Online Divorce in Colorado: Documents Preparation
Life circumstances often prompt couples to go through a divorce process. The event is unpleasant not only due to emotional and psychological strain but also because it usually takes plenty of time, energy, and money since the divorce procedure can be quite complicated. Fortunately, it is not so when you get a divorce in Colorado online.
Online divorce in Colorado is a perfect solution for couples who qualify for an uncontested procedure. If the decision to end the marriage is mutual and spouses can settle all the disputes without legal representatives, they can obtain divorce papers in Colorado online, apply for divorce online, and get a simplified, quick, and cheap divorce in Colorado.
Our online divorce service is here to help you complete the documents necessary for online divorce in Colorado. Using your answers in a questionnaire, our system chooses and fills out the right divorce forms in Colorado online for your specific case. For a very affordable price, you will get the full package of divorce documents online in just a few days and will be able to apply for divorce without third-party involvement using the guide we provide.
Grounds for Divorce in Colorado
The list of legal grounds for divorce in Colorado is limited to the irretrievable marriage breakdown. It is the only reason you need to request the dissolution of your marital union.
Colorado is a no-fault divorce state, meaning the filing spouse does not need to cite any fault-based grounds for divorce in Colorado. According to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-107 (5), defenses to other legal grounds for divorce in Colorado that were effective in the past have been abolished long ago.
The court can grant a divorce, even if one of the spouses denies that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Nevertheless, the court must consider all relevant factors and ensure that no counseling can guarantee reconciliation. And while such factors as abandonment or abuse are not grounds for divorce in Colorado, they may influence court decisions and the types of orders you can obtain.
Divorce Papers in Colorado: What Forms Do You Need to File?
The number and type of papers for divorce you need will be defined by the answers to certain questions:
- Do you file independently or jointly with your spouse?
- Have you settled all the disputes?
- Do you have children?
- Do you need spousal maintenance?
- Do you need a hearing or temporary orders?
- Can you pay court fees?
Paperwork completion is the first step in filing for divorce in Colorado, regardless of its type. Fortunately, you can get divorce forms in Colorado online if you know which ones you need. So, consider your circumstances and determine what documents are required in your case before filling out and filing Colorado divorce papers online.
Here is a list of some basic and easy divorce papers applicable in most cases:
The document filed at the initial stage of the process presents information about the parties, their children, and legal representation.
Property and Financial Agreement (Separation Agreement)
You will need this form in case of an uncontested divorce. In it, a couple must outline the terms they have agreed upon concerning child custody and support, debt and property division, etc.
Within 42 days after filing the joint Petition or serving the papers with the respondent, each party must complete, sign, and notarize a financial information form that discloses their respective incomes, expenses, assets, and debts to each other and the judge for making decisions on child and spousal support.
Petition for Divorce or Legal Separation
This document is an official request for marriage dissolution and the desirable relief. It may be filed individually or jointly.
Decree of Dissolution of Marriage or Legal Separation
The judge signs this document to declare the end of your marriage and issue the final orders the parties must comply with
If you wonder how to get divorce papers in Colorado online, the most reliable option would be using our paperwork preparation service. After you pass all sections of our online questionnaire, the system will process your answers to select and fill out case-specific divorce forms in Colorado online based on them. In a few days, you will get your ready-to-file cheap divorce papers online to download, sign, notarize, and take them to the county court clerk’s office to initiate the case. A pleasant bonus is the detailed instructions on how to file these Colorado divorce papers online.
Compare Your Options for Filing for Divorce in Colorado
Divorce with a Lawyer
A reliable way to get divorced on the most beneficial terms is by hiring an attorney who will defend your rights in court. Yet, you may:
- Depend on the lawyer’s schedule;
- Spend more time in the courtroom than you wish;
- Get a more complicated and prolonged process;
- Spend a fortune on lawyer’s fees.
DIY Divorce in Colorado
Do-it-yourself divorce in Colorado is a good choice for couples looking for the cheapest way to file for divorce. However, they may face:
- Difficulty in finding the right forms;
- Confusion with legal terminology and procedures;
- A risk of having to re-file or not finish the process;
- Unwanted troubles in case of inaccurate paperwork completion.
