No one goes into a marriage thinking their walk down the aisle will end in front of a judge in divorce court, but sometimes life’s path takes an unanticipated turn. For those facing a divorce in Colorado, many spouses who are new to the process wonder what a divorce decree looks like, what’s included in the decree, and why divorced spouses need copies of this important document to ensure that they remain in compliance with the terms of their divorce….

Divorce is never a happy experience, but in the best-case scenario, divorcing spouses can come to mutually agreeable terms on all aspects of the divorce to avoid court. Unfortunately, this isn’t as common as divorces in which spouses dispute one or more aspects of the divorce such as child custody, the distribution of their marital assets, or spousal maintenance payments (alimony). When spouses cannot agree on the terms of their divorce it becomes a contested divorce which requires a discovery…

Going through a divorce is never an easy time, but some spouses choose to minimize the emotional strife by filing for an uncontested divorce. An uncontested divorce is one in which the spouses agree to all terms and draft a settlement agreement without requiring a hearing or a judge’s decision on each aspect of the divorce. Divorce agreements in Colorado include decisions on the equitable distribution of marital property, a parenting-time (child custody) schedule, child support payments, and in some…

Colorado courts make all decisions in the best interests of the children. For family court in Colorado, the presumption is that a continued meaningful relationship and frequent close contact with both parents is in a child’s best interests. Most custody agreements in Colorado support this presumption. However, the court also understands that situations change and new information sometimes comes to light. If the court finds sufficient evidence to believe that one parent is endangering a child’s physical or emotional well-being,…

Divorces are often difficult and fraught with emotion. When one party doesn’t want the divorce the process becomes even more distressing. However, it only takes one spouse to seek a divorce for the process to begin, and a divorce can go all the way to finalization even if one spouse refuses to respond. The spouse who believes the marriage is irretrievably broken can file a petition for divorce in Colorado even when the other spouse wishes to reconcile or resists…