How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Colorado? In order to get a divorce, you, or your spouse, must file a petition for dissolution of marriage (divorce). Courts charge fees for filing legal paperwork. The current filing fee for a divorce petition is $195.
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You'll need to pay your lawyer a retainer ($2,500–$5,000), which is a form of downpayment that your attorney will charge you against until the money runs out. Once that happens, you will either pay an additional retainer or be billed by the hour. Average hourly divorce attorney fees are between $150 and $400.
The most common scenarios for that are:
Colorado Revised Statute 14-10-119 says that in a divorce or custody case, the Court can order a party to pay some of the other party's attorney fees after considering both parties' financial resources and ability to pay for fees.
You don't need to hire a lawyer to get an uncontested divorce in Colorado, and you can represent yourself during the process. Spouses can try to handle everything themselves or use an online service that eases the process.
On average, couples pay $5,000 - $10,000 in divorce costs for amicable divorces.
Colorado Is an Equitable Division State Colorado law requires that division of property in divorce be “equitable and fair,” which means that it doesn't necessarily have to be a 50/50 split. By contrast, community property states hold that all property accrued during a marriage is subject to a 50/50 distribution.
about 6-9 monthsMost divorces in Colorado take about 6-9 months to complete, depending upon the issues involved, and especially upon whether they are contested or not. There is no one set of procedures that will apply to every case, since the necessary steps will depend upon the specific issues in your case.
Couples do not have to be legally separated before filing for divorce in Colorado, and in fact, some divorces are started while the parties are still living together. If tensions are running high in the home, we often recommend that one of the parties move out while the divorce is pending.
There appears to be a myth that the person being divorced (known as the Respondent) always pays the fees for a divorce, when in reality this is not the case in the majority of divorce cases. The person filing for the divorce (known as the Applicant) will always pay the divorce filing fee.
The Actual Cost of a Divorce In addition to an attorney, you'll have to pay filing fees and other related costs. There is no way around this— and it can definitely be expensive. That doesn't mean, though, that you can't afford to get divorced.
The Court will normally consider a 50/50 split of the matrimonial assets when dealing with a long marriage following the 'yardstick of equality'. With short marriages, capital contributions become more relevant in deciding how assets are divided in a divorce.
In Colorado, a court can order one spouse ("paying spouse") to pay temporary alimony to a lower-earning or unemployed spouse ("supported spouse") during the divorce proceeding. Colorado courts use a formula based on income to calculate temporary alimony. Courts can also order longer-term alimony awards.
Colorado is considered to be an alimony-friendly state. So, if you're contemplating divorce or have already begun the process, we encourage you to take some time to understand how the state's alimony laws could affect you.
Under this type of law, all of the assets and debts from a marriage should be divided equally between the two parties in the case of divorce, legal separation, or annulment.
Even the most amicable couple that mutually agree that divorce is the best option for their circumstance can still have a difficult time putting an end to this chapter in their life. In some cases, spouses are able to come to all decisions without any disagreements, although this is rare.
Understanding the cost of divorce can help a couple better prepare for it when they decide to part ways. When it is time to meet with an attorney, asking what their rate is and how they conduct payments is beneficial. Indeed, the most expensive part of the divorce process is often securing legal counsel.
When it comes to determining how much it will cost to secure legal counsel for your divorce, there is much to consider. A person looking for an experienced family law attorney specializing in divorce should consider the following as they may their decision.
There are several factors that may impact the expenses of a spouse seeking a divorce in the state of Colorado. Some of these factors include the following:
Wondering how much a divorce costs in Colorado is a valid question. It is one of the most common questions that spouses have when faced with a divorce. To learn more about how the Denver divorce lawyers at Johnson Law Group can help you with your divorce, please consider calling our legal team today at (720) 463-4333.
Get the answers you need about divorce costs and what else to expect as you proceed by contacting The Cossitt Law Firm, LLC today. We offer confidential consultations, and we are ready to help you now.
When a divorce involves children, parents will need to develop a parenting plan and, in some cases, attend counseling. This opens up a whole new facet of a divorce case, during which issues of parenting time and child support must be sorted out. To do this, experts may be brought in, and mediation or court hearings may need to occur. All of this can mean more time and money need to be invested in order to resolve a divorce case.
As stressful as the idea of divorce costs may be, it’s important to know that many of these costs are manageable. In other words, the parties getting a divorce often have a big hand in how much their divorce costs, based on their choices and objectives. Here is a look at some of the many things that can affect how much it costs to get divorced in Colorado.
There is a 90-day waiting period before a divorce decree can be entered after papers have been served on a spouse. If either spouse contests the divorce, claiming that the marriage is not irretrievably broken, then the courts may continue to case for up to another 60 days.
The filing fee to start the dissolution of the marriage process in Colorado is $230. If you file additional motions or requests with the courts, you will be charged additional fees as well.
Colorado is a “no-fault” state, meaning that the person filing for a divorce does not need to prove any specific grounds for divorce. They only need to cite that the marriage is irretrievably broken.
A divorce decree is the court’s final order that terminates a marriage.
Unlike a divorce decree, a certified verification only shows minimal information, such as the names of both spouses and the date and place a divorce was granted.
To obtain an original copy of a divorce decree in Colorado, contact the county district court that issued the document.
Although there are many different kinds of divorce in Colorado, the basic process of filing for divorce is the same no matter what type of divorce you choose.