DO YOU NEED A DIVORCE LAWYER IN COLORADO?
No. Colorado does not require anyone to hire a lawyer to get divorced, and some spouses finish a short, fully agreed divorce on their own. Whether you need a divorce advocate, meaning a lawyer who represents you, depends on what is at stake: children, retirement accounts, a business, maintenance, military benefits, safety concerns, or a spouse who controls the money and the information.
There is also a middle ground. Colorado lets lawyers help with part of a case, licenses legal paraprofessionals for some family law work, and has court facilitators and self-help centers, including one at the El Paso County Judicial Building.
This guide explains when representing yourself can work, when a lawyer matters most, what each in-between option can and cannot do, and how to choose a lawyer if you decide to hire one.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What Colorado Law Requires
- When Representing Yourself Can Work
- When a Lawyer Matters Most
- Options Between Full Representation and None
- What a Divorce Lawyer Actually Does
- How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Talking With a Colorado Springs Family Law Attorney
- Sources
WHAT COLORADO LAW REQUIRES
You may represent yourself in a Colorado divorce. The Colorado Judicial Branch's divorce self-help page states the tradeoff plainly: "If you choose to represent yourself, you are bound by the same rules and procedures as an attorney."
Court staff can explain forms and procedures, but the El Paso County Self-Help Center states that its staff are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. The court filing fees are the same either way: the Judicial Branch lists $260 for a petition for dissolution of marriage and $146 for a response in its January 2025 fee list.
If you cannot afford those fees, you can ask the court to waive them with a Motion to Waive Fees (form JDF 205).
One Lawyer for Both Spouses Is Rarely an Option
Neither spouse is required to have a lawyer, but spouses' interests in property, support and parenting usually conflict. Colorado's conflict-of-interest rule for lawyers, Colo. RPC 1.7, does not allow one lawyer to represent two clients when one asserts a claim against the other in the same case. Even when spouses agree, joint representation would require each spouse's informed consent in writing, so in practice one lawyer generally does not represent both.
If your spouse has a lawyer, that lawyer represents your spouse, not you. You are free to hire your own lawyer or to represent yourself.
WHEN REPRESENTING YOURSELF CAN WORK
Self-representation tends to work when the case is simple and the spouses truly agree. Those cases usually share these features:
- A short marriage with no minor children together.
- No real estate, no significant retirement accounts, and no business.
- No request for maintenance by either spouse.
- Full agreement on dividing property and debts, reached after both spouses honestly exchanged financial information.
- No history of abuse, threats or control, and no one pressuring the other to sign.
Colorado also allows final orders to be entered on affidavit, without either spouse appearing in court, in limited circumstances. Under C.R.S. 14-10-120.3, either there must be no minor children of the marriage and no pregnancy, or both spouses must be represented by a lawyer or a licensed legal paraprofessional and have signed a separation agreement that allocates parental responsibilities and sets child support.
The other conditions include proper service, no genuine dispute about any material fact, and either no marital property to divide or an agreement dividing it. Even then, the court may require a hearing, and if you have children and either of you is self-represented, expect to appear before the court. Our guide to an uncontested divorce in Colorado covers the agreed path in more detail.
Even in a simple case, consider paying a lawyer to review your agreement before you sign. Property terms in a decree are difficult to change later.
WHEN A LAWYER MATTERS MOST
The more a case involves long-term money, children or safety, the more legal advice is worth. These are the situations where getting a lawyer involved early matters most.
Children
Any case with minor children involves an allocation of parental responsibilities, which is Colorado's term for what most people call custody, along with a parenting plan and child support. Parenting issues are decided under the best interests standard in C.R.S. 14-10-124.
Child support is calculated under Colorado's statutory guidelines, and once it is ordered, it changes only through the court. See our guide to modifying a child support order in Colorado.
Retirement Accounts, a Home or a Business
Retirement plans often need a separate division order, real estate raises refinancing and title questions, and a business has to be valued. Errors in these areas can be expensive to fix after the decree. For larger or more complex estates, see our page on high net worth divorce in Colorado.
Maintenance
Colorado's maintenance statute, C.R.S. 14-10-114, has an advisory formula and a long list of factors, and the guidelines do not create a presumptive amount or term. Whether you may pay or receive maintenance, advice on the realistic range and the tax treatment is worth having; see our guide to spousal maintenance in Colorado.
Military Benefits
Military retired pay, survivor benefits, health care eligibility for a former spouse, and protections for servicemembers all turn on federal rules that apply alongside Colorado law. With Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, and the Air Force Academy nearby, these issues come up often in El Paso County. See our page on military divorce in Colorado Springs.
Domestic Violence, Coercive Control or Fear
Safety comes first. Since August 6, 2025, C.R.S. 14-10-114 lists as a maintenance factor whether a spouse has engaged in domestic violence, coercive control, economic abuse, litigation abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse or unlawful sexual behavior against the other spouse.
