my words

A neighborhood couple is going through a custody dispute on a 16 year old girl. In the complaint, the father listed me as a ''mutual acquaintance'' and paraphrased two conversations. However, those paraphrases are inaccurate and wildly exaggerated. I really do not want to get in the middle of this, but now the mother has asked for a letter. The complaint states that the daughter has stayed at our home numerous times because of disputes with the mother - this is not true. The real statement was that, if ever she needed it, she had a safe place to stay. The second complaint said that I told the father his daughter was doing drugs and hanging out with friends doing drugs. The real comment was that, on one of the two occasions she was visiting me, she received a phone call from some kid asking if she had any marijuana. This did concern me, but I have no knowledge whether she is or is not doing drugs.

So, I feel like I am an ancillary and ill-informed person being pulled into this. If I write a letter to clarify, do I risk being pulled in to testify?


Asked on 3/08/07, 10:57 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Alvin Lundgren Alvin R. Lundgren, L.C.

Re: 3rd party custody complaint exaggerates my words

You can be summoned to testify whether or not you write the letter. It would be wise of you to set the record straight - it is the moral and right thing to do. You are already involved. Set the record straight and do not let others misrepresent you. Your failure to do anything only rewards the person who made false representations. Stand up for the truth.

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Answered on 3/08/07, 11:33 am


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