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Over the past several decades, divorce laws have changed quite a bit in Colorado and practically every other state.  Not long ago, before no-fault divorce, it was quite common for a man to pay his ex-wife alimony indefinitely, especially if the judge had determined the divorce was his fault.  Similarly, if it could be proven that the wife was at fault, she might be denied alimony in the divorce. While divorces like these may be a thing of the past, many women find they need a spousal support attorney who can look out for their financial interests. 

Is it common for the “guilty” party in a divorce to compromise on some issues?

Colorado is a ‘no-fault’ state, meaning that the Courts are not permitted to consider marital misconduct when entering orders.  Nonetheless, in our experience, a party who feels “guilty” may end up compromising on a number of things.  It is important to have an experienced attorney who can monitor any agreements reached to ensure that there is fairness in any compromise.  Down the road a few years, you must be able to live with the decisions you made and the emotional upheaval caused by divorce makes it difficult to reach decisions easily or fairly. Spousal support is one area where you most need the guidance of an experience family law attorney.

I’ve heard of rehabilitative alimony?  What does that mean?

In a divorce where one spouse earns significantly less than the other, temporary, or “rehabilitative” alimony is awarded to the lower-earning spouse.  The word “rehabilitative” is used because the alimony gives that person time to “rehabilitate” his or herself and become self-supporting.  A spousal support attorney can ensure this is incorporated this into the agreement.  When a divorce is final, the judge will order rehabilitative alimony with certain stipulations, such as specific time periods that must be met satisfied in order for the alimony to end. 

If you have questions about any type of alimony or spousal maintenance, a spousal support attorney from the Marrison Law firm can help. 

Patricia Marrison is a Family Law attorney in Colorado Springs, CO. and the owner of the Marrison Family Law LLC, Colorado Springs largest Family Law practice.  The Marrison Family Law LLC is devoted to assisting with the difficulties of the breakup of relationships, be it common law marriage, a non-marriage with children, or dissolution with or without children. We attempt to serve the entire spectrum of relationships, from those couples with the simplest, uncontested dissolution to the highly conflicted relationship involving allegations of domestic abuse.