(1)  In addition to other procedures available to a party, a party to a child custody proceeding may offer testimony of witnesses who are located in another state, including testimony of the parties and the child, by deposition or other means allowable in this state for testimony taken in another state. The court on its own motion may order that the testimony of a person be taken in another state and may prescribe the manner in which and the terms upon which the testimony is taken.

Terms Used In Utah Code 78B-13-111

  • Child: means an individual under 18 years of age and not married. See Utah Code 78B-13-102
  • Court: means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child custody determination. See Utah Code 78B-13-102
  • Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Person: includes government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Utah Code 78B-13-102
  • State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Utah Code 78B-13-102
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Writing: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(2)  A court of this state may permit an individual residing in another state to be deposed or to testify by telephone, audiovisual means, or other electronic means before a designated court or at another location in that state. A court of this state shall cooperate with courts of other states in designating an appropriate location for the deposition or testimony.

(3)  Documentary evidence transmitted from another state to a court of this state by technological means that do not produce an original writing may not be excluded from evidence on an objection based on the means of transmission.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session