March 03, 2010 - William L. Henry IV
Castle Rock divorce attorney Bill Henry discusses what you can expect in a divorce in Colorado.
Divorce happens for a variety of reasons. Divorce can happen suddenly or it can occur over a long drawn out period of the marriage. Regardless of how or why your divorce occurs, whether you are the petitioner (the one who starts the divorce) or the respondent, here are some points to keep in mind.
First, understand that divorce is one of the most stressful times that you will ever go through. For many people, it is their first interaction with the legal system beyond a minor traffic ticket. In addition, what you do in the divorce will affect you for years to come, so the stakes are very high.
A divorce is initiated by a petition for dissolution of marriage. Once the petition is served and filed with the court, an automatic temporary injunction is put in place. The injunction stops parties from adding debt, hiding or wasting assets, and taking each other off of health insurance. Another important aspect of the injunction is to prohibit parents from taking children out of the state of Colorado without permission of the other parent or the court.
Your divorce lawyer will coordinate the preparation of a sworn financial statement and other disclosures that each spouse must provide to the other. From these disclosures, your Castle Rock divorce attorney will determine if maintenance (alimony) may be required, as well as child support payments, and property and debt division.
In Castle Rock, your case may be overseen by court facilitator. The court facilitator's responsibility is to ensure that all parties have the proper documentation to the court and that the case moves along properly.
Divorcing couples can reduce attorney costs by having realistic expectations during the divorce and reaching agreement with the other spouse on important matters if possible. If both parties can come to a settlement, it generally results in the best result for both spouses.
Nevertheless, sometimes you need to go to court. The other side may be acting unreasonably or may not cooperate during the divorce process. Always keep in mind that you should never "settle" because you are tired and want the divorce to be over with. What you do in your divorce will affect you for years to come, and it is much more difficult to go back and change things after the divorce has occured.
Robinson & Henry has offices in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Castle Rock. Our divorce attorneys can represent you in your divorce, child support, or other post-decree matter. Contact one of our lawyers at (303) 688-0944 for a free consultation for divorce matters. You may also schedule your appointment online by clicking here.