How long until you're divorced in Colorado — and every step in between. The 91-day clock, the disclosures, and the finish line, in plain English.
Charles E. Liken Jr., Esq. — On Colorado's Legal Front Lines Since 1995 · Government Investigator, Denver Human Services (1997–2003) · Licensed Colorado Attorney Since 2003 ~ 20+ Years in Private Practice · Colorado Deputy District Attorney (2018–2020) · Colorado Court-Appointed Child and Family Investigator
Every divorce is its own animal, but the framework is fixed: two 91-day rules, court fees in the hundreds, and attorney costs that you control more than you think.
One spouse must have lived in Colorado for 91 days before filing, and no decree can enter until at least 91 days after the case starts (service or joint filing). That's the legal floor: about three months, minimum.
Where LLF comes in: We use the mandatory waiting period productively — disclosures, valuations, and agreement drafts — so day 92 is a finish line, not a starting gun.
The petitioner's filing fee is currently about $230 (responding spouse about $116), plus service and mediation costs. Fee waivers (JDF 205) exist for those who qualify.
Where LLF comes in: We keep the incidentals lean — waivers where you qualify, service by waiver instead of process server when the other side will sign.
Cost tracks conflict. Full agreement on everything is one price; fighting over every pan in the kitchen is another. Discovery disputes, expert valuations, and contested hearings are the multipliers.
Where LLF comes in: Clear fee agreements, flexible payment plans through Affirm, and honest advice about which fights are worth funding — that's the LLF way.
With full agreement, complete disclosures, and a signed separation agreement and parenting plan, many Colorado divorces finish on paper via an Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance (JDF 1018).
Where LLF comes in: We paper uncontested divorces properly the first time — the cheap divorce that skips required disclosures is the one you pay for twice.
Colorado recognizes common-law marriage — and there is no common-law divorce. If you held yourselves out as married, dividing up may legally require the full dissolution process.
Where LLF comes in: We assess common-law status honestly before anyone locks into a position — it changes property, maintenance, everything.
Ready when you are — talk it through with Charles.
Your choice: no-charge 20-minute phone call OR in-depth hour ($300) — both directly with Charles.
The legal minimum is 91 days from filing/service. Fully agreed cases commonly finish in three to six months; contested cases with custody evaluations or business valuations often run nine to eighteen months.
The petitioner's court filing fee is currently about $230 and a response about $116 (amounts change periodically). Fee waivers are available with JDF 205 for those who qualify. Attorney fees depend almost entirely on how much is contested.
Not necessarily. With complete disclosures and a full written agreement, many Colorado divorces are finalized without a hearing through an Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance.
Yes. The only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken — proving misconduct is neither required nor rewarded.
Contested or not, every case follows the same skeleton — what varies is how much fighting happens at each stop. Most cases that settle fully finish in 3–6 months; heavily contested cases with experts and custody evaluations run 9–18 months.
The single biggest schedule-killer is incomplete financial disclosure. Courts won't move — and shouldn't — until both sides have honestly shown their cards (JDF 1104 certificate, JDF 1111 sworn financial statement).
A single attorney representing both spouses is a conflict of interest — it's not allowed. What we can do is represent one of you efficiently in an amicable case, or serve as mediator helping you both reach terms your own lawyers review.
Twenty minutes with the team now beats twenty billable hours untangling it later.