How to Receive a Divorce Decree in Colorado
Colorado has an average of 56 divorces per day, according to the Rocky Mountain Family Council. The final step to legalize a divorce is to have a judge sign, date, and file your divorce decree in your local courthouse. Also called a final decree, the divorce decree is a formal court order that specifies the terms and conditions of your marriage termination. This legal document includes details such as alimony, property division, child support and custody. You should keep a copy for your records in case you ever need the decree for legal reasons.
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Instructions
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Contact the vital records office in Colorado. The vital records office is located within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This office keeps copies of many legal records in Colorado such as adoptions, births, deaths, marriages and divorce decrees. Records for divorces that occurred between the years 1940 and 1975 are not retained in this department. You can order a divorce decree from this office through fax, mail, phone or online. If you order your divorce decree over the phone or online, there is an additional fee for payment processing. Request a copy through mail, fax or in person to avoid additional fees. You can find an order form and address to the office on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website. When ordering a divorce decree, indicate the names of the divorced husband and wife, date of divorce, where the divorce occurred and your reason for the request. It usually takes about six weeks to receive the divorce decree via mail.
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Visit the district court in the county in Colorado where the divorce was decreed. After the judge in divorce court signs and dates your decree, the document is permanently filed in the county where the divorce occurred. You can find a list of district courts divided by counties on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website. You can request copies of the decree either via mail or in person for a fee. A list of fees is listed on the court's website. You will need to show a copy of your driver's license for identification. If you are not one of the parties of the divorce, such as a spouse or attorney, certain information pertaining to the children or financial matters will be removed.
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Request the divorce decree from your lawyer. Generally, the lawyer who handled your divorce in Colorado will have copies of your divorce decree. Most lawyers will give the document to you free of charge if it is your first copy.
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