To save money, many parents try to handle as many issues as possible on their own, seeking legal assistance only when necessary. We can offer unbundled services on a case- by-case basis. For instance, if you want help developing a plan for parenting time and child support but you can agree to terms on other issues on your own, we can represent one parent in negotiation or serve as a neutral mediator to help you reach your own consensus on the issues in question. Or, we can be a coach to you, known or unknown to the other party, helping you in the background but not representing you.
If you reached agreement on all terms and just need legal guidance to prepare and review paperwork, we can assist with that as well.
We also through our unbundled work help a person plan for a future family law case, especially if there are allegations of domestic violence or when a parent wants to plan to alter the parenting schedule in the future. Having an attorney a call away can be very helpful to aid in your management and planning for future family law situations.
In all of our unbundled work, we focus on preserving relationships and rebuilding families with a new structure that will serve everyone’s best interests for the future. There are ways to go about family law without hiring an attorney to represent you but to still get the advice of an attorney and child advocate to be sure you are making wise choices as you prepare for future court actions or simply want to handle the case yourself right now.
Custody and Parenting Time
In Colorado, we do not use the term “custody,” as it makes children seem like property a parent owns. Instead, we look at “parenting time” and “decision-making” or globally as “allocation of parental rights and responsibilities.”
Regardless though of what we call it, it is clear one of the most frightening aspects of family law actions for a parent is the fear of losing the ability to be fully in a child’s life. The fear often triggers a fight instinct that drives parents to take an adversarial approach, which is often fueled by attorneys who compound that fear with “solutions” that only increase fighting. The result? Markedly more stress for both parents and the children, with the effects of the escalated conflict being extremely damaging to all.
But while it is damaging for parents to fight over parenting decisions, it also does not serve a child’s best interests when one parent passively caves in to demands of a controlling parent, because the child benefits from having a full relationship with both parents.
At Children First Family Law, we can work with you to plan your strategy for parenting arrangements that serve the needs of the family as a whole as well as each member individually. We know how to advise you so you can use strategies to de-escalate conflict and preserve harmony so that parents emerge from the process with a stable relationship for co-parenting in the future.
Division of Assets and Debts
The process of dividing property and allocating debts can be complex and, because the outcome has such an impact on life after the family law action, the issues are often subject to intense conflict. We can help you understand your legal rights and develop a plan to share assets and debts that fulfills your objectives and gives you a realistic view of what you can expect based on how Colorado law operates in practice.
Child Support and Spousal Maintenance
While child support and spousal maintenance (what you might call “alimony” – though a term not used in Colorado) guidelines are set by law in Colorado, the amounts can be changed to account for certain circumstances. We can explain the base figures and factors that can influence the result so that you understand your position legally.
Document Review and Preparation
If someone has presented you with proposed documents, we can review them and let you know the ramifications so you can make an informed decision about whether to sign or seek amendments.
Changing Existing Arrangements
If you want to amend court-ordered plans for custody or visitation or want to change the amounts of child support of maintenance, you need court approval even if both parties agree to the changes. We can advise you on how to memorialize agreements and present them to the court so that you can move forward with new arrangements that meet legal standards.
In situations where parties disagree about proposed changes, we can advise you of your rights and help you reach a consensus that is right for your family dynamics.
Children First Family Law Can Help You Contain the Costs of Family Law Actions
When it comes to legal services in family law actions, you shouldn’t have to pay for more than you need. With our unbundled services, you can get the right help without unnecessary additions, saving your valuable resources.
To discuss the services we can provide, contact Children First Family Law today.