WHAT I DO
Your family is unique, and nobody knows your family better than you do. If you have a legal problem regarding your marriage or your family, it only makes sense to have a customized legal services and strategy for achieving your specific goals.
Custom family law solutions are what I deliver. Individuals and families in Denver and throughout the Front Range turn to The Krol Firm for personalized and cost-efficient representation that you won't find at a flashy, downtown firm. You get personal attention with a focus on positive outcomes. No matter how complex your case is, I can help.
Achieving Family Law Solutions In And Out Of Court
As an experienced litigator, I'm always prepared to go to court and fight to protect your interests, but also know that a courtroom battle is often not the most cost-effective and emotionally appropriate route for our clients. Understanding that this is an extremely uncertain time in your life, my aim is to minimize conflict and uncertainty while guiding you toward an emotionally and financially secure future.
Contact The Krol Firm office today for innovative, results-focused solutions in any of the following areas:
• Custody issues, including parental rights and parenting time
• Child maintenance
• Divorces and property division concerns
• Post-divorce modifications, including moves out of state
• Paternity issues
• Adoptions, including stepparent and grandparent adoptions
• Divorce mediation and other cost-saving, out-of-court solutions
• Family law appeals, including child custody and support decisions
Additionally, estate planning can be useful whenever a family law issue and estate administration goal overlap such as: the need to review beneficiary designations after a loved one's passing, ensure gifts to children from a prior marriage and confirm that a former spouse is not listed as a trustee for an estate.
Begin Resolving Your Family Law Issue Today
The Krol Firm is located in the Central Park (Formerly Stapleton) area of Denver with easily accessible and free parking. To schedule a meeting to discuss your case, call anytime at 303.803.1611. I am here to help.
Getting To Know You, Your Goals And Your Family's Goals
From the moment you contact me, I start taking the time to understand the circumstances that have led to where you are today. What are your hopes and goals? What are your fears? Is there dispute over child custody? Are there marital property concerns? I help you through these issues and develop a cost-efficient strategy for achieving optimal results.
Achieving Positive Results For Denver Families
I have extensive experience in helping parents reach consensus with regard to parenting time and other crucial issues understanding that every family situation is unique, and personalized service is a bedrock principle of my firm. Colorado family law no longer uses the term "child custody." Instead, the focus is on the allocation of parental responsibilities, which may include financial support for your child, decisions regarding where your child lives, major decisions regarding your child's health and education, and how parenting time is divided between you and the other parent. In many cases, these issues can be discussed and resolved outside of court through negotiation, mediation or another form of dispute resolution.
Divorce
For most people who go through it, divorce is the most difficult experience of their lives, and yet every divorce is different. I know this and I'm committed to providing custom divorce solutions that meet your specific needs. Many lawyers take an outdated and general approach to handling divorce cases. My approach is different: combine innovative and creative techniques with dynamic representation to provide the personalized care and service our clients in the Denver area deserve. This is an extremely difficult time for you, and my job is to use my legal knowledge and skills to minimize conflict and uncertainty and help you transition to a better future.
Divorce Representation Focused On Your Needs And Goals
At The Krol Firm, I use innovative techniques and develop cost-efficient strategies to help divorcing spouses in the Denver area achieve a fair division of marital property, including the division of high-value assets such as businesses and complex portfolios.
I am fully prepared to protect your property rights in court, but also know that litigation is costly and time-consuming. When you contact me, I begin developing creative solutions for minimizing conflict and ensuring that you receive your fair share of marital assets. To do this, I take the time to get to know you and gain a clear understanding of your needs and goals.
I provide a high level of personalized service, including cost- and time-saving communications technology. As a client, you can privately check on the status of your case by using my convenient online portal, which is available 24 hours a day. I am also personally available by phone or by email in case you have any questions or concerns.
Divorce Solutions In Court And Out Of Court
Divorce typically involves conflict, but often consensus can be reached outside of court through mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. As an experienced litigator, I prepare each case as if it will go to trial, but many cases are resolved outside of the courtroom.
My proven ability to negotiate favorable settlements through mediation can not only protect individuals and families from bitter conflict; mediation is often an effective way of minimizing monetary costs. The reality is that a judge may not have the time or inclination to take into account your needs and concerns regarding marital property or an effective parenting plan, and litigation is inherently an adversarial process. At The Krol Firm, I will negotiate strongly on your behalf in court and out of court. The key is to develop a customized strategy for your specific situation.
What is marital property?
In Colorado, as in other states, property and debts acquired during the course of a marriage are generally regarded as marital property. The law calls for an "equitable distribution" of marital property when two spouses divorce. Equitable division does not necessarily mean that assets and debts will be divided straight down the middle. Factors such as the duration of the marriage, each spouse's contribution to the household income, and each spouse's economic circumstances can all affect how marital property is divided. Various kinds of marital assets — not all of them obvious — may be subject to division.
Additionally, there may be separate property to consider. Separate property is generally not divided in a divorce. Examples of separate property include the value of a business on the marriage date and gifts and inheritances received by only one spouse.
The Importance Of Accurately Valuing Marital Assets
An accurate valuation of property is crucial to a fair division. Unfortunately, sometimes in a contentious divorce, one spouse will try to hide assets in order to keep their value out of the settlement. I have the knowledge and resources to locate and value various kinds of marital property, including:
• Commercial and residential real estate
• Retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs
• Stock options, restricted stock and other employee benefits
• Intellectual property such as trademarks and copyrights
• Insurance policies
• Vehicles
• Credits from travel reward programs
• Art collections
• Retained corporate earnings
In my practice, I focus on resolving conflict while also preparing each case for possible litigation. In terms of property division, that means enlisting the help of forensic accountants, business valuators and tax specialists when necessary. I'm also experienced in tracing the origins of separate property, which often consists of non-divisible assets such as gifts, inheritances and property owned prior to the marriage.