Under HB26-1309 (approved May 27, 2026, and not yet in the 2025 online statutes), if the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that a parent committed domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, or a sexual assault that resulted in the child's conception, it must treat the safety and well-being of the child and the abused parent as the primary concern. Mutual decision-making over the other parent's objection is then not in the child's best interests unless the court finds it can work without coercion or risk of harm.
Under C.R.S. 13-22-311, a court shall not refer a case to mediation when a party claims to be the victim of physical or psychological abuse by the other and is unwilling to mediate for that reason. Civil protection orders are a separate process; see our page on protection orders in Colorado Springs.
An Uneven Playing Field
If one spouse handled all the finances, earns much more, already has a lawyer, or is pressing the other to sign quickly, the less-informed spouse starts at a disadvantage. Mandatory financial disclosures under C.R.C.P. 16.2 help, but someone has to read them, notice what is missing, and follow up.
Deciding Between Legal Separation and Divorce
Some couples are not sure they want to end the marriage. A lawyer can walk you through the practical differences between legal separation and divorce in Colorado, including insurance, benefits and what happens if you later decide to divorce.
OPTIONS BETWEEN FULL REPRESENTATION AND NONE
Hiring a lawyer for the whole case and doing everything yourself are not the only choices. Colorado has several options in between.
| Option | What it can do | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer for the whole case | Advises, negotiates, prepares and files documents, and presents evidence and questions witnesses at hearings | Usually the highest total cost |
| Lawyer for limited tasks | Gives advice, drafts documents, or appears for specified proceedings | You handle everything outside the agreed tasks |
| Licensed Legal Paraprofessional (LLP) | Helps with forms and documents, and appears with you in court, where an LLP may question witnesses and make arguments | Only specified family law matters; some complex issues are excluded |
| Mediator | Helps both spouses negotiate their own agreement | Neutral; does not advise or represent either spouse |
| Family Court Facilitator or Self-Help Center | Explains procedures, forms and court terms | Court staff, not your lawyer; cannot give legal advice |
Limited-Scope Help From a Lawyer
Colorado's civil rules let lawyers provide limited legal services to self-represented parties. Under C.R.C.P. 11(b), as amended by the Colorado Supreme Court in December 2024, a lawyer may make a limited appearance, may help draft documents that then list the lawyer's name and contact information, or may give advice and help with Judicial Branch forms without appearing in the case.
Under C.R.C.P. 121, section 1-1(5), a limited appearance covers one or more specified proceedings and ends when the lawyer files a notice of completion. Common uses include reviewing a separation agreement, preparing for mediation, drafting a parenting plan, or handling one contested hearing.
Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals
Colorado licenses Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals, called LLPs, to provide limited legal services in specified family law matters. Under the Colorado Supreme Court's LLP scope-of-practice rule, Rule 207.1, as amended effective December 1, 2025, LLPs may work on dissolution, legal separation, invalidity and parental responsibilities cases, help clients choose and complete court forms, and prepare documents such as parenting plans and separation agreements.
The December 2025 amendment expanded what LLPs may do in court: an LLP may sit at counsel table with the client, examine witnesses, make arguments and objections, and address the court. Some issues remain outside an LLP's license, including disputes over whether a common law marriage exists, contested jurisdiction, and certain trust, business and retirement order questions.
Mediators
A mediator is a neutral person who helps spouses negotiate their own agreement, and a mediator does not represent either spouse. In the Fourth Judicial District, a blanket mediation order requires mediation before a court hearing in domestic cases in El Paso and Teller counties, unless the court grants a waiver.
The Judicial Branch's Office of Dispute Resolution provides mediation for divorce and parenting cases. Many people use a lawyer or LLP to prepare for mediation and to review any agreement before signing.
Family Court Facilitators and the Self-Help Center
Family Court Facilitators are court staff who work with divorce, legal separation and parental responsibilities matters before and after the decree. The Self-Help Center, in Room S101 of the El Paso County Judicial Building at 270 S. Tejon Street, helps people understand court terms, procedures and forms.
Neither can give you legal advice. The Judicial Branch's El Paso County legal assistance list also points to free call-in and email advice programs staffed by volunteer attorneys and LLPs, Colorado Legal Services for people who qualify for free help, and the El Paso County Bar Association's lawyer referral service.
WHAT A DIVORCE LAWYER ACTUALLY DOES
A divorce lawyer's job is to give you accurate advice about your situation and carry out the decisions you make. In a Colorado case, that usually includes:
- Explaining how Colorado law applies to your facts and the realistic range of outcomes. No lawyer can promise a result.
- Preparing and filing the petition or response and keeping track of deadlines such as the response period and the 42-day disclosure deadline.
- Reviewing both spouses' financial disclosures and following up on gaps.
- Asking for temporary orders on parenting time, support or the family home while the case is pending.
- Preparing you for mediation and negotiating with your spouse or your spouse's lawyer.
- Drafting the separation agreement and parenting plan so they are clear and workable.
- Presenting evidence and questioning witnesses at contested hearings.
- Following through after the decree, including retirement division orders, enforcement and modifications.
