18 min read
Divorce
How to Get Divorce Immediately in Colorado: What "Immediate" Actually Means
Let's get something straight right away: if you're searching for how to get divorce immediately, you're probably imagining walking into a courthouse on Monday and walking out single by Friday. That's not how this works. Colorado has a mandatory 91-day waiting period from the day you file until the day your divorce can be finalized. No exceptions. No shortcuts. No matter how amicable things are or how much you're willing to pay.
The Reality Check: Speed Has Limits
The good news? Ninety-one days is still pretty fast compared to the months or years some divorces take. The difference between a three-month divorce and a two-year divorce isn't some secret legal hack—it's usually about how well you and your spouse can agree on things, how organized you are with paperwork, and whether you're willing to compromise on the stuff that matters less.
What This Article Covers
We're going to walk through the practical options for getting divorced as quickly as possible in Colorado. You'll learn:
Why some divorces take 91 days and others take 18 months
What uncontested divorce means and whether you qualify
How mediation can speed things up (even if you're not on great terms)
The specific mistakes that add months to your timeline
What happens after you file and how to avoid delays
The path to a fast divorce isn't mysterious. It's about understanding the process, being prepared, and knowing which battles are worth fighting.
Understanding Colorado's Timeline: Why "Immediate" Has Limits
Colorado's divorce laws are built on the idea that ending a marriage shouldn't be a snap decision. Even if both people agree on everything, the state requires a 91-day waiting period between filing your petition and finalizing the divorce. This isn't a suggestion or a guideline—it's written into Colorado Revised Statutes § 14-10-107. You can have all your paperwork perfect, zero disagreements, and the best attorney in the state, and you'll still wait 91 days minimum.
The 91-Day Waiting Period: Your Unavoidable Speed Bump
Think of this waiting period as the baseline. Everything else that happens in your divorce adds time on top of these 91 days. The clock starts ticking the day you file your petition with the court. Here's what that means:
Day 1: You file your petition for dissolution of marriage
Days 1-91: The mandatory waiting period runs (you can negotiate, prepare documents, attend mediation during this time)
Day 92 or later: Your divorce can be finalized if everything else is ready
Filing vs. Finalization: Two Very Different Things
Filing for divorce is easy. You submit paperwork and pay a fee. Finalization is when a judge signs your decree and your marriage legally ends. The gap between these two events determines whether your divorce takes three months or three years. When people ask about how to get divorce immediately, they're usually thinking about filing—but what they actually care about is finalization.
Uncontested vs. Contested: The Factor That Changes Everything
If you and your spouse agree on all major issues, you're looking at an uncontested divorce. Your timeline:
91-day waiting period (required by law)
Plus 2-4 weeks for paperwork processing and court scheduling
Total: roughly 4-5 months from filing to finalization
If you disagree on custody, property division, or support, you're heading toward a contested divorce. Your timeline:
91-day waiting period (still required)
Plus discovery, negotiations, possible temporary hearings
Plus mediation attempts (often required by the court)
Plus trial preparation if you can't settle
Total: 8 months to 2+ years, depending on complexity
If you're somewhere in the middle (you agree on most things but need to work out a few details):
91-day waiting period
Plus time for mediation or negotiation on remaining issues
Total: 5-8 months typically
The difference between a fast divorce and a slow one usually comes down to one question: can you two work together enough to avoid court battles?
The Fastest Path: Uncontested Divorce in Colorado
An uncontested divorce is your best shot at speed. This doesn't mean you and your spouse are best friends or even that you like each other. It just means you've managed to agree on the big stuff before involving the court. When people figure out how to get divorce immediately in Colorado, this is the route they're taking—because fighting over every detail in front of a judge is what turns a three-month process into a three-year nightmare.
What Makes a Divorce Uncontested
Uncontested means you've both signed off on how you'll handle the major issues. The court still reviews everything to make sure it's fair and legal, but you're not asking a judge to make decisions for you. Here's what you need to agree on:
Division of property and debts (who gets what, who owes what)
Child custody and parenting time schedules (if you have kids)
Child support amounts
Spousal maintenance (alimony), if applicable
How you'll handle taxes, insurance, and other financial matters
You don't need to agree on every minor detail. You just need to be on the same page about the framework. Small disagreements can be worked out. Major battles over custody or hiding assets? That's contested territory.
How to Know If You Qualify
Ask yourself these questions honestly. If most of your answers are "yes," uncontested divorce is probably realistic:
Can you and your spouse have a conversation about money without it turning into a fight?
Do you both have a general idea of what assets and debts exist?
Are you willing to compromise on things that aren't dealbreakers?
If you have children, can you agree on a basic parenting schedule?
Is neither person trying to hide assets or income?
Are you both willing to be fair rather than trying to "win"?
If you answered "no" to most of these, you might still get there with mediation. If you answered "absolutely not" to all of them, you're looking at a contested divorce.
Realistic Timeline: What "Fast" Actually Looks Like
Here's the honest timeline for an uncontested divorce in Colorado when things go smoothly:
Week 1: File your petition, serve your spouse (or file jointly)
Weeks 2-12: Prepare your separation agreement and parenting plan during the mandatory waiting period
Day 91: The earliest your divorce can be finalized
Weeks 13-16: Court reviews paperwork, schedules final hearing (if needed), judge signs decree
Total time: 4-5 months on average
That's the best-case scenario. Add a few weeks if the court is backed up, if your paperwork needs corrections, or if you need more time to work out the details. But you're still looking at under six months, which is genuinely fast for a divorce.
The Paperwork You'll Need Ready
Getting your documents organized before you file saves weeks. Courts don't like incomplete filings, and missing information means delays. Gather these now:
Financial affidavits showing all income, assets, and debts
Tax returns for the past three years
Bank statements, retirement account statements, investment records
Mortgage documents, car titles, and other proof of major assets
Pay stubs and proof of income for both spouses
Information about health insurance and other benefits
If you have children: school records, childcare costs, medical expenses
The more complete your financial picture is upfront, the faster you can finalize your agreement. Missing documents mean going back and forth, which means delays.
Collaborative Divorce and Mediation: Faster Than You'd Think
If you and your spouse can't immediately agree on everything but aren't ready to declare war either, collaborative divorce and mediation might be your path to how to get divorce immediately—or at least close to it. This is the middle ground between "we worked everything out ourselves" and "see you in court for the next 18 months." Mediation involves sitting down with a neutral third party who helps you negotiate the tough stuff. It sounds touchy-feely, but it's actually one of the most practical ways to speed up a divorce that has some friction.
Why Working Together Speeds Things Up (Even When You Hate Each Other)
Every hour you spend fighting in court adds weeks to your timeline. Here's the math that matters:
Court schedules are packed. Depending on what county you are in, getting a hearing date could take anywhere from 2-12 months. Then the judge needs time to issue a ruling. Then someone appeals or asks for modifications. Repeat.
Mediation happens on your schedule. You can book sessions within days or weeks, work through issues at your own pace, and finalize agreements without waiting for court availability.
Judges make decisions based on limited information. Mediators help you reach decisions based on what actually matters to your family.
Court battles create more conflict, which creates more issues to fight about. Mediation at least attempts to reduce the temperature.
You don't have to like your spouse. You don't have to trust them completely. You just have to be willing to sit in a room (or on a video call) and negotiate like adults for a few hours.
What Mediation Actually Involves
Mediation isn't therapy and it isn't arbitration. The mediator doesn't make decisions for you or try to fix your relationship. They help you negotiate and document what you agree on. A typical mediation process looks like this:
Depending on the issues and facts of the case, sometimes you will meet with a mediator for several sessions, and sometimes just one session (which