Contested Divorce

Contested Divorce in Colorado Springs

A Clear Strategy for Unresolved Parenting & Financial Issues

A contested divorce requires a legal strategy built around the issues keeping spouses from reaching an agreement. Drexler Law represents Colorado Springs clients in disputes involving parenting arrangements, property, debt, child support, and spousal maintenance. We identify decisions that require immediate attention and explain the available paths toward resolution.

Founded in 2014, our firm brings more than 100 years of combined legal experience to family law matters. Two of our attorneys hold 10.0 Superb Avvo Ratings. We tailor each strategy to the client’s circumstances and communicate clearly as the case progresses.

Discuss your contested divorce and the issues that matter most to you. Call (719) 259-0050 to speak with our team.

What Makes a Divorce Contested?

A divorce is contested when spouses can’t agree on one or more major terms. They might agree to end the marriage but remain divided over the home, a parenting schedule, or financial support.

A contested case can narrow over time. If the spouses resolve some matters through negotiation or mediation, only the remaining disputes require further attention or a court determination.

Common contested divorce issues include:

Parenting arrangements: Disagreements may concern where children live, how parenting time is scheduled, and how holidays or other important periods are allocated.
Decision-making responsibility: Parents may disagree about who has authority over major decisions involving a child’s education, health care, religion, or general welfare.
Child support: Disputes can involve the financial information used to calculate support and other child-related expenses.
Spousal maintenance: One spouse may request financial support while the other disputes the need, amount, or duration.
Marital property: Contested assets may include the marital home, retirement benefits, investments, or an ownership interest in a family-run business.
Marital debt: The spouses may disagree about whether a debt is marital, its current value, or how responsibility for it should be allocated.

These issues often affect one another. A proposed parenting schedule may influence child support, while decisions about the marital home can depend on income, debt, and each spouse’s future financial circumstances. We evaluate these connections rather than treating each dispute in isolation.

Build a Clear Strategy for Your Contested Divorce

Early legal guidance can clarify what information matters, which issues may be negotiated, and what could require a hearing. We represent clients in contested divorce matters in Colorado Springs, tailoring our approach to the family, finances, and objectives involved. Prospective clients can reach us by phone or through the contact form.

Call (719) 259-0050 to discuss your contested divorce with Drexler Law and identify your next legal steps.

The Contested Divorce Process in Colorado Springs

A contested divorce generally moves through filing, service, financial disclosure, negotiation, and a court hearing if disputes remain. Its course depends on the issues involved, the available financial information, and whether the spouses reach agreements along the way.

Filing the Divorce Petition

The process begins after the applicable Colorado residency requirement has been met and a petition is filed with the district court serving Colorado Springs. The regional combined courts offer electronic filing to people without attorneys in divorce, legal separation, and custody cases.

Filing materials can include financial affidavits, a proposed parenting plan, and a parenting-class certificate when applicable. Required documents vary based on the circumstances, including whether the spouses have children.

Financial Disclosure & Settlement Discussions

After service, the spouses exchange information concerning income, property, retirement accounts, debts, and other relevant financial interests. Complete disclosure gives the parties and court the information needed to address property division, support, and related disputes.

The parties may pursue direct settlement negotiations or mediation, a structured process in which a neutral person guides discussions about possible agreements. The neutral person doesn’t have authority to decide the case. If some issues settle, further proceedings can focus on the remaining disputes.

Court Determination

If negotiation or mediation doesn’t resolve every issue, the court holds a hearing. Each spouse can present relevant evidence and arguments concerning the outstanding financial or parenting matters. The court then enters a decree of dissolution addressing the marriage and the issues submitted for decision.

Colorado No-Fault Divorce & Equitable Distribution

Colorado is a no-fault divorce state. A spouse seeking dissolution doesn’t need to prove marital misconduct. The legal ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, meaning the marital relationship can’t be repaired.

