If you are filing for divorce in Denver, Colorado, a Denver divorce mediator can help facilitate these important discussions. Trust Divorce Resolutions, LLC to guide you through the process. Our Denver divorce mediation lawyers provide a comprehensive overview of divorce mediation in Colorado.
Divorce can be a sensitive and complex process. You and your spouse will need to come to a series of agreements regarding your children, assets, debts, and more. Communicating can be difficult for many couples in these situations.
To qualify for divorce in Colorado, you or your spouse must have lived in the state for at least 91 days before filing. If you have minor children, the children must have lived in the state with a parent for at least 182 days.
If you are eligible, you and/or your spouse will need to file an initial petition for divorce, either in person at your county court clerk’s office or online via Colorado’s e-filing system.
Next, you’ll need to deliver the divorce petition to your spouse, no more than nine weeks after filing. If you file your divorce petition jointly, you’ll just need to make sure that both parties have a copy of the paperwork.
If you are filing a petition without your spouse’s involvement, you will need to serve your spouse. Generally, Denver residents serve divorce papers in one of two ways:
Your spouse can agree to waive formal service. In this case, you can mail the documents or deliver them to your spouse. Your spouse will need to sign the Waiver and Acceptance of Service form in front of a notary or court clerk.
If your spouse does not agree to a waiver, you will need to enlist a process server to deliver the documents on your behalf. A process server may be a private employee, a sheriff, or any person over the age of 18 who is not involved in the divorce. The process server will then need to provide a Return of Service form to you or the court.
Within 42 days after service of the divorce petition, both you and your spouse will need to file some documents with the court. The paperwork that you will need to submit may vary, but may include:
The decision to file for divorce is one of the most important – and most difficult – choices that a person may face during their lifetime. Because divorce can have such significant and far-reaching effects on your life, it is critical to make the proper actions.
Before notifying your partner of your intentions, we recommend all individuals reflect on the following do’s and don’ts of divorce:
Ensure divorce is what you really want: Once you file for divorce, it is very difficult to put that genie back in its bottle should you have second thoughts. While divorce is an inherently emotional decision, try to reflect on your feelings when you are in a calm state. It’s also beneficial to exhaust all possible avenues of resolution, such as marriage counseling, before moving forward with divorce.
Review your financial circumstances: Money is one of the two biggest drivers of disagreement during divorce proceedings. Take stock of what assets you own separately and what may be divided between you and your partner. It is also good to consider possible alimony and child support that you may receive or must pay.
Think about what’s best for your kids: The other major driver of divorce disputes is your children. As hard as divorce may be on you, it is even harder on your kids. Take a step back and try to consider what is going to be the most positive resolution for your children when the divorce is finalized.
Don’t let your emotions dictate your decisions: We touched on this previously, but it is worth repeating. Don’t let a momentary wave of anger, frustration or sadness be the driving factor that determines whether to proceed with divorce.
Don’t try to hide property: It can be tempting to hide some prized possessions from your partner. Doing so, however, could cause a significant amount of harm. If you are found to have hidden assets from your spouse, you could face financial penalties.
Don’t assume you have to fight: Depending on your circumstances, mediation may be an effective avenue for your divorce. Mediation can save time, money and reduce the stress that you and your partner will face as you navigate through your divorce.
Filing for divorce can be a complicated process, but the proceedings that follow can be even more complex. Litigation can be lengthy and cause significant conflict and distress. However, there are options for you and your spouse to resolve your divorce outside of the courtroom.
Mediation is a process where you and your spouse meet with a qualified, trained professional who can guide you through important decisions. You will work with the Denver divorce mediator to come up with agreements for child support, alimony, parental responsibilities, and more.
At the conclusion of mediation, you’ll create an agreement that works best for you and your family. With this process, you have more control, issues are typically resolved faster, and you can save a lot of time and stress while filing for divorce.
Understandably, filing for divorce can be emotional and overwhelming. Make sure that you have an attorney by your side who can guide you in the right direction. Our divorce mediators in Denver are all licensed attorneys, and some of them are retired judges. We have an in-depth understanding of the steps ahead of you and are ready to facilitate your divorce mediation.
To schedule an in-person or virtual consultation and get the assistance you need, call our office at (303) 650-1750 today. You can also fill out our online contact form. The offices of Divorce Resolutions are located in Westminster and Denver. We conduct videoconferences via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and other popular digital platforms. Our digital formats allow for both group interactions and one-on-one private conversations with clients anywhere in the world.
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