Property Division
People generally get married because of their feelings for each other, but marriage is also a kind of legal contract, particularly with regard to marital property. When two spouses divorce, the law calls for an equitable division of marital assets and debts. Note: "equitable" does not always mean "equal," and your secure financial future could be at stake if your marital property rights are not protected.
Marital Property Division For Business Owners
In Colorado, marital property is divided based on the principle of equitable distribution, which is not necessarily an even split. I help divorcing business owners and their spouses obtain accurate business valuations for the purpose of fair and equitable distribution of marital property. I am also experienced in uncovering hidden assets and tracing separate property to its origin.
How long will my divorce take?
Every divorce is different, and the facts of your case, along with the level of cooperation between you and the other party, will determine how long the divorce will take to finalize. With that said, pursuant to Colorado law, there is a mandatory “waiting period” of ninety-one days from the date of either a joint filing, or service on the responding party before a divorce can be finalized.
The reality is that most divorce cases take considerably longer to complete. Depending on the county in which the case is filed, most cases take somewhere in the neighborhood of five to nine months to conclude.
Whatever your unique situation, my goal is to always minimize the duration, and therefore the cost, of your particular case.
What will happen to my house?
In many cases, the family home is the most valuable asset to be considered for property division. Depending on the circumstances, there may be a number of ways to approach dealing with this important asset. Often, when a couple has children, the parent with whom the children spend the most time will continue living in the family home with the kids. Every family is different, however, and the arrangements for your family should fit your specific situation. There may also be a mortgage or other home-related costs to consider, and these matters can be addressed when negotiating a fair settlement. In some cases, it makes sense for the spouses to sell the home and split the proceeds; in other cases, it may be better to negotiate for a larger share of other assets in exchange for your share in the house.
We encourage you to contact our office in Denver if you have questions about any of these matters.
Spousal Support Maintenance
Spousal maintenance can be a particularly contentious issue in many Colorado divorces. If you have questions about maintenance in your divorce, the surest way to get answers is to discuss your specific situation with an experienced attorney. I have extensive experience in handling maintenance issues for clients in Denver and throughout the Front Range. Understanding what is at stake in these cases is a must and I can explain your rights and options.
How Is Spousal Maintenance Determined In Colorado?
When it comes to matters of maintenance, every situation is different, and the court has wide discretion in deciding whether one spouse must provide financial support to the other. To determine the amount and duration of maintenance — formerly called alimony/support in Colorado — the court will consider a number of factors. These typically include:
• Each party's income: Does each spouse earn enough income to cover reasonable expenses?
• How long the spouses were married: Spousal maintenance can be temporary or long-term, and a longer marriage can mean a longer spousal support obligation.
• Each spouse's age: Is the spouse seeking support at an age when starting or maintaining a career is unlikely?
• Each spouse's health: Is either spouse unable to work due to health reasons?
• The standard of living during the marriage: Spousal support can be ordered to help prevent one spouse's standard of living from being significantly lowered as a result of the divorce.
• Each spouse's education level: Do the spouses have sufficient education levels to obtain or maintain suitable employment?
Whether you are seeking maintenance or being asked to pay it, you should have an experienced lawyer on your side to ensure that your rights and interests are protected.
Child Custody
Often when parents come to me for legal help, their biggest concern is uncertainty about what their lives and their children's lives will be like after divorce or a change in custody. The truth is that the state of Colorado recognizes the importance of having both parents play active roles in their child's life, and I'm committed to helping parents create innovative parenting plans that optimize benefits for everyone involved.
How are parental rights and responsibilities determined?
When parents are unable to agree on a parenting plan, the issues can be resolved in court or out of court. If out-of-court solutions cannot be achieved through mediation or another form alternative dispute resolution, it becomes necessary to ask a judge to decide.
I do everything legally in our power to help parents resolve their child custody differences outside of court. While it is sometimes necessary, litigation can be costly and time-consuming, and often parents are not satisfied with a judge's decision. After all, no one knows your family better than you do. In general, courts in Colorado and throughout the country make child custody decisions based on what is in the best interests of the child. Proving in court what is actually in the child's best interests requires evidence, which in some cases involves the public sharing of information that parents would rather not share — another reason to seek out-of-court solutions when possible. With that in mind, I can help you create an innovative parenting plan that optimizes benefits for everyone involved — all while avoiding court and minimizing costs.
Child Support
When two parents divorce or otherwise end their relationship, child support is one of the most important matters to be determined. In most cases in Colorado, when a child lives with one parent most of the time, the other parent is responsible for paying child support.
How Is The Amount Of Child Support Determined?
The amount of child support to be paid is generally based on Colorado's child support guidelines, which take into account a number of factors, including the parents' gross incomes and how much time the child spends with each parent. Other factors may include the cost of medical care, education and extracurricular activities for the child. Typically, child support in Colorado must be paid until the child turns 19, marries or enters the military. However, under special circumstances, the support obligation may be extended beyond those dates.
When Can Child Support or Child Custody Orders Be Modified?
In life, family and financial circumstances often times change. After a period of time, your original court orders regarding child support or custody, become out-dated, and in need of modification.
If the change in your circumstances is substantial and continuing, you can motion to the court for a change in child support or custody. To modify existing court orders, the appropriate legal steps need to be taken, and it is never a good idea to simply make changes on your own, without modifying your existing court orders.
The Krol Firm
303.803.1611 | catherine@krolfirm.com