Online Paperwork Preparation
Online divorce paperwork preparation service is perfect for completing Colorado divorce forms online and starting an uncontested divorce procedure. With it, you get:
- 100% court-approved and case-specific divorce papers online;
- Detailed instructions on how to file for divorce in Colorado online;
- Affordable fixed fee for the whole package;
- 24/7 customer support.
How to Fill Out Colorado Divorce Papers?
To make your online divorce application successful, it is crucial to ensure that you fill out the papers as per court requirements.
Here are some useful tips on how to fill out divorce papers yourself when you file for divorce in Colorado online:
- Every form contains a case caption at the top of the first page, and you must fill it out in every document. Check the “District Court” box and enter the court’s address. If the caption contains a case type section, check the boxes relevant to your case. Indicate your and the other party’s names and your contact information.
- Leave the Case Number section blank when you file the first forms to start the case. When the clerk assigns ID, division, and courtroom after the first filing, fill out these details in all the subsequent documents.
- You must fill out every field in each form. If something doesn’t apply, you should enter “no,” “none,” “N/A,” or “0” (zero), but do not leave it blank.
- Be as clear and specific as possible in your requests to the court when getting a divorce. Keep them brief and to the point, without spacious narrations. Exact facts or laws provided as evidence can help you support your arguments. Present only information and details relevant to each specific form. Use plain language and avoid overly sophisticated or old-school terminology.
- Do not fill out the fields that must be signed or dated by the clerk, the attorney, or the notary. Make sure that the required party does this to testify your signature.
- Almost all forms contain a Certificate of Service section to inform the court when, how, and to whom you sent a copy of the same document. The date you indicate here must be the same as the date of filing this form with the court or earlier.
When you get the paperwork ready, you can file for divorce in Colorado online, avoiding hiring attorneys. Just follow the steps to file for divorce to stay within the procedure requirements and ensure easy divorce filing. And if you turn to our company to get divorce papers in Colorado online, you will get detailed instructions on how to file for a divorce in Colorado online in addition to the forms filled out by our system.
How to Get a Divorce in Colorado without a Lawyer?
You can file for divorce in Colorado without a lawyer if you do your best to arrange an uncontested divorce in Colorado. Reaching agreements on all disputes and submitting a joint petition is the best way to file for divorce since it saves time and money.
So, if you wonder how to get a divorce without a lawyer in Colorado, discuss the issues you disagree on with your spouse calmly and concert to make yours a full-agreement case. Make sure that they also understand that an uncontested divorce in Colorado will allow both of you to file for a divorce without a lawyer and undergo the procedure of an online divorce in Colorado.
When intending to divorce in Colorado online and file for a divorce without a lawyer, consider several laws that will help you resolve the disputes and properly fill out the papers. These will help you understand how to get divorced without an attorney and file for Colorado online divorce on your own.
According to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-106 (1)(a)(I), at least one of the spouses must have lived in the state for a minimum of 91 days before filing in person or for an online divorce in Colorado.
Under the Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-113, separate property is left with its owner while marital property is divided according to equitable distribution principles, regardless of marital misconduct. If you cannot agree on your own, the court will consider both parties’ financial situation and contributions to joint property acquisitions, the value of all joint assets, and the change in separate property value.
In Colorado, “parental responsibilities” encompass custody issues and are determined in children’s best interests (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-124(1.5)). If you file for divorce without an attorney, propose your own Parental Plan outlining parenting time and decision-making responsibilities, considering your children’s wishes, needs, physical, mental, and emotional conditions, and safety.
If you and your spouse cannot agree on spousal maintenance issues, the court will make decisions according to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-114. Its relevance, amounts, and duration are determined by factors like both parties’ income, awarded property, financial resources, needs, opportunities, employability, future prospects, etc.
