Family Law
Need to Speak With a Family Law Attorney?
Call the Law Offices of Paul M. Gaide in Fort Collins, CO
Facing the issues related to legal separation, divorce, child custody, child support, maintenance, property division, contempt, and other family issues can be the most stressful time of your life. You may not be able to think clearly since your emotions likely have or will enter into every decision. Consider whether you need an advocate who is intuitive about your pain and worry, who in private and in confidence will be assertive with you and assist you in staying focused.
The simple truth is, inabilities to respect one another and to agree, and the emotional and physical pain associated therewith, result in negative family issues which, more times than not, result in a need to consult legal counsel. If you are considering divorce, an allocation of parental responsibilities, a modification of parental responsibilities, child support, maintenance, or other family issues, the Law Offices of Paul M. Gaide would be happy to consult with you and discuss your options. We can assist you in making choices that very likely will have a long-ranging impact on you, your spouse, and any children.
Colorado is a "no-fault" divorce state. As a result, while couples may want to have their say as to who is wrong or responsible for the divorce or separation, and while allocation of responsibility may be necessary for healing to take place, the fact of the matter is, such matters must be addressed outside of the legal process as such issues are irrelevant to the court proceeding. Colorado law forces couples to focus on the practical parts of their parting, not the emotional.
Finances, assets, and liabilities, can be a major component of a divorce that must be properly dealt with. Separation of pre-marital and marital assets, allocation of marital debt, division of marital property, asset valuations, pension issues, and tax issues are all items that must be carefully considered. Spousal support or maintenance, the amount, structure, and duration thereof, can also present significant issues.
If you and your spouse have children, parental responsibilities (parenting time, custody, decision making) and child support issues will be top priorities. Having counsel to assist you through these issues is important not only for you but for your children as well - the touchstone of Colorado law is a focus on the best interests of the child.
If you have a family law issue, we would be happy to consult with you. Please go to the "Contact Us" portion of our website, call us, or send an email to us briefly describing your circumstances.
At the Law Offices of Paul M. Gaide, we realize that financial stresses often attend family law matters. As a result, whenever appropriate, we will be happy to shepherd you through a collaborative process with the goal of achieving an uncontested divorce. This can be accomplished only if there is limited acrimony and both spouses desire a peaceful outcome. If this is not possible, some couples may be better served with marital mediation/arbitration, which allows the parties and their counsel to sit down with a neutral party, in a neutral location, to obtain a third party's experienced perspective and to discuss settlement.
If a consensual resolution of issues cannot be had, full litigation and presentation of your case to a judge for determination is always an option that we are capable of pursuing on your behalf.
CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING:
Divorce / Dissolution
Restraining Orders
Legal Separation
Parental Rights and Responsibilities
Emergency Child Endangerment Issues
Parenting Time Issues
Allocation of Parental Responsibility Issues
Child Custody / Visitation Issues
Child Support Issues / Modifications
Maintenance Issues (spousal Support / Alimony)
Property Division Issues
Enforcement / Contempt Issues
Parental Responsibilities Modification Issues
Parenting Plans
Separation Agreements