Key Takeaways Ask specific questions to confirm an attorney’s high-asset case experience early rather than assume they have such experience. Questions about business valuation, equity awards, and retirement classification reveal real experience with high-value assets. Questions about maintenance, property settlement, and parenting plans show if an attorney’s approach matches Colorado legal requirements. Asking about…
Key Takeaways A signed divorce decree is a binding court order, but several practical steps still follow before the case is truly finalized. Property division is generally final in Colorado, while spousal maintenance and parenting time may later be modified. If such accounts exist, a QDRO is required to divide many types of retirement…
Key Takeaways Colorado law treats grandparent visitation and grandparent custody as separate legal paths, each carrying a distinct standard. Common grounds include parental unfitness, abandonment, incarceration, a parent’s death, or established physical care of 182 days. A grandparent with 182 days of physical care of a grandchild may file within 182 days after that…
Key Takeaways Colorado courts are required to address children’s medical coverage in every divorce proceeding. Coverage is assigned based on the availability of employer-sponsored plans and whether premiums are reasonable. Child health insurance obligations are incorporated directly into child support orders. Both parents typically share uninsured medical expenses in proportion to their respective incomes….
Key Takeaways Mediation is a structured negotiation process facilitated by a neutral third party without decision-making authority. Colorado courts require mediation in most divorce cases before proceeding with a contested hearing or trial. Mediation can address property division, parental responsibilities, maintenance support, and post-decree cases. How each party presents their position during mediation directly…
Key Takeaways Colorado requires at least 91 days of domicile in the state in advance of filing the action before a court will have jurisdiction over a divorce case. A court with jurisdiction over the divorce does not always have jurisdiction over property or maintenance issues. Courts may divide jurisdiction over property, maintenance, support,…
Key Takeaways For cases involving the allocation of parental responsibilities, Colorado statute has established the roles of a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) and a Child Legal Representative (CLR). Courts may now appoint a CFI or a CLR in custody cases rather than a Guardian ad Litem, depending on details of the case. A…
Key Takeaways Written notice and court approval are required before relocating if there is a custody order in place and one parent does not support the relocation. Relocation disputes often involve modification of parenting time and decision-making authority. Colorado courts focus on the child’s best interests when evaluating relocation requests. Judges closely examine stability,…
Key Takeaways Colorado courts deny spousal maintenance when the requesting spouse earns a comparable income or is financially self-sufficient. Marriages under three years are not subject to Colorado’s advisory maintenance formula. A valid prenuptial agreement that waives spousal maintenance is enforceable under Colorado law. Substantial property awarded in a divorce can eliminate the need…
Key Takeaways Colorado divides assets through equitable distribution, not community property. Marital property includes assets acquired during marriage regardless of title. QDROs are required to divide 401(k) and 403(b) accounts in divorce. Long marriages may result in longer or indefinite maintenance awards. Ending a long-term marriage in Colorado carries financial and legal pressures that…
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Equity Partner Kathleen Ann Hogan, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a Family Law Attorney in Colorado.