Divorce and Family Lawyer Serving Colorado Springs and the Surrounding Areas

Divorce and family court matters can be stressful and time-consuming, but can also offer a brighter future.

In divorce and family law proceedings, you get one bite at the apple. There are no do-overs in the court system. Let our experienced attorney make sure that the bite counts.

We actively promote reaching mutually beneficial agreement between all involved to keep cost and conflict down; particularly when children are involved. If we go to court, we put on our best case.

Personal service. I personally meet with you and help define your goals and priorities.

Point of contact. When I take your case, I become your representative to achieve your goals.

Experience. As an experienced legal professional, I have many years of experience in a variety of legal areas and enjoy working with people to reach agreement if that is their goal.

Empathy. I understand the difficulty of legal challenges and work with you to turn change into opportunity.

Holiday travel wasn’t as dreadful as I thought it would be. It was just another busy day at the airport. I think TSA has clearing security down to a science. Going to my destination, it only took me five minutes to go through security, coming back, only twenty-five minutes. I was expecting more than that, but thankful it wasn’t a nightmare! With bags packed, plans made and a book in hand to read on the trip, I was ready for my adventure. But little did I know there was something else looming in the small, dark corner of my mind.

This time of year is tough for a divorcee. Last year was bearable. I had my son with me, and we celebrated all three holidays together with my roommate and her family. A very unlikely group of people brought together by our circumstances, but it was fun, and it helped keep my mind busy. My focus was to make it a great holiday season for my son. Mission accomplished! However, this year, as I traveled solo, I became extremely self-aware of my relationship status.

I had time to kill at the airport before my flight, so I sat at a restaurant to treat myself to some drinks and a meal. Texting friends and family, laughing to myself and having a great time, I was oblivious. Until I started to notice the others around me in the restaurant. Three people each sat alone, much like me. A few couples were in the dining area, then I watched a group of friends laugh and chat as they sipped on their drinks. Although I was enjoying some ‘me time’, I couldn’t help but feel a little lonely in a crowded airport.

The gate at boarding time was teeming with couples and families. I then started to pick out who was traveling solo and who wasn’t. I’m not sure why I did that, but I want to say because it was a tactic I used to make me feel better.

When it was Thanksgiving day with family, I did notice I wasn’t the only one there who arrived solo, but I was in the minority. My youngest niece and one of my sister’s whose husband had to work for Thanksgiving.

A few days later, I went to a car show with my other sister and her boyfriend. I had joked about me being the third wheel and knowing there was going to be another couple meeting us for dinner later, I then called myself the fifth wheel. Again, it was all in good humor, until we went to sit down. Two and two across, then an extra chair at the head of the table. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t think anything of it. But as soon as I saw this set up, I couldn’t help but feel left out, and a little awkward. I tried my best to be myself, but instead I listened and observed, enjoyed my meal and would occasionally join the conversation. My sister did tell me later on that it was the quietest she’d ever seen me.

I’ll be honest, it was unsettling to see couples and families together, especially this time of year. But it made me realize I still need more time to heal. That I need to give myself grace and allow these feelings to happen and to not deny them. If you feel like you’re in the same boat as me, please know that it’s ok and that you still need time to adjust to your post-divorce life.. Chat with a friend, watch a silly show, have a mug of comforting hot cocoa, and get in some sleep. If your child custody plan includes having the kids every other weekend, knowing that you’ll see them soon makes everything right again. Tomorrow is a new day to make some progress and to be better than you were the day before!

If you need a top-notch team to assist you with your journey, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation about Colorado Springs divorce, child custody and family law at 719-344-5523.

Sabra was the Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Military and Veterans Affairs Section in 2023 and is the current Chair of the El Paso County Bar Association Family Law Section.

Life and the law are intertwined. Life is about change and planning for the future. Everyone at some point has family changes and would like to plan for the future. Life and the law intersect when we enter into agreements with others, seek advice or assistance with decision making, take disagreements into the court system, or prepare legally binding documents such as Separation Agreements and Parenting Plans.

