Your Guide to Getting a Divorce in Colorado
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Getting a divorce in Denver or anywhere else may be a long and complex process, and this is why it’s a good idea for you to understand what you need to do. It’s also important to work with a professional as they can help you learn about the process as well as the right way to go about it. Outlined below is a short guide to help you get a divorce in Colorado the right way. It may help you know what to expect and make the process a bit less of a hassle for you.
You Need to File a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
The first step that you need to take is to file a petition for dissolution of marriage. This involves preparing the necessary paperwork that will include your divorce pleadings. Keep in mind that 69% of divorces are a result of infidelity. This may be the reason why you’re filing for divorce or not. Just make sure that you let the lawyers you’re working with know the details.
Next, Serve Your Spouse
The next step is to serve your spouse with the divorce papers. This may be a bit complicated because of the varying nature of people and other details such as not even knowing where you can find your spouse to serve them. If the latter is the case for you, your lawyers have a number of methods they can use to find a missing spouse and make sure that they’re served. This may be a result of experience in similar cases, with the divorce rate in the United States being the third-highest in the world.
Financial Disclosures Are Necessary
At this point, the case will start, at which point each spouse needs to complete a sworn financial statement and also provide financial disclosures. Your lawyer can let you know the exact details of what you need to provide as these are mandatory in every single case, regardless of things like age or being in agreement. Keep in mind that divorces of couples who are over the age of 50 years make up 25% of all divorces, according to the American Bar Association. Your age may determine financial disclosures during your divorce.
The Court Conducts an Initial Status Conference
The court is then going to proceed by conducting an initial status conference within around 40 days of filing the petition for dissolution. The aim for this is to set deadlines for disclosures, appoint experts, and set a date for a temporary orders hearing. During this, the spouses have minimal roles for speaking, and the session may last for roughly 10 minutes.
Orders Hearings Are Set
If there are pressing issues on which you and your spouse cannot agree, a temporary orders hearing is set. During this, the court issues temporary orders which are effective until the divorce is finalized. This may take place about a month after the Initial Status Conference and is usually brief since there’s usually no direct examination or cross-examination. After that, the final orders hearing will be held as the final step of the process.
Settlement Meetings Proceed
Finally, the spouses are required to meet and discuss the case so that they can try and resolve their issues on their own. This settlement conference takes place after financial information has been exchanged and involves both parties and their lawyers. This process can be long or short depending on the specifics of the divorcing parties, and your lawyer can usually guide you well through it.
This brief guide should show you part of what getting a divorce in Denver, CO involves. Remember that it’s important to find a good and committed lawyer who can help you get a fair outcome in the end. They can also save you a considerable amount of stress during and after the process.
