Divorce is an emotionally fraught time. Most spouses agonize over the decision before choosing to move forward. Once a divorce is inevitable, many spouses wonder if they should race to the courthouse to be the first to file, or if it’s better to let their spouse file the divorce petition first. Does it matter in Colorado who files for the divorce first? The answer is no—or at least it doesn’t matter to the judge and it doesn’t mean that one…

Criminal courts serve as a means of punishing wrongdoers for their actions, but a state’s civil justice system focuses on tort law, a branch of the justice system aimed not at punishing an individual’s actions but as a means of legal recourse for victims who suffer losses due to the actions of another. When someone else’s reckless actions or gross negligence causes injuries and the various consequences that come with those injuries, the civil court offers victims a means of…

When someone sustains a serious injury due to the actions of someone else, Colorado personal injury law gives them the legal means to address the wrong through compensation for damages. The word “damages” in a personal injury claim refers to all of the consequences of an injury caused by another individual or business entity’s negligence, reckless actions, or intentional wrongdoing. Common personal injury claims stem from car accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, and injuries from defective products. When an injury victim makes…

Colorado courts make all decisions in the best interests of the children. For family court in Colorado, the presumption is that a continued meaningful relationship and frequent close contact with both parents is in a child’s best interests. Most custody agreements in Colorado support this presumption. However, the court also understands that situations change and new information sometimes comes to light. If the court finds sufficient evidence to believe that one parent is endangering a child’s physical or emotional well-being,…

Colorado courts always place the best interests of the child as their highest priority in all child custody decisions. When deciding child custody during a divorce, the courts consider a continued close relationship with both parents as in a child’s best interests. Unless a parent rebuts this presumption with evidence of abuse, neglect, or serious addiction in the other parent, the court typically chooses a shared custody arrangement between both parents. Still, one parent is usually the “custodial” parent who…