When you get Colorado divorce forms online, ensure you obtain a Property and Financial Agreement form, among others. You will need it if you file for an uncontested divorce in Colorado online to outline all the terms and conditions you have agreed upon with the other spouse.
As you can see, divorce without a lawyer is quite possible if you manage to settle all the disputes with your soon-to-be ex.
Do-It-Yourself Divorce in Colorado
Do-it-yourself divorce in Colorado enables couples to prepare and file their paperwork without involving attorneys. At this point, you may ask, “How is that possible?” and “Can you file for divorce without a lawyer legally and safely?” The short answer is: it is possible and completely safe, as long as you and your spouse have a mutually drafted Settlement Agreement and a proposed Parenting Plan in case minor children are involved. Amicably resolved disputes will allow you to get a DIY divorce in Colorado, as you will not need a lawyer to fight for you to get to the resolution you desire. This also means that without spending thousands in legal fees, you will be able to get a cheap divorce in Colorado.
To answer the question, “Can I file for divorce myself?” we offer a short guide on how to file your own divorce papers to help you figure out some crucial aspects of the procedure of do-it-yourself divorce in Colorado.
Although the process would mostly depend on whether you file for divorce online individually or jointly, the basic steps in filing for divorce are:
- Documents preparation. Before filing for divorce in Colorado online, define what papers you need and gather all essential case-related information. For example, if you file the Petition individually, you will need additional forms to serve the other party. Besides, supplementary papers should be completed to outline your parenting plan and child support terms.
- Filing the papers. You can go through the filing of divorce papers yourself by bringing them to the county court’s clerk or apply for Colorado online divorce via the e-filing system. Before you file for divorce in Colorado online, it is best to ensure that your county allows such filings by contacting the court clerk.
- Serving the Petition and the Summons on your spouse and waiting for their answer. You can give the papers yourself if the respondent agrees to accept them. If they are unlikely to accept the documents, ask a sheriff, a professional process server, or any adult person uninvolved in your case to deliver them personally. In case you file for divorce in Colorado online jointly, you will skip this stage and proceed with the next steps of your DIY divorce in Colorado.
- Filing a response. If you served the Petition and the Summons personally, the respondent should file the Waiver and Acceptance of Service form with the court within 21 days. If the third party delivered the papers to your spouse, this person should complete and file a Return of Service form.
- Exchanging mandatory financial disclosures. In both traditional and online divorce in Colorado, the spouses should complete the Sworn Financial Statement and Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Financial Disclosures separately to exchange with each other and file them with the court within 42 days after the other party signs the Petition as a respondent or a co-petitioner.
- Completion and filing of the remaining documents. They may include a Separation Agreement, child-related forms, refusal to attend the hearing, etc.
- Attending a hearing if scheduled by the court. A brief hearing may be required even in uncontested cases if minor children are involved. Still, it is better to check with the court if it is scheduled and if both parties must be present.
- Obtaining the Final Decree and Support Order. After the hearing, the judge will sign these documents to grant the divorce and enter the orders that you must comply with.
If you have trouble finding all the necessary divorce forms in Colorado online or are confused about the steps you need to take to complete a do-it-yourself divorce in Colorado, we are here to help. Register on our website, pay a small fixed fee, complete a comprehensive online questionnaire, and get the full package of documents for your DIY divorce in Colorado. The system processes your answers and fills out the documents suitable for your specific case that can be downloaded from your account within the time you choose. In addition to them, we provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to file for divorce by yourself for no extra charges.
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FAQ
You can hire an attorney and go the traditional way, go through a do-it-yourself divorce in Colorado, or order completed papers and get an online divorce in Colorado.
Colorado state laws do not set any mandatory separation period before filing for divorce.
You can file for an online divorce in Colorado without a lawyer if you agree with your spouse on an uncontested procedure and settle all disputes amicably.
Colorado laws do not forbid filing for divorce while one of the spouses is pregnant. However, this fact may delay the process or complicate the resolution of some issues due to the need for paternity determination.
To start the divorce process in Colorado, you need to gather the required official forms, fill them out, and file with the circuit court in the county where you or your spouse lives.
