Caring, Committed, Compassionate Legal Representation
The Law Office of Kathy A. Higby, located in Littleton, Colorado, handles the needs of families throughout the front range, including Jefferson, Adams, Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. Legal disputes involving one's own family are personal and difficult. Many times they can be traumatic. It is important to preserve your rights while being sensitive to children's issues which necessitate continued relationships between parents after the dispute is resolved. Whether the matter is disputed or an agreement has been reached, you should contact our firm to ensure all details are addressed and the process finalized in an appropriate fashion. Call our office for help in the following areas:
- Step-parent adoptions - A step-parent can adopt a step-child based upon either parental consent or abandonment. If the natural parent will not consent to the step-parent's adoption, abandonment can be shown by either the natural parent's failure to support the child for a period of one year, or failure to contact the child during that time.
- Alimony, spousal maintenance, and spousal support - The amount and duration of alimony, spousal support, or spousal maintenance depends on a number of factors including the length of the marriage, age and health of each spouse, educational levels, income streams and other financial resources, and standard of living.
- Allocation of parental rights and responsibilities – Parental rights (custody)and parenting time(visitation). For more information see Divorce and Dissolution page.
- Annulments – Colorado law provides for an annulment under limited circumstances, including fraud, duress, mental incapacity, and/or failure to consummate.
- Child custody, interstate jurisdictional issues, and out-of-state orders under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)
- Child support, child support guidelines, enforcement, and modification - All states, including Colorado, have guidelines by which courts determine child support. The Colorado child support guidelines can be found at http://www.courts.state.co.us/chs/court/forms/domestic/childsupportguidelines.htm
- Divorce and dissolution of marriage. For more information see Divorce and Dissolution page.
- Enforcement remedies – If a party fails to comply with a court order, remedies of contempt citations, income assignments, judgments, and garnishments are available.
- Grandparent visitation – Colorado continues to recognize the rights of grandparents to have visitation with their grandchildren so long as there has been some prior court order entered allocating parental rights and responsibilities, such as a decree of dissolution of marriage.
- Legal separation – A legal separation action is similar to a dissolution of marriage action in that all relevant issues resolved in a dissolution of marriage action are likewise resolved in a legal seperation action. However, at the end of the process, a Decree of Legal Separation is entered and the parties are still married. A Decree of Dissolution of Marriage cannot thereafter be obtained until six months have lapsed.
- Paternity, non-paternity, and custody petitions – Paternity and non-paternity proceedings are filed by the mother or an alleged father to legally determine parentage. A custody petition is filed by a non-parent seeking parental rights. The allocation of parental rights and responsibilities in a paternity action or custody petition are determined in a manner similar to that in a dissolution proceeding.
- Post decree modification – Primary Parent Designation (Custody), Parenting time (Visitation), child support, and maintenance (alimony) modifications. For more information see Modification and Enforcement page.
- Protective orders - Domestic abuse and domestic violence affects too many families and children in Colorado. We take every precaution to ensure the safety of families and children.
To learn more about the Law Office of Kathy A. Higby and our approach to family law in Colorado please contact us today.