For more about what representation involves, see our page on working with a Colorado Springs divorce lawyer.
HOW TO CHOOSE A DIVORCE LAWYER
Look for a lawyer who knows Colorado family law, explains things clearly, and is candid about cost and risk. A first meeting is your chance to test that.
Questions to Ask
- How much of your practice is Colorado family law, and do you regularly appear in El Paso or Teller County courts?
- Who will work on my case day to day, and how quickly do you return calls and emails?
- How do you bill, how large is the advance deposit, and how often will I get statements?
- Would limited-scope help make sense for my case?
- What do you see as the main issues and risks?
- How do you approach mediation and settlement, and when would you recommend a hearing?
- What will you need from me, and by when?
What to Bring to the First Meeting
- The petition and summons if you have been served, and any existing court orders.
- Recent tax returns and pay stubs.
- Statements for bank, retirement and investment accounts, and a list of debts.
- A short timeline: date of marriage, date of separation, and the children's birth dates.
- Your questions, written down.
Warning Signs
Be cautious of anyone who promises a particular result, pressures you to sign up on the spot, or will not explain fees in writing. Colorado's professional conduct rules, as amended effective January 1, 2021, prohibit contingent fees in domestic relations matters where payment depends on securing a divorce or on the amount of maintenance, child support, or property settlement in lieu of those amounts.
Our guide to how much a divorce lawyer costs explains billing, deposits and court fees in more detail.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can One Lawyer Represent Both Spouses in a Colorado Divorce?
Generally no. Colorado's lawyer conflict-of-interest rule does not allow one lawyer to represent both sides when one spouse asserts a claim against the other in the same case, and even in an agreed divorce joint representation would require each spouse's informed consent in writing. Either spouse may hire a separate lawyer or represent themselves.
Do I Need a Lawyer If We Agree on Everything?
Not necessarily. If the case is simple and both spouses have exchanged full financial information, self-representation can work, but many people have a lawyer review the agreement before signing because property terms are difficult to change later.
What Is a Licensed Legal Paraprofessional in Colorado?
An LLP is licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court to provide limited legal services in family law matters such as divorce, legal separation and parental responsibilities cases. Under the scope rule as amended in December 2025, LLPs can prepare forms and agreements and appear with clients in court, including examining witnesses, but some complex issues remain outside their license.
Can a Lawyer Help With Only Part of My Divorce?
Yes. Colorado's civil rules allow limited legal services, including a limited appearance for specified proceedings and help drafting documents, while you handle the rest of the case yourself.
Can the Court Order My Spouse to Pay My Attorney Fees?
It can. Under C.R.S. 14-10-119, after considering the financial resources of both parties, the court may order one party to pay a reasonable amount toward the other party's attorney or LLP fees and costs.
Can Court Staff Give Me Legal Advice?
No. Family Court Facilitators and Self-Help Center staff can explain procedures and forms, but they are not your lawyers and cannot give legal advice.
TALKING WITH A COLORADO SPRINGS FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY
Deciding whether to hire a lawyer is easier once you know what is actually at stake in your case. A consultation is a chance to get that picture, ask about limited-scope options, and decide what level of help makes sense.
Moran, Allen & Associates Family Law Attorneys works with clients throughout El Paso and Teller counties. Call (719) 447-0762 in Colorado Springs or (719) 686-7554 in Woodland Park, or schedule a free consultation to talk through your situation.
You may also find our guides to Colorado divorce tips and common mistakes and how divorce affects children useful as you decide.
This article is general information about Colorado law as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. Court rules, fees and local procedures change, so speak with a licensed Colorado attorney about your own situation.
SOURCES
- Colorado Judicial Branch, Divorce or Legal Separation self-help page
- Colorado Judicial Branch, El Paso County Self-Help Center
- Colorado Judicial Branch, El Paso County Legal Assistance list (rev. July 23, 2026)
- Colorado Judicial Branch, List of Fees (January 2025 publication)
- Colorado Judicial Branch, Motion to Waive Fees (JDF 205)
- C.R.S. 14-10-114, Spousal Maintenance
- C.R.S. 14-10-119, Attorney Fees and Costs
- C.R.S. 14-10-120.3, Decree Upon Affidavit
- C.R.S. 14-10-124, Best Interests of the Child
- C.R.S. 13-22-311, Court Referral to Mediation
- Colorado Session Laws 2026, Chapter 163 (HB26-1309, Abuse in Cases of Separation, as enacted)
- Colorado Supreme Court, Rule Change 2024(20), C.R.C.P. 11(b) and 121 Section 1-1(5), Limited Legal Services
- Colorado Supreme Court, Rule Change 2025(20), LLP Scope of Practice (Rule 207.1), effective December 1, 2025
- Colorado Supreme Court, Rule Change 2020(30), Colo. RPC 1.5 Fees
- Fourth Judicial District, Blanket Order to Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation in Domestic Cases (FCF 300A)
- El Paso County District Court (Fourth Judicial District), Domestic Relations Case Management Order (FCF 400, rev. August 2026)