subject: Overview of the Denver Divorce Process [print this page] The first step in the Denver divorce process is the filing of the paperwork. The petitioner (the spouse who seeks the divorce) must present the paperwork to the judge, who reviews the case. The other spouse, or respondent, must then receive the paperwork and sign a waiver of service. In Denver, there is a 90 day waiting period before the divorce can become final (the waiting period is not required for annulments).
In some cases, it is not possible to locate a spouse. If you have this problem, divorce attorneys will contact investigators who are skilled at locating these missing spouses. If the investigators are unsuccessful, than the petitioner can still go through with the divorce by serving the missing spouse by publication. Though this is not the easiest process, it can still achieve the desired end result of divorce, even without the other spouse present.
During the Denver divorce process, each spouse must complete a financial statement and provide all financial disclosures. If a spouse feels the other has not provided adequate information, it is possible to request more documentation. Ask your divorce lawyer for more information about interrogatories, requests for production of documents, or request for admissions if you feel your spouse is withholding important information.
If both parties are in agreement about the terms of the divorce, the actual Denver divorce process will run much more quickly. In fact, in Denver, a couple may not even need to show up to court if they are already in agreement. However, there are often various issues that must be resolved in court. If this is the case, the couple will need to undergo some of or all of the following steps in the Denver divorce process.
1. Initial Status Conference
The Denver divorce court often conducts an initial status conference within forty days of the filing of the petition for divorce; although, many times this conference takes place later. The conference is held in order to set the deadlines for disclosures, as well as set the appointment of experts and set a temporary orders hearing. In general, these meetings often take no longer than 10 minutes and neither party is required to do much other than answer a few questions.
2. Temporary Orders Hearing
The Denver divorce process often takes a long time to complete. In the meantime, it may be necessary to resolve certain pressing matters temporarily. In these situations, a temporary orders hearing will be scheduled to work out a quick resolution to these issues before they are fully discussed and resolved in court.
3. Permanent Orders Hearing
The permanent orders hearing is the actual divorce case, where the parties will testify their cases and a decision will be reached about the allocation of assets, parenting responsibilities, and financial matters. Afterwards, the marriage will be officially dissolved.
In an attempt to resolve cases more quickly, the court may require the parties undergo settlement meetings. In these meetings, both parties will attempt to come to agreements outside of court. If the couple can reach solutions that both parties agree on, it will cut down the time spent in court significantly.
