All family & children situations · All Colorado topics
Colorado · Family & children
I am considering divorce
Practical starting guidance, not a complete Colorado legal procedure.
What to do first
Identify what must be resolved now: safety, parenting, housing, access to money, and existing court orders.
Deadlines and urgent risks
Do not confuse a minimum waiting period with a completion date. Filing, service, responses, and temporary orders have separate requirements.
Steps to take
Make a list of agreed and disputed issues. Compare mediation, collaborative work, lawyer negotiation, and court; do not treat negotiation as the default if you feel unsafe or controlled.
Divorce & safety resources
Divorce information in Colorado
Understand the local process
Colorado Judicial Branch: divorce and separation. Review forms, filing steps, and local court requirements.
Check the local court's forms, filing and service requirements, response deadlines, and fee-waiver instructions. A form packet is not individualized legal advice.
Compare divorce paths and service benefits · Find local legal aid
Divorce resource reviewed October 10, 2026. Existing legal-help research dates above are unchanged.
Safety and law enforcement are separate routes
Immediate danger: call 911. 911 information is not an online emergency-response service.
For domestic-violence support: National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. Safety-first divorce guidance. Use a safer device if monitoring is a concern.
For a non-emergency law-enforcement contact, WomensLaw's sheriff-department directory lets you choose Colorado. Confirm jurisdiction and the current local number; not every matter belongs to a sheriff. This is a directory, not emergency dispatch or confidential advocacy.
Divorce law details and state comparison
Divorce law details
Colorado: the important distinctions
Reviewed October 11, 2026. General information; exceptions and jurisdiction questions require individual review.
Where you can file
One spouse generally needs 91 days of Colorado domicile before the proceeding begins.The child's home-state and other jurisdiction questions are separate. Ask which court can address the family's actual issues before relying on a recent move.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-106Grounds & separation
Irretrievable breakdown is the basis for dissolution.Legal separation is a different decree and does not end the marriage. Discuss the practical consequences of the requested order, not just the name on the form.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-106Timing: what starts the clock
A separate 91-day decree minimum starts when the court acquires jurisdiction over the respondent.Service, joining as a co-petitioner, or another appearance can start that clock. It is not automatically 91 days from every filing; unresolved issues can add time.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-106(1)(a)(III)Property & debts
Separate property is set apart; marital property is divided in just proportions.Appreciation and mixed contributions need review before assuming an asset is entirely separate. Ask about acquisition records, valuation, retirement work, and the settlement's net effect.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-113Spousal support
Maintenance guidelines are advisory, not a presumptive entitlement or award.The court assesses the circumstances and makes findings. Ask how your needs, resources, and proposed property settlement fit before treating a calculator as a prediction.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-114Parenting & child support
Parenting time and decision-making follow best interests, with the child's safety paramount.Co-parenting is not appropriate in every situation. Tell the lawyer about coercion or abuse before using a shared template, and review exchanges, school, travel, and expenses.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-124Agreed & simpler processes
Affidavit-based final orders have eligibility conditions and do not shorten the waiting period.Children, representation, service, disputed facts, and property affect eligibility. Ask for independent agreement review, particularly where support or other financial terms would become difficult to change.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-120.3Help while a case is pending
Temporary orders can address debts, property use, support, parenting, and legal expenses.Interim relief does not predetermine final rights. Ask which motion and evidence apply and whether your prepaid benefit covers the hearing rather than only initial advice.
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-108Ask your prepaid plan: Is a consultation or agreement review available for these issues? Confirm pre-existing-matter rules, waiting periods, conflicts if both spouses are members, and separate charges for negotiation or court representation. State law is not a promise of plan coverage.
Minimum legal periods are not completion estimates. Do not delay urgent advice or miss a claim deadline while waiting for a benefit.
Compare Colorado with another researched state · Local divorce and safety resources · Prepaid divorce limitations
What may happen next
You may need temporary orders before a final agreement. An agreed process still needs valid documents and court approval where required.
Documents to gather
Existing orders, marriage records, financial statements, debts, housing costs, and parenting arrangements.
Do not enter documents or private case details into this site's search.
Which rules apply?
Statewide law, local court procedure, and federal or agency rules are different checks. Where a local rule matters, use the county and court identified on your documents.
Where prepaid help may fit
Is advice or review included? Does my exact product cover an uncontested divorce, and who handles it?
What it may not cover
Contested representation, negotiations, court appearances, waiting periods, existing matters, and conflicts between covered spouses need separate confirmation.
Ask for the written coverage terms · Compare the actual extra costs
Common questions
Can I buy a plan now for this problem?
Ask about effective dates, waiting periods, and existing-matter exclusions before paying. Do not assume a new subscription covers an issue that has already started.
Does a consultation mean I have a lawyer for the next step?
No. Confirm the scope, who will handle any filing or appearance, responsibility for deadlines, and additional fees. Get a separate engagement if required.