No matter how you slice it, breaking up a marriage is simply an awful thing. It is even worse if there are children involved, since they may not understand what is happening or why their parents are yelling and fighting so much. Even without children though, divorce is messy and complicated. This is mostly due to the legal aspects of the divorce. Of course, the laws are different in each state, and sometimes in different counties. This means that if you live somewhere like Denver, you need a local lawyer who is an expert on the laws in the state of Colorado. If you are getting a divorce in Denver, here are a few specifics that will be helpful as you start looking for a lawyer.
First of all, in Denver and other parts of Colorado, you can get a no-fault divorce. This means that you do not have to prove that the failed marriage was anybody's fault. Instead, you just have to state that the marriage was "irretrievably broken". In Denver, you can hire a lawyer and get a divorce simply based on an inability to get along with each other. This can make the process of going through a hearing simpler and less painful since there is no need to establish that either you or your spouse are at fault. However, because of issues of custody and property, you will still want to hire a lawyer to help you through the process.
Denver, and the rest of Colorado, is not a community property state. This means that the law requires an equitable division of any marital property that was acquired during the marriage. This goes beyond who gets the house and the car. Marital property can extend to retirement savings, business interests, and investments. Regardless of the name on the title, Denver generally decrees that any property acquired during a marriage is subject to being divided between both parties. This means that in the absence of a prenuptial agreement or extenuating circumstances, courts in Denver generally divide the property equally between the husband and wife. This is one area where having a good divorce lawyer can really help out. Someone who knows the laws in the area can tell you if there are ways to get a better settlement or if there are things that do not have to be divided equally.
The last, and probably most difficult aspect of a divorce, involves making a decision about child custody issues. A divorce lawyer in Denver can tell you what the specific options are based on the laws in that state. In general, though, custody can be either joint or sole. Joint custody means that both parents share responsibility for raising the children. Sole custody means that one parent has that responsibility and the other does not. A lawyer can help you to make sure that you have a custody arrangement that is in your best interests.
No matter the final settlement, divorce is a messy and painful separation. Since Denver is in a no-fault state, neither spouse has to prove that the failure of the marriage is someone else's fault. It also means that most property will be divided equally between the two parties. A good divorce lawyer can be the difference between a fair settlement and one that leaves you out in the cold.
If your marriage has failed and you have no other alternative but to seek a divorce, Denver Family Lawyer Michelle L. Walker can help. As a top Divorce Lawyer in Denver Attorney Walker has handled many divorce cases over the last 12 years and she will stop at nothing to ensure your case goes as smoothly as possible.
