Many marriages begin with intensive planning, as spouses host weddings. Weddings can be very involved depending on someone’s religion and culture, and many people eagerly look forward to their wedding days. Others may have a small ceremony in front of a judge instead of a wedding. However, not all married couples in Colorado make a public pronouncement of their commitment to one another at a special ceremony. Some couples simply begin acting as though they have married and cohabitating. Those who hold each other out to the community as spouses, share finances and live together may have establi ..read more

Equitable property distribution is the rule of the land in Colorado. Spouses have an obligation to disclose information to one another and the courts about their personal holdings. The discovery process means that both spouses should provide information regarding their separate property and their marital property. They can then use those details to negotiate with one another for an amicable divorce settlement. Otherwise, a Colorado family law judge can divide their marital property in a way that is fair given their personal circumstances. Some people do their best to avoid their responsibility ..read more

There are many ways for co-parents to share parental rights and responsibilities after a breakup or divorce. Factors ranging from the careers of the parents to the number of children in the family can influence the best way to share parenting time and decision-making authority. One of the more unusual custody arrangements is a birdnesting arrangement. In a birdnesting custody scenario, the children stay in the family home, and the parents come and go depending on when they have parenting time. The following are the most common reasons that parents decide to attempt a birdnesting arrangement. A ..read more

Parents typically share parental rights and responsibilities after a Colorado divorce. They each get to spend a certain amount of time with the children and have a say in the major decisions about their daily lives. In most cases, parents need to maintain some degree of proximity to one another if they want to share custody equally. Living near one another makes frequent custody exchanges less inconvenient. However, doing so is not always a realistic goal. One parent may have family in Wyoming or a job offer in Wisconsin. If they have more parenting time, they might assume that they can reloca ..read more

When parents get divorced or separate if they aren’t married, they may be able to work together to set up a parenting arrangement that the court can approve. In an amicable split, the parents ideally put their children first naturally. But when parents can’t agree on things like parenting time and decision-making power, then the court may have to step in and make a ruling. To do this, the court will try to focus on the child’s best interests. What does the court look at? Determining a child’s best interests in legal matters, particularly in cases of custody and parenting time during a divorce ..read more

Parents who are contemplating divorce in Colorado frequently worry about what the change to their family circumstances will mean for their relationship with their children. For example, many people have heard stories about one parent trying to push the other out of the lives of their children. Others may have reason to worry that their children will refuse to spend time with them. They may already have a strained relationship with their children because of typical teenage conflicts or the children blaming them for the current challenges that the family faces. Do minor children in Colorado have ..read more

When a spouse is physically abusive, you know it. However, emotional abuse is often harder to detect – usually because it’s both subtle and sophisticated. Emotional abuse usually increases in intensity over time, as the negative patterns of behavior by the abuser become more ingrained and the victim keeps trying to adapt. That can make it difficult for victims to realize what is actually happening and draw a line. So how do you tell if your spouse is emotionally abusive and your marriage has grown toxic? These are some signs to watch for and to evaluate thoughtfully. They constantly criticize ..read more

Marriage generally comes with the expectation of romantic and sexual monogamy. In all but a handful of cases, those who make a lifetime commitment to a romantic partner expect that partner to commit to them fully and to forgo romantic relationships and sexual encounters with others in the future. Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of following through on a promise to remain monogamous. Uncovering evidence of a spouse’s extramarital affair can leave someone feeling hurt or disgusted. They may fear the medical risks that come from infidelity, and they often want justice for the wrongdoing of ..read more

Some people in Colorado decide to negotiate a marital agreement, like a postnuptial contract, when life throws them a curveball. Fertility treatments, early parental death and unexpected career success are all among the scenarios that sometimes prompt couples to negotiate postnuptial agreements. Other times, the desire to file for divorce may be the impetus that leads to the creation of a postnuptial agreement between spouses. Much like prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements clarify how spouses will divide their property and shared responsibilities if they divorce. Why do those consider ..read more

Social media has become a major influence in most people’s daily lives in the U.S. As a result, many people know that social media can affect someone’s closest relationships, including marriages. Numerous studies now suggest that frequent use of social media has a strong association with declining relationship satisfaction and sometimes also correlates to adultery. Those preparing for divorce should be aware that social media can both help and harm them as they start preparing to negotiate with their spouse or present their case in family court. How social media can help someone’s case Social ..read more