Christopher Wharton

Christopher Wharton

Divorce and separation Attorney at Salt Lake City, UT

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Reviews
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Resume

Efficient and Professional

I recently hired Chris to help me with an expungement I have been putting off due to worries about time and money. Chris's assistant helped me through each step of the process and always had everything prepped and ready for me to look over and sign when I arrived. Chris made sure I felt taken care of and was always available to answer all my questions. The office is very nice and the whole staff is very professional and efficient. I would highly recommend Chris Wharton Law to anyone in Salt Lake County or the surrounding areas looking for an affordable, high-quality lawyer.

By far the best I found

About Christopher

Learn Christopher’s areas of practice.

Practice areas

Civil rights

25%

LGBT advocacy, parental rights, same-sex relationships, name and gender changes, discrimination, LGBTQ youth, hate crimes victim advocacy, common law marriage, gestational agreements, surrogacy, same-sex adoptions, living together agreements, violation of constitutional rights, etc.
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13 years
Divorce and separation

25%

Divorce, separation, child support, alimony, custody, asset division, separation agreements, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, living together agreements, common law marriages, etc.
... Read more
13 years
Family

25%

Custody, child support, alimony, custody, guardian ad litem services, parental rights, asset division, modifications, protective orders, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, living together agreements, common law marriages, gestational agreements, surrogacy, wills, trusts, guardianships, estate planning, family-based immigration petitions, etc.
... Read more
13 years
Adoption

15%

Foster care adoptions, private adoptions, direct adoptions, stepparent adoptions, termination of parental rights, voluntary relinquishment, etc.

13 years
Criminal defense

10%

Lower level felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions in state district court and justice courts.

13 years

Outside the courtroom and the office, I like getting involved with community activism, local politics, and volunteer work. I love art, independent music and films, American and British history, and spending time with my friends and family.

Licensed for 12 years

State UT

Status Active

Acquired 2010

Updated 01/07/2023

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Contact Christopher

Chris Wharton Law

165 South Main Street

Suite 200

Salt Lake City, UT, 84111

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Reviews

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4.1 / 5.0

8 customer reviews

5 Star

75%

4 Star

3 Star

Posted by Hailey | February 13, 2017

Efficient and Professional

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Posted by Nathan | February 10, 2017

By far the best I found

Chris and his team helped me at a time I really needed it. At a time when your world is crumbling from divorce, they were there for me. Super professional, super responsive, super helpful! I would strongly encourage anyone seeking an attorney for divorce to contact Chris and his team. A+++

Posted by Kari | October 9, 2015

Chris is Wonderful!

Chris is an incredible attorney. He kept me well informed during the process of my divorce. He worked efficiently and always got back to me within a timely manner. His fees were very reasonable. Chris is very professional. He is kind, honest and fair. He really went above and beyond to make sure I was protected. Even long after the divorce was finalized, Chris still answers questions and clarifies lingering issues. I have recommended Chris to several friends and will continue to. He is wonderful!

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Posted by Stewart | March 1, 2014

Domestic case dismissed

Chris is a great defense attorney. He was able to get my case dismissed. What I liked most about Chris was that he kept me well informed about my case. He was professional and coached me very well. When I got emotional he was able to calm me down. He took good notes during our interviews and knew how to defend me. I thought his price was affordable and he is a good person to have on your side. I would definitely recommend Chris to anyone that needs an attorney.

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Posted by Robert | January 27, 2014

Chris worked tirelessly to get me out of a bad situation...

Chris went above and beyond to get me out of a mess that was really due to arrogance of certain law enforcement, as well as miscommunication. His fees were VERY fair and his knowledge as a former prosecutor helped clinch my victory in court. I owe him my professional license.. He is highly recommended..

Posted by Emma | January 21, 2014

Wonderful Service, Would Recommend Chris to Anyone!

My husband and I have been working with Chris for over a year now, working on finalizing a child custody issue. Chris has been such a good listener, and really looked out for our best interests. We have witnessed the opposing council's lack of professionalism and knowledge of Utah State laws, and have been so utterly grateful for the knowledge and competency of Chris and his firm. I highly recommend Chris for Family Law. He has demonstrated his dedication to the law and his clients!

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Posted by Charles | August 21, 2019

Dissatisfied

I originally wrote a review of my experience with Mr. Wharton, but I was instructed that I couldn't write what I had written about my experience with him as a lawyer. This is my second attempt, I will state that he has a partner and a paralegal this is amazing. I would utilize them before I would utilize Mr. Wharton.

Posted by anonymous | February 10, 2017

Unprofessional and not prepared

Late, lacks communication, dresses inappropriate for court, not prepared, not familiar with the laws or proper processes.

