Sadly, domestic violence is a widespread problem across many corners of our country, Colorado included. And while Colorado may be a “no-fault” state regarding divorce, many couples looking to get a divorce may have once been subject to abuse, or perhaps the children were subjected to abuse. In any event, domestic violence can certainly affect Colorado divorce proceedings in various different ways. Speak with your attorney openly and honestly to understand how best to protect yourself and your children as you look to free yourself from your abusive marriage.

If Colorado is a No-Fault State, Why May Domestic Violence Be a Factor in My Divorce?

Here are a few ways that domestic violence may impact a Colorado divorce, including:

• Domestic violence can impact child custody decisions – If minor children are involved in a divorce, and one parent has a history of domestic violence, this can influence custody decisions. The court will always prioritize the best interests of the child. Accordingly, if a parent has a history of domestic violence, this will certainly be taken into account when determining custody and visitation arrangements.
• Domestic violence may impact spousal support decisions – In Colorado, spousal support, also known as alimony, may be awarded to one spouse if the other spouse has a higher earning capacity. However, if a spouse has a history of domestic violence, this may impact spousal support decisions. This is especially true in cases where the abused spouse was financially dependent on the abuser. In these cases, the court may award the abused spouse higher alimony to help the abused spouse maintain financial stability once the divorce has been finalized.
• Domestic violence may impact property division decisions – In Colorado, property division is based on the principle of equitable distribution. This means that property and assets are divided in a fair but not exactly equal way. However, suppose a spouse has a history of domestic violence, particularly in cases where the abusive spouse prevented the abused spouse from getting a job. In that case, the court will likely consider this when dividing marital assets.
• Domestic violence may impact the divorce process – If there is a history of domestic violence, the process of divorce may be affected, as a protective order may be issued to protect the abused spouse from their abusive spouse.

Contact a Denver Divorce Attorney

If you have been subjected to domestic violence abuse, you deserve to be heard and freed from this terrible situation. Contact a Douglas County divorce lawyer with Pesch Law Office PC for legal guidance. Call 303-567-7922 for a private consultation.

A high-conflict divorce is a legal proceeding that involves significant disagreement or animosity between the parties. Intense emotions, contentious disputes, and high hostility often mark these types of divorces. In addition, several common issues can make the process more difficult and protracted. For anyone approaching this type of situation, understand that an experienced divorce attorney can be a great resource during this challenging time as you navigate the various legal and personal considerations that may be relevant to you and your case.

Issues in High-Conflict Divorces

Here are the most common issues that arise, including:

•  Child custody and visitation – One of the most contentious issues in any divorce is child custody and visitation. In high-conflict divorces, the parties may disagree over who should have custody of the children, how much time each parent should spend with the children, and how significant decisions that affect the children should be made.
•  Asset and debt division – Another common issue in high-conflict divorces is the division of assets and debts. The parties may disagree over how assets should be divided, what constitutes marital property, and how debts should be allocated.
• Spousal support – Spousal support is another common issue in high-conflict divorces. The parties may disagree over whether spousal support should be awarded, how much support should be awarded, and how long the support should last.
• Communication breakdown – In these types of cases, communication breakdown is typical. The parties may have difficulty communicating with each other, which can lead to misunderstandings, a lack of cooperation, and an inability to negotiate effectively.
• Financial issues – Financial issues can also be a source of conflict in high-conflict divorces. The parties may disagree over how much money should be spent on legal fees, how much money should be spent on child support or spousal support, and how assets should be valued and divided.

How a Lawyer Can Help

During this difficult time, it is essential to work with an experienced family law attorney who can help you navigate the complex legal issues involved. An attorney can help you develop a strategy for resolving disputes, negotiate with the other party, and advocate for your legal rights and interests.

Going through any divorce is typically a complex process. However, the situation can become even more complicated in cases where a divorce is likely to be high conflict. High conflict divorce is a term often used to describe a divorce in which the parties cannot communicate effectively or agree on the essential issues in a divorce case. These issues may involve child custody, spousal support, property division, and more. Today, we will discuss how someone can prepare themselves before embarking on a high-conflict divorce.

If you want a divorce, consider contacting an experienced divorce attorney to help ensure you fully understand your rights and legal options moving forward.

Tips on Preparing for a High-Conflict Divorce

Divorce proceedings can be tough, especially when the divorce has high contentious levels. Here are a few tips to prepare for your high-conflict divorce, including:

A divorce is one of the most stressful life events that a person can experience. Divorce brings about all sorts of changes, from disruptions in your routines and responsibilities to changes in your relationships with your family and friends. As much as divorce is a legal process of separating yourself from your spouse, it is also very much an emotional process that takes a good amount of time to deal with. Going through a divorce can put an immense amount of stress and pressure on you, which can manifest in unhealthy ways. Here are a few healthy coping mechanisms you can use if you are going through a divorce:

Healthy Idea #1: Let Yourself Grieve

One of the most important coping mechanisms you can practice when going through something as painful as a divorce is letting yourself grieve. While nobody died, your marriage did come to an end, and you did suffer a major loss. It is important to allow yourself to acknowledge that. Your feelings of resentment, anger, sadness, and even despair are normal and important for you to experience so you can begin to heal.

Healthy Idea #2: Refocus on Yourself

The time during and after a divorce is a great time to place your focus on yourself and becoming the best “you” that you can be. You can start with your physical health. Taking the time to exercise, eating healthily, and getting enough sleep can make you feel invigorated and ready to tackle the emotional issues that are not as easy to deal with. Now might also be a good time to explore hobbies and interests that you might have set aside during your marriage as well.

Sociologists and relationship experts have long known that children whose parents are divorced are more likely to get divorced later in life compared to children from “intact” families. Many have speculated that this was due to such children spending their formative years in an environment that was accepting of divorce. A recent study, however, suggests that there may be more than just environmental factors at work in most cases, as researchers have found that genetics may also play a role.

Nature vs. Nurture

The study was a collaborative effort between teams at Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden. Together, the researchers looked at data involving 20,000 children who were adopted at a young age, as well as their biological and adoptive parents. The project was intended to examine the common belief that children of divorce are more likely to divorce themselves as adults because they are conditioned to see divorce as normal. The study’s subjects were adopted children so that the team could separate “nature” and “nurture” in its findings.

The research revealed that even children who did not know their birth parents or biological siblings tended to have marriage and divorce patterns that matched that of their biological families more than of their adoptive parents. In other words, if a child’s birth parents were divorced, the child was more likely to also get divorced later in life, regardless of his or her adoptive parents’ marital status. The findings led the teams to conclude that genetic influences may have more impact on relationships than most people realize.