Wheat Ridge Divorce Attorney Blog | Front Range Family Law

Child custody: Are you a victim of parental alienation?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Friday, June 7, 2019.

When you and your spouse decided to file for divorce in a Colorado court, you understood that you might encounter challenges regarding your future co-parenting plan. In fact, you might be one of many parents who often fought about your kids during marriage, especially if you and your co-parent tend to disagree on how to interpret your children's best interests.

All that aside, getting divorced doesn't mean you're abdicating your parental rights. You're not divorcing your kids; you're divorcing your spouse. Therefore, your ex has no right to try to systematically undermine your relationship with your children by filling their heads with lies or trying to turn them against you. This is called parental alienation and it is not okay.

Is co-parent conflict impeding your ability to move on in life?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Monday, May 27, 2019.

It's not uncommon for Colorado parents to disagree about child-related issues after divorce. In fact, such disagreements may have been a key factor in your decision to sever your marital ties. It takes time and a lot of effort to develop a working system between households. In short, it's not so much about obstacles arising (as they often do) as much as how you react to a problem situation.

If you and your ex can barely be in the same room without arguing, chances are you might have trouble resolving co-parenting issues. The good news is that you don't have to handle such problems on your own. You can seek guidance and support as needed. You can also be proactive in keeping contentious conflicts at bay.

How to avoid high-stress issues in a Colorado divorce

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Friday, May 10, 2019.

If you follow celebrity news, you've likely read about some of the more recent, highly contentious divorces that have occurred among some very famous people. While your everyday life might be a tad different from theirs, it is likely that you can relate to some of the more common issues people like Jeff Bezos, Madonna and Shannon Beador have gone through when they severed ties with their spouses.

Before heading into a Colorado court, it's helpful to organize your thoughts and develop a game plan. What are the most important issues in your situation? Are you most concerned about finances? Do you believe you are in for a nasty child custody battle? No matter what your high priority issues happen to be, the better informed and more prepared you are, the easier it might be to protect your rights and your children's best interests.

Custody battle: Jennifer Hudson versus David Otunga

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

If you file for divorce in a Colorado court and you happen to be a parent, there will be numerous issues that you and your spouse must work out before the judge will issue a final decree. Child-related divorce matters include issues such as custody agreements, visitation schedules and child support. You may encounter challenges regarding one or more of these topics if you and your spouse disagree about how your new parenting plan should work.

Extenuating circumstances can spark contentious court battles. For instance, if you follow celebrity news headlines, you may have read about an ongoing legal dispute between actress/singer Jennifer Hudson and the father of her child, David Otunga. Otunga has requested partial custody; however, he also has asked the court to order Hudson to pay child support.

Navigating the impact of post-divorce issues on children

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

There is no question you love your children and want what's best for them. Like many Colorado parents, you and your spouse may have disagreed about how to interpret that when you were navigating divorce proceedings. Ending a marriage in court definitely affects children as much, if not more, than the parents involved. You and your ex were hopefully able to execute a fair and agreeable co-parenting plan.

Even after a judge has approved your proposed custody, visitation or child support agreement, any number of issues can arise that create legal complications, which can, in turn, have a negative impact on your children's lives. In general, divorce can be an emotional and stressful process that is difficult for everyone involved. By being a proactive parent, you can closely observe your children's health and take swift action to resolve any divorce-related problem you think may be adversely affecting their well-being.

Tips for co-parenting during summer

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

It's spring now, which means summer is right around the corner. This means the kids will be out of school. As a newly divorced parent, this could prompt several challenges that you and your co-parent might not have anticipated. Your first post-divorce year is definitely a learning year. You and your kids, as well as your ex, are all adapting to new lifestyles and to a new family dynamic.

Fortunately, you can help yourself make summer break go smoothly. You can apply these tips to other holidays and school vacations too. With your children's best interests in mind and a willingness to cooperate and compromise as needed, you and your co-parent can help your kids build new memories and enjoy family time off school, even if both parents no longer reside under the same roof. If a problem arises, it's a good idea to have a support system in place.

Child custody modification: TV star Bethenny Frankel wants it

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

If you're one of many Colorado residents who are fans of reality TV shows, you're likely familiar with Bethenny Frankel. If you also happen to be preparing for child custody proceedings, you may want to follow Frankel's case, which has been ongoing for several years now. It seems that she and her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy, have done battle several times in court. However, they still seem to have some unresolved issues, and Frankel has recently petitioned the court for child custody modification.

There's an existing court order in the Frankel/Hoppy case that stipulates a shared custody arrangement. Frankel says her ex is abusive, and she believes her daughter would be better off if the court would change the order to make her the full-time custodial parent. The famous reality TV housewife says her ex mistreated her dog and that he has been too rough with their daughter as well.

Colorado fathers who hope to win custody should do these things

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Do you get frustrated when Hollywood and the media continually paint fathers in a poor light in movies, sitcoms, on talk shows and in the news? It's definitely commonplace nowadays for actors playing fathers to appear dumb, foolish or negligent in their familial duties. You know that in real life, many dads are dedicated, hard-working, upstanding people who do their best to love and care for their children and provide for their families.

The "TV-character dad" doesn't make it easy for real life dads, especially those preparing for custody proceedings in divorce. If that's you, you'll want to keep several things in mind that can help you show the court you are not a deadbeat father and that getting divorced doesn't mean you wish to abdicate your parental obligations. If you believe your children are better off in your custody, you'll want to build as strong of a case as possible to prove it in court.

Is your spouse committing financial infidelity in your divorce?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

When you decided to file for divorce, you understood it would have financial implications in your life. Perhaps your biggest concern was whether or not you'd have enough resources to provide for your children's needs. Beyond that, you may also be worried that your spouse will try to gain the upper hand when it comes time for property division proceedings. Like most states, Colorado operates under equitable property division laws.

In community law states, judges typically split marital assets 50/50 in divorce. In this state and the majority of others, the court determines a fair division of assets and liabilities, which does not necessarily mean it will be an even split. If your spouse has grown defensive any time you ask about finances or has been acting rather secretive when it comes to his or her pay from work or other financial matters, it may be a sign that you are dealing with a hidden asset problem.

Unhealthy relationship signs that may signal divorce

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Whether you've only been married a year or two, or you and your spouse laid down roots in Colorado as a newly married couple more than three decades ago, chances are, you've likely encountered your share of relationship challenges. While it's true that the longer you've been married, the more experiences you've shared and life situations you've navigated, it is also true that even spouses who haven't been together for long may face serious problems that ultimately cause them to divorce.

There are certain issues that can alert spouses that their relationships are not currently healthy. Some may be able to overcome their problems by seeking marital counseling or agreeing to make some changes. Perhaps you've already tried all that and have determined that your most viable option to resolving your problems is to file for divorce. In either case, the type of support you have can greatly affect your ability to cope with your situation.

Wheat Ridge Divorce Law Blog