Response from Christopher Wharton February 13, 2017

Dear Anonymous, You have posted similar reviews on other sites but I have still not been able to verify whether I ever had you as a client. I looked into the name you provided on other sites and I have never represented a client with that name. If I had more information about you or your case, I could address your concerns and try to resolve them. Without that, I have no way to explain or remedy the situation.

Read less

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Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

Managing Attorney
Chris Wharton Law, LLC
2012 - Present

Associate Attorney
Sharifi & Baron, PLLC
2010 - Present

Law Clerk
Sharifi & Baron, PLLC
2009 - 2010

Practicing Student/Intern
Salt Lake City Prosecutor's Office
2008 - 2009

Law Clerk
Utah Attorney General's Office
2008 - 2009

View all work experience

Education

University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
2009

Westminster College (Salt Lake City)
BA - Bachelor of Arts
2006

Legal Cases

D**** vs. D****
Full agreement between parties

Matter of KJS & JRS
Guardianship and reunification

N**** vs. S******
Joint Custody & Reunification

View all legal cases

Associations

Watkiss-Sutherland II American Inn of Court
Associate Member
2014 - Present

LGBT & Allied Bar Association of Utah
Community Outreach Chair
2014 - Present

Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission
Commissioner
2011 - Present

Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
2010 - Present

Utah State Bar, Family Law Section
Member
2010 - Present

Utah Pride Center
Board of Directors
2010 - Present

Utah State Bar, Juvenile Law Section
Member
2010 - Present

Salt Lake County Bar Association
Member
2010 - Present

Utah State Bar
Attorney Member
2010 - Present

Utah State Bar, Young Lawyers Division
President-Elect
2014 - 2015

View all associations

Languages Spoken

English

Honors and Awards

Torch of Freedom
ACLU of Utah
2010

Recognition of Service
University of Utah Pro Bono Initiative
2009

Publications

Utah Bar Journal
More Than Marriage: Utah's System of De Jure Denigration Goes Before the U.S. Supreme Court
2013

Salt Lake City Weekly
Disposable Dad: Even With Court-Ordered Visitation Rights, This Divorced Father Still Got Dumped By His Kids
2013

University of Utah Journal of Law and Family Studies
Fighting Like Cats and Dogs: The Emerging Practice of Pet Custody Litigation
2008

University of Utah Journal of Law and Family Studies
Deserted in Deseret: LGBT Homeless Youth and Polygamist Family Runaways
2008

View all publications

Speaking Engagements

GSA Network Training Conference
Student's Rights
2012

University of Utah Pride Week
Know Your Rights: LGBT Issues and the Law
2010

Attorney endorsements

Received (11)

Given (6)

Endorse Christopher

Matthew Bell

Divorce and separation Attorney | Jul 06
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse Christopher. Chris is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney who is justifiably well respected in the community."

Keil Myers

Unknown Attorney | Jun 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Chris. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community and always willing to help out."

Brooke Ashton

Family Attorney | Jun 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Chris is both a great person and a great attorney. I would recommend him to anyone who needs a family law or criminal law attorney."

Mark Rowe

Civil rights Attorney | Apr 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"He is thorough, detail-orientated, and works tirelessly to protect his clients rights. Christopher Wharton aggressively pursues every angle of a case on behalf of his clients. I would not hesitate to refer a client to him."

Trevor Casperson

Family Attorney | Feb 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I had the pleasure of working with this attorney while he was a guardian. I felt he did an excellent job as a guardian ad litem. He carefully interviewed both sides and came up with a thorough analysis. I also know that he works hard for individuals even when they can't pay. He took on a client pro-bono who couldn't afford my low-bono services and helped as far as he could. He's a good attorney and a good man."

Michael Waddington

Criminal defense Attorney | Jun 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Christopher. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Russell Pietryga

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 16
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Danielle Hawkes

Family Attorney | Feb 22
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Chris is a fantastic lawyer. He is strategic and smart. I regularly refer friends and acquaintances to him without hesitation. He is especially well versed in complex family and criminal cases."

Philip Wormdahl

Government Attorney | Aug 23
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I went to law school with Chris and worked with him as an intern at the Salt Lake City Prosecutor's Office. I know him to be a dedicated, trustworthy attorney. I would not hesitate to recommend him to a friend or family member."

Yossof Sharifi

Family Attorney | Apr 07
Relationship: Co-worker

"Chris is aggressive and knows the law better than most attorneys with twice his experience. I've seen him negotiate good deals for his clients from reluctant prosecutors, and argue successfully for long-shot positions with judges. I would highly recommend him."

Joshua Baron

Family Attorney | Apr 07
Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"Chris is an excellent and thorough attorney. He works hard for his clients. He can aggressively protect their interests while listening compassionately to their unique issues. I recommend his work."

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