In Colorado all divorces can differ. Some are finished within 90 days. Some can take two years or more depending on the situation of the parties, what type of expert reports are needed, and how busy is the court docket. This is the time line for the average case. This case assumes the marriage has sufficient duration, assets and child issues to involve experts.

The Initial Status Conference (ISC) is usually held about 45 days after filing of the summons and petition. Before the ISC you need to complete and file your financial affidavit, and exchange disclosures which include the financial affidavit, current statements for all real estate, loans, bank accounts, credit cards, and pension or retirement accounts.

At the ISC the Court either issues orders for child support and spousal maintenance or sets a hearing for Temporary Orders. (TO). The court are pretty busy so that is often a month later.

At Temporary Orders (TO) the court issues temporary orders for parenting time, parental decision making, spousal maintenance, child support, use of property during the divorce, ongoing debt payment, and sometimes attorney fees. The Court asks about the needs for experts, for valuation of real estate or advocacy for children. If necessary these experts are either agreed upon or appointed at about this point in the process.

The Expert Reports might be an appraisal of your home, or a child custody evaluation (now called a Child and Family Investigation). The reports are due at least 60 days prior to the hearing for permanent orders. Often the Child and Family Investigator report is due twenty days prior to hearing.

The rules then require a meeting, during the month prior to the permanent orders date. Lawyers and parties are encouraged to come prepared to settle with updated financial information and some idea how their parenting plan should be working after the divorce. At that meeting, the lawyer confer on a joint document called a Trial Management Certificate which outlines their position for the courts. They try to exchange their exhibits ten days prior to the hearing to show each other what documents and evidence will be used, because this often settles matters when people see things in black and white.

At Permanent Orders the court grants your divorce, and makes orders to finish the business aspects of your marriage. Houses, cars, pensions, bank accounts, are all divided by the court. Child issues are the hard part, and often take many hours to resolve, with testimony of the CFI.

A divorce can diverge from this time line at any point. People can change lawyers, and delay it. Settlement can occur and rush it. Experts can be challenged so that another few months is necessary to get another expert for the challenge. Court dockets can be so full, that when you arrive prepared for your hearing, they apologize, continue the matter for several weeks or months in the future, costing double time and energy.