Property division follows equitable distribution rather than community property rules. Marital property is divided according to fairness under the circumstances, not through a required equal split. The analysis can consider each spouse’s financial and non-financial contributions, future financial stability, the value of shared assets and debts, and applicable prior agreements.

Determining what belongs in the marital estate may require a review of acquisition dates, account records, ownership documents, and changes in value. Retirement benefits, real estate, business interests, and marital debt can raise valuation or classification questions that affect proposed settlement terms.

A claim that one spouse depleted marital assets requires case-specific legal analysis. Colorado’s no-fault framework doesn’t eliminate the need to examine financial records and determine which facts are legally relevant to allocating property and debt.

Timing Factors in a Colorado Contested Divorce

At least one spouse must have been domiciled in Colorado for 91 days immediately before the divorce petition is filed. Domicile generally refers to the place a person treats as a permanent home. Colorado doesn’t require spouses to live apart for a minimum period before filing.

The court can’t enter a decree until 91 days after the later of filing or service of process. This is a minimum waiting period, not a predicted completion date. A contested divorce can take several months to a year or more depending on financial complexity, disputed child-related matters, disclosure needs, negotiation progress, and court scheduling.

Jurisdiction for Parenting Orders

The court must have child custody jurisdiction before establishing parenting orders. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, commonly called the UCCJEA, determines which state has authority to make an initial custody decision. A child commonly must have lived in Colorado with a parent or person acting as a parent for at least 182 consecutive days, although the analysis depends on the child’s history and circumstances.

Jurisdiction questions can be especially important when a child has moved or recently lived outside Colorado. We examine the relevant timeline before advising a client about parenting arrangements and decision-making responsibility in a contested case.

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Matthew Drexler represented me during a difficult period of time in my life. He did an outstanding job understanding all of my issues, was very responsive, and gave me the best advice possible. Additionally, his staff was very helpful and the whole team worked together to make this a rather fairly pleasant experience for me. I couldn't have asked for better representation. I am very happy with the end result and I would highly recommend him to anyone who has made the decision to file for a divorce.

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Great law office! I would recommend anyone in Colorado springs who needs a divorce or family law lawyer to go here. Brian Melton was my attorney but Matt Drexler was involved as well. They are very thorough, make every effort to be completely prepared, and tell you clearly what to expect. Everyone I've worked with has been caring and supportive and it's obvious they understand their clients are going through difficult situations.

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Mrs. Drexler was awesome! We had a tuff case, fighting for custody of our grandson after his mother's passing. Mrs. Drexler was very patient and understanding with me, knowing how nervous and confused at times I was. She was quick to respond to emails, no matter the importance! Matt and Caitlin Capo were also great! There was always someone available and willing to help. Everyone on the staff always treated us like family. The cost was definitely worth the knowledgeable and family oriented services we received! We would definitely recommend Drexler Law to anyone in need of a friendly knowledgeable Law firm! Thank you so much to everyone at Drexler Law, for everything you have done for me and my family! A+++++++++

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I had a fantastic experience with Drexler Law firm. A few years ago I had gone through a very rough period in my life, and voluntarily turned over my children to their mother for primary care while I hunted for jobs. However, I did not use an attorney, and wound up giving her complete custody, something I had not expected, and was told I would not get them back. After getting my job back, I researched law firms and saw that Drexler specialized in family law, child support, and custody issues. They were up-front with me on costs and chances of winning my children back. We won. I'm back with my children with fully joint custody, and we even avoided going to court. Having a knowledgeable law firm represent you is the only way to go when everything matters. During the legal back-and-forth process, it was easy to tell that the level of effort, experience, and skill on the part of Drexler was far above the opposing counsel. I made the right decision in choosing Drexler Law Firm.

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Incredible professionalism and outstanding service. Matt and Teresa and their team are outstanding attorneys who went above and beyond to help my family. Thanks to them my family is whole and safe. If you want exceptional representation and attorneys you can count on, Matt and Teresa Drexler are just that.

Thank you again for all you have done for me and my family Matt and Teresa. You and your team are incredible.

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