A divorce is one of the toughest experiences anyone can endure and Colorado’s divorce and family court system is not easy to navigate unless you’re familiar with the system or have a highly experienced Colorado divorce attorney on your side.
When it comes to divorce, Colorado is a purely” no-fault” state. Marrison Family Law believes this means the court will not consider either spouse’s misconduct when deciding whether to grant a divorce, award alimony or divide property. Issues such as drug abuse and adultery are not taken into consideration.
You may file for divorce in Colorado if the marriage is “irretrievably” broken, which simply means that there’s no chance of reconciliation
Property Division
Colorado is an equitable distribution state. Rather than the judge having to divide property equally between spouses, he/she can divide it on the basis of fairness. The court will consider several factors in determining an equitable distribution, such as each user’s contribution to the marital estate, the economic circumstances of each spouse and the value of the estate, among other factors.
Child Support and Child Custody
Colorado calculates child support based on the incomes of both parents and continues until the child reaches the age of 19 or graduates from high school. The amount of support may be adjusted based on several factors and the court may also order one or both parents to provide support for the child’s college education. Regarding child custody matters, Colorado courts make custody orders based on the child’s best interest and encourage parents to share the responsibility of parenting.
Alimony
The court may require a spouse to provide alimony (financial maintenance) to the other after a divorce. This is determined based on several factors. For instance, if the combined income of the coupe is above $75000, the court may require the higher earning spouse to support the other while the divorce is pending. If the couple’s combined income is below $75000, the court will make a decision based on factors such as the financial resources of both spouses, the living standards during marriage, and duration of the marriage, just to mention a few. Either spouse may request that the maintenance amount be modified if there’s a significant change in circumstances.
Effects of Divorce
With rising rates of divorce today, the negative effects of children and families are prevalent. Depending on how the couple’s and their children, as well as the extended family, handle the divorce, each family has a different way of going about the issue. Divorces can be brutal, and many studies have noted the negative impact of divorce on families and children resulting in consistent change in emotional and psychological states of the people involved.
There are as many arguments for and against a divorce but should you opt for a dissolution of marriage, it’s important to have proper legal representation.
Marrison Family law is dedicated to helping families understand their legal options and obtain the best solution. The attorneys and lawyers at the firm are highly experienced to ensure you make the best choices for yourself and your family for the best outcomes.
