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Many people think that there is only one way to get a divorce: go down to the courthouse and duke it out. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. You can get a divorce without setting foot in the courthouse.
Divorce Does Not Have To Ruin Your Life. Click HERE for your free Divorce Planning E-Book and Guide to get more information about your choices.
There are many ways that you can get a divorce. Below are a summary of your options. Take the Quiz to find out what might be right for you.
- Do-It-Yourself: The Colorado judicial branch has published all the forms you’ll likely need free to the public. You can find them HERE. This is a good choice if you have little assets or debts and you’re on good speaking terms with your spouse.
- Mediation: Mediation is where a third party, who is neutral, works to help you reach agreements. It is generally required in all divorce cases in Colorado. You can have a mediator from the state (Office of Dispute Resolution) or you can hire a private mediator. If you don’t have many assets or complicated issues a state mediator is a good choice.
You can get expert legal help with much less cost by hiring an attorney-mediator. They are not able to give legal advice, but they can bring their expertise to writing a thorough and well thought out agreement. This is a good choice for families with more assets and parenting time, but who agree on most things and need help settling disagreements and writing a thorough plan. All the attorneys at the Rutherford Law Center are mediators and love providing this service.
- Collaborative Divorce is one of the best choices possible for families that have extensive assets and/or are having trouble communicating and making decisions. In Collaborative Divorce each person is represented by a specialist attorney who is trained to be a settlement expert. There is also a neutral facilitator (like a mediator plus). Other experts are also available as is best for your family. This method ensures excellent representation without the risk of a court battle. Learn more about Collaborative Divorce at ccdp-law.org.
- Litigation: Litigation is appropriate for families that are high conflict and where one or both parties cannot be trusted to fully disclose assets. This is also appropriate if one or both parties are not able to negotiate in good faith for settlement. Litigation is often very expensive and emotionally destructive to a family. But it can be the right choice in certain circumstances.
CONTACT US for a free 15 minute telephone consultation about what divorce option may be right for you.
