Deciding to Hire an Attorney
	Lesson Summary. A Colorado family law case may be the biggest event in your life. Most of you should hire a good attorney and get the necessary basic legal information. See chapter 56. If you don’t have any children, any assets, or any debt, then you may not need much help from an attorney. You might still want to use an attorney for a mediation-type meeting and to prepare legal documents. However, for most family law matters, the wise use of a good attorney will save both parties money and time.

Deciding to Hire an Attorney - The Need for Legal Information in Colorado

A family law case is perhaps the biggest legal event you will ever be involved in. The decisions which you make will likely affect your life for a number of years. If you have minor children, then your decisions as to co-parenting will also affect them for many years, too.

You can't knowledgeably discuss the legal issues that arise in your family law case without legal information. You want to make informed decisions. Educate yourself, then make informed decisions. This includes both statutory law and key Colorado court decisions.

It is essential that you understand the law and its role in your case. It is part of reality.

If you and your spouse do not have any children and there are few assets and debts to divide, then neither of you may need to hire an attorney. However, in most cases you should hire an attorney to provide a simple document preparation service and assist you with any transfer of assets and division of assets

I have done many family law cases where I have only met with the parties once or twice and prepared their documents. Some other law firms will do the same.

However, in most cases, a divorcing couple does have children. You should have a good attorney to help you develop a parenting plan. This includes the proper calculation for child support to be paid from one parent to the other parent. Child support calculations are complicated and done incorrectly in many cases. The most costly mistake is the incorrect determination of income for child support purposes. A child support calculation mistake is costly for both parents.

And in most cases, the division of assets and debts is complicated. You want to make sure that the division of assets is fair (equitable.) The same for debts. You also want to make sure that only one of the spouses remains liable on each debt. And if the other spouse is liable for a specific debt, make sure that you are not also liable. Don’t let the other spouse’s failure to keep current on the payment of a debt impact your credit. Real estate mortgage liability and the division of retirement assets can be complicated. Mistakes are costly. Use an attorney to make sure that your case is completed fairly and accurately.

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