When life and the law intersect, turn change into opportunity.

Divorce and Family Law
Divorce and family law matters are often emotional and complicated. It is important to have someone to listen and objectively identify ways to turn change into opportunity.

As a Colorado Springs divorce attorney, I handle all facets of divorce and family law to include:

• Dissolution of marriage (AKA divorce)
• Parenting time (AKA child custody)
• Child support
• Relocation
• Separation agreements
• Parenting Plans
• Property division
• Post-decree matters and modifications
• Military and veteran family law

Protection Orders
A person seeking protection from another can file for a civil Protection Order in county court. Civil Protection Orders differ from criminal protection orders. A civil order can be requested by a party seeking protection from someone with whom they have been in an intimate relationship. A criminal Protection Order, on the other hand, is pursued by the state to protect a party who has been a victim in a crime that the state has chosen to prosecute.

Military Divorce and Family Law
Military divorce and family law often have unique aspects, whether jurisdictional because family members are located in different states, or relating to military-specific rules, regulations and legislation. I have extensive experience working with servicemembers, veterans, retirees and family members and understand the military system. As everyone who has served or been a military family member knows, the military is a completely different culture with unique structures and systems.

Change can be difficult but it is part of the cycle of life. There can be several phases of change:

Phase 1 - Comfort Zone
Human nature orients us to create systems, routines and things that we can count on in our lives. We may get married or find a significant other, have children, buy a house, buy a car, engage in a profession and so on. We then define ourselves by these reliable choices and associations and enter a comfort zone. Sonner or later for most however, something about these routines, systems, people or possessions changes.

Phase 2 - Comfort Zone Disruption
Something may happen to disrupt our comfort zone. Common occurrences are divorce, separating from a significant other, or legal issues involving children. Sadly, the divorce rate in America is high. The American Psychological Association reports that 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. These disruptions can impact our sense of who we are and destabilize our systems, routines and things that we can count on. We may then question what we can count on. This uncertainty can be uncomfortable, but can serve the positive purpose of motivating us to respond.

Phase 3 – Fight or Flight
Initially human instinct may lead us to respond to a perceived threat to our stability by fight or flight. In the family law context, fight can mean nonconstructive communications with partners or former partners. Flight can mean ignoring important family issues, or even denial.

Fight or flight is not a comfortable phase, and it should not be because it is not a phase that we should stay in for long. The fight or flight instinct serves a purpose in extreme situations or for limited periods of time. Sooner or later reason paves the way to creativity where we think of new ideas or develop new perspectives on our situation.

Phase 4 –Creativity
This is where we come up with new ideas or perspectives and is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves. When one door closes, another opens.

Phase 5 – New Approach Implementation
Life and the law intersect in the implementation phase. It is where we negotiate with former partners to reach agreement regarding divorce and matters involving children and set forth the decisions in joint agreements, seek assistance in resolving issues and having important documents drafted, or take the matter to a court for that court to decide.

We may decide to prepare planning documents to secure the future of our loved ones after change, or we may prepare them as part of a routine life planning and review process.

Phase 6 – Enjoying the Results
Create a reality better than the one before.

Colorado Springs Divorce in a Day
Don't want to spend months to accomplish divorce through the court process? Accomplish divorce, AKA dissolution, in a day through a mediated divorce. Schedule anywhere between 4 - 8 hours in one day with an attorney mediator who can guide you through the divorce process and prepare standard separation agreements and parenting plans based on your agreements. You can then file the forms with the court and move on with your life to turn change into new opportunity. Note that there is a 90-day statutory waiting period in Colorado after you file your paperwork with the court.

Traditional retainer & Billable Hour
With this option, you can have an attorney implement your legal goals and you can always pick up the phone to call with questions. This approach allows you to put maximum effort into other areas of your life.

However, it is not the only option. The right legal approach is personal and depends on the complexity of the issues and the needs and desires of the parties.

If you are looking for a dependable guide to lead you through difficult and unfamiliar legal terrain, contact me at 719-344-5523, or by using the online contact form. I am looking forward to discussing solutions with you.