Divorce or Legal Separation
Divorce has always been a hot topic in society.
For example, in St. Matthew Chapter 19 of the Bible, it states:
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
I am a pro-marriage divorce attorney. I encourage parties to attempt marriage counseling before they contemplate ending their marriage. Divorce is one of the most difficult experiences a human being can go through and it should not be considered lightly.
With that said, I also am not naïve and recognize that there are situations worse than divorce. Thus, maybe this is even why Jesus Christ himself permitted it. Some may experience what Othello noted in Shakespeare’s Othello:
O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate
creatures ours
And not their appetites!
Othello 3.3.268-70
We can understand, then, why I may be pro-marriage but still be a divorce attorney.
Under C.R.S. § 14-10-101 et seq., the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act may be found. Article 10 of Title 14 applies to Colorado.
Specifically, C.R.S. § 14-10-106 explains the simple requirements for obtaining a divorce in Colorado:
(1) (a) The district court shall enter a decree of dissolution of marriage or a decree of legal separation when:
(I) The court finds that one of the parties has been domiciled in this state for ninety-one days next preceding the commencement of the proceeding;
(II) The court finds that the marriage is irretrievably broken; and
(III) The court finds that ninety-one days or more have elapsed since it acquired jurisdiction over the respondent either as the result of process pursuant to rule 4 of the Colorado rules of civil procedure or as the result of the act of the respondent in joining as copetitioner in the petition or in entering an appearance in any other manner.
This may seem simple but it is not.
Mark Anthony Law works with parties who are willing to divorce on positive terms. We will represent one party but negotiate with you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse to come to an agreement that is in your best interests.
Mark Anthony Law also works with individuals who are divorcing on less than optimum terms. If you are in this category, then it is imperative that you obtain at least six months of bank statements, income documentation, investment documentation, profit and loss statements for any businesses owned by one or both parties, etc. and at least two years of tax returns. Whether for yourself or the other party, if you have your financial ducks in a row, then proceeding through a divorce will be much smoother than the alternative. Further, it is even more important to contact Mark Anthony Law today so that you may strategize for the best outcome possible.
Mark Anthony further works with individuals who are seeking a legal separation. Legal separation is available especially for religious couples whose religion frowns upon divorce but permits legal separation. It is important to note, however, that legal separation still tethers individuals together financially: if a party incurs assets and/or debts, the other party may have legal rights to a portion of those assets and may be liable for a portion of those debts.
Every divorce or legal separation turns on the facts and the situations of the parties. Children or no children. Assets or only debts. In state or out-of-state. These issues and more can complicate a divorce.