Service Areas

Arapahoe County - Littleton

Littleton Divorce Lawyer

Getting divorced in Colorado is often one of the most difficult events in a person’s life, and there are frequently emotional, financial, and sometimes even physical consequences of dissolving a marriage. However, the divorce process can be much more complicated when you do not have an experienced advocate on your side.

Colorado family law is complex, and family law matters regularly lead to emotional responses. A Littleton Divorce Lawyer can help to ensure that your divorce process runs as smoothly as possible and that you can avoid the stress associated with a contested divorce.

How Common is Divorce in Littleton, CO?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the divorce rate in Colorado (3.7 per 1,000 total population in 2015) is higher than the national average of 3.2 per 1,000 total population. That figure for Colorado has decreased slightly over the last decade, with a peak divorce rate of 4.4 per 1,000 total population in 2011.

 

Types of Divorce Issues We Handle for Littleton Residents

Our firm handles many different types of divorce issues, including but not limited to the following:

  • Property distribution;
  • Spousal maintenance or alimony;
  • Child custody or the allocation of parental responsibilities;
  • Child support; and
  • Modifications.

 

Requirements for a Divorce in Littleton

Under Colorado law (Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 14-10-106), there are specific requirements that need to be met before a court can grant a dissolution of marriage. Those requirements include the following:

  • At least one of the parties involved in the divorce has been domiciled in Colorado for 91 days prior to the start of the divorce proceeding;
  • Marriage is irretrievably broken; and
  • 91 days or more have passed since the court acquired jurisdiction in the case.

How does the court determine when a marriage is irretrievably broken? Under Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 14-10-110, there are two different ways that the court can conclude that a marriage is irretrievably broken:

  1. Both of the parties have agreed that the marriage is irretrievably broken under oath, or one of the parties has alleged that the marriage is irretrievably broken and the other party has not denied it; or
  2. One of the parties has denied under oath that the marriage is irretrievably broken, but either the court has made a finding based on relevant factors that it is irretrievably broken, or the court has made a final determination after a “further hearing not less than thirty-five days nor more than sixty-three days later.”

Showing that the marriage is irretrievably broken is in effect a form of “no fault” divorce. Neither party must prove that the other was at fault in order to dissolve the marriage.

 

Contact a Littleton Divorce Lawyer

To learn more about the requirements for filing for divorce in Colorado or to seek assistance with matters of property distribution, support, and child custody, you should reach out to a dedicated Littleton Divorce Lawyer at Divorce Matters® for more information. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your case.