Divorce & Legal Separation

Ending a marriage is hard enough. You don’t need a divorce attorney who adds fuel to the fire; you need an attorney who can help bring peace to you and your children. I am not a typical divorce lawyer; I am committed to helping you break up with your spouse with minimal collateral damage.

Divorce and legal separation present a variety of issues. While the issues may be the same, no two divorces are the same. I do not take a one-size-fits-all approach to your divorce. I will listen to your concerns, and help you craft a plan that works for your family’s needs.

parenting time 

The court must divide parenting time based on the best interests of the children. This requires a judge to consider a variety of factors, such as each parent's relationship with the child, and the parent's ability to put the child's needs ahead of their own.

A judge may appoint a neutral third party to investigate and make recommendations about parenting time. For limited investigations, the court can appoint a Child & Family Investigator, or CFI. More in-depth investigations, such as when there are mental health concerns, require the appointment of a Parenting Responsibilities Evaluator or PRE.

division of property and debts

Whether you’re getting a legal separation or a divorce, the court will have to divide your assets and debts.

First, the court will characterize each piece of property as "marital" or "separate." Only marital property can be divided by the court.

Once the property is characterized, the court will divide it between the spouses. Colorado uses an "equitable," or fair, division of assets. This does not necessarily mean a 50/50 division.

child support

Each parent has a duty to support their child. The court calculates child support using a formula that considers each parent's income, as well as expenses like child care, health insurance, and medical expenses.

In some circumstances, the court can deviate from the child support worksheet if it results in an unfair amount of child support. Each divorce in Denver is different, and requires close examination of the facts to determine whether a deviation is appropriate.

maintenance

You may be familiar with the term “alimony,” which is support paid from one spouse to the other. Colorado uses the term “maintenance” to refer to these types of payments. 

attorneys' fees 

If there is a big gap between the parties' incomes, the court can order one spouse to pay the other's attorneys’ fees. These fees can even be awarded in advance in certain circumstances. 

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