Getting a divorce can be overwhelming. Not only do you have to deal with a complex legal process in Colorado, but also cope with the mental and emotional side of divorce. A Bellvue divorce attorney can help make things easier for you and your family. Your lawyer can handle your divorce in a way that pursues your goals and reduces stress. Start your divorce process with a consultation with a lawyer at The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC today.
Hiring a Bellvue divorce lawyer is wise if you wish to facilitate better communication, compromises and a fast settlement agreement with your ex-spouse. An attorney can represent you during mediation and arbitration – referred to as alternative dispute resolution – to reduce your chances of an expensive and time-consuming divorce trial.
If you need to go up against your ex in court in Larimer County to demand the divorce terms that you want, we can represent you at trial to improve your odds of success. Our divorce lawyers will answer your legal questions, give you advice and counsel, aggressively represent your rights, and work closely with you to achieve your desired case outcome.
You do not need a reason to get divorced in Colorado. It is a no-fault divorce state, meaning you only need to cite irreconcilable differences; you don’t have to prove that your ex-spouse is to blame. Before you can file, you or your spouse must have lived as a resident in Colorado for at least the past 91 days. If you have children, the children must have resided in Colorado for at least 181 days. Active military members stationed in Colorado are an exception.
It does not matter which spouse files for divorce. Filing first does not give that spouse an advantage. The filing party becomes the petitioner and the other party is the respondent. The respondent must respond within 21 days of being served the divorce papers (or 35 days if he or she lives outside of Colorado). If the respondent wishes for a different arrangement than what has been proposed by the petitioner, the divorce will enter into settlement negotiations.
Every divorcing couple in Colorado must either agree on all the terms of the divorce or take the case to trial for a judge to decide. The terms that must be determined include child custody, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony) and property division. If the couple can compromise and agree on the terms of the divorce, they have an uncontested or collaborative divorce. A judge will typically sign off on their settlement arrangement to finalize the dissolution.
If the couple cannot come to a settlement agreement, it is a contested divorce. This will require alternative dispute resolution or a divorce trial. If a divorce case goes to court in Colorado, a judge will determine child custody based on the best interests of the child, child support based on the state’s Child Support Guidelines and property division according to the rules of equitable distribution. Equitable distribution means that property and debts will be divided in a way that is fair, but not necessarily equal, to both parties.
You don’t have to handle your Bellvue divorce case alone. The Colorado divorce attorneys at The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC can help you understand and protect your legal rights during the divorce process. We will do what it takes to guide you successfully through a divorce or legal separation in Bellvue. Start with a one-on-one consultation with one of our divorce lawyers. Call (970) 900-1800 or contact us online today.