Getting a divorce is probably not what you would prefer, but if you’ve tried to work through your marital issues and haven’t been able to resolve them, then it may be the only option. With a divorce in Colorado, you’ll see that the state requires you to live there for at least 91 days before you can file. If you don’t live there but your spouse does, you can file as soon as they have lived there for 91 days.
Once you have met the time requirement, you should decide where to file. Usually, you file with the district court in your county or the county where your spouse lives. It’s at that point you can decide to file together or separately. If you file separately, you can ask your attorney to submit your petition for a divorce for you. If you file together, you will not have to serve the other party with the divorce petition, which saves time and a step of the process.
Make sure you go to your Initial Status Conference
Something unique in Colorado is the Initial Status Conference. This conference is one that both you and your spouse need to attend. Usually, the person who filed for divorce will have to give the other person 14 days of notice prior to the ISC.
When the ISC happens, you’ll be expected to appear in family court and will usually meet with a Family Court Facilitator. It’s expected that you’ll bring all the forms that were requested in your initial case management order.
The facilitator will give you more information on what you need to do throughout the divorce case and answer any questions you have. Remember, this person is not an attorney. They can’t give legal advice. However, they can point you in the right direction if you want to find an attorney or need to understand more about when you’ll be expected to come to court.
This meeting has to happen within 42 days of filing for divorce. If you miss it, you may need to refile. Your Denver divorce attorney can help you make sure that you don’t miss that deadline after you start the divorce process.