Louisville Divorce Attorney

If you are in the process of getting a divorce, emotions tend to run high, and you need someone who can help you effectively manage your case to help protect your best interest.

Our experienced Louisville divorce lawyers at Dolan + Zimmerman LLP are well-equipped to handle the most complex divorce situations. To schedule a consultation today, contact us online or call 303-593-1874.

Why Choose Our Louisville Divorce Attorney?

Our experienced Louisville divorce attorneys offer personalized care and attention because no two divorce cases are ever the same.
We limit the number of clients we represent so we are able to devote our full attention to every aspect of your divorce.
We understand that divorce matters are some of the most sensitive legal issues a person can face, and our Louisville family law attorneys make it a priority to protect your privacy.

Why You Need a Louisville Divorce Lawyer?

A divorce attorney in Louisville can help guide you and find solutions to sensitive family law disputes while protecting your best interests. Separating or divorcing couples often have different views about what is best or fair, which can create conflict. Difficult decisions must be made about your family’s future, such as child custody and property division. An experienced divorce lawyer has an in-depth knowledge of family law and its complexities. They can offer objective advice about the long-term impact of your choices. At the same time, your Louisville divorce attorney will take on the burden of filing the proper paperwork and meeting deadlines. If some disputes end up before a judge, a divorce attorney will advocate for your rights.

We Can Help You Through Tough Legal Issues

Our family law attorneys are well-versed in all aspects of divorce issues and will take all the steps necessary to resolve your individual situation, whether it is through mediation, arbitration, or litigation. Common legal issues involved in a divorce include:

Asset Distribution
Asset distribution is one of the most complex areas of divorce. Colorado is an equitable distribution state, which means assets are distributed fairly but not necessarily equally. Among the assets that may be subject to division are the family home, business interests, major investments, retirement accounts, and other assets such as stocks and bonds. Our lawyers focus directly on the distribution of such assets and can help you keep what you have worked so hard to obtain.

Spousal Maintenance
In some cases, a spouse will have the right to receive spousal maintenance (or alimony) from the other spouse. Spousal maintenance is awarded for a spouse to maintain a standard of living similar to the lifestyle enjoyed during the marriage. Our attorneys provide excellent legal counsel to enforce your rights and are also experienced in seeking alimony modifications as circumstances change.

Parental Responsibilities
In Colorado, child custody is referred to as parental responsibility. Rather than sole or joint custody, parents can have primary or joint parental responsibilities. Parents can have a different view on what is actually in the best interests of their child. Our Louisville divorce attorneys have your child’s best interests at heart and the sophistication necessary to navigate the intricacies and seriousness of child custody.

Child Support
The factors that determine child support are not a simple matter and include several elements that vary by situation. In complex divorces, the issue of who will finance a child’s education, pay for after-school activities and pay for childcare must be resolved. We can guide you through this process.

Obtaining a Divorce in Colorado

To file for divorce in Colorado, the following requirements must be met by either you or your spouse or both:

At least one party must have been a resident of Colorado for 91 days or more before filing for divorce;
Whichever party receives a summons must be under the jurisdiction of Colorado;
If you share children, Colorado must be their primary residence for at least 181 days;
The court must wait at least 91 days after the respondent receives their summons to finalize the divorce.

Colorado is a “no-fault” divorce state, which means that a court will not consider why your marriage failed. The court must only find that it is “irretrievably broken.”

Each spouse takes on a unique role, where one party is the “petitioner,” and the other is the “respondent.” The petitioner must file various forms to initiate the divorce process, such as the following:

A petition detailing the circumstances of the divorce, including why the marriage is being dissolved, information about your finances, and proposed terms for property division, spousal maintenance, child custody, and child support, etc.
A summons for the respondent notifying them of the divorce;
Other forms depending on the circumstances, for instance, if you share children, wish to pay for or receive spousal maintenance or child support, etc.

After filing the necessary forms, the respondent must be served with a divorce summons, either by a third party or process server. At this point, how the divorce will proceed depends on if you and your spouse can reach an agreement.

The Different Types of Divorce in Colorado

There are several different types of divorce processes in Colorado, including:

Uncontested Divorce
If both parties in the divorce are amicable (or are at the very least in agreement), then an uncontested divorce is almost always your best option.

Mediated Divorce
Mediation is assisted settlement negotiation. A common misconception is that parties can mediate their issues before filing for divorce as a stand-alone alternative dispute resolution process; however, mediation is usually part of and within the litigation process, taking place after a suit for divorce is filed.

Litigated Divorce
Litigation provides resolution for people who cannot find a way to settle their differences any other way. Decisions are made for the parties by a judge, or sometimes a jury. There are stringent rules about what information may be presented to the decision-maker, who may have never seen you before and will have a limited time to get to know your case.

Collaborative Divorce
The collaborative divorce process requires a strong commitment from you, your spouse, and lawyers that no one will take any contested issue to court. If the process ultimately fails, the attorneys will withdraw from representing their clients. New attorneys must be hired to litigate the divorce and start over from the beginning.

Legal Separation
A couple divides assets and can live apart, but it is less permanent as you remain married. Filing for a legal separation, however, requires the same amount of time and effort as a divorce.

Speak to a Louisville Divorce Attorney for Help

To learn more about your rights and the divorce options available to you, contact Dolan + Zimmerman LLP. We offer free 10-minute consultations; call 303-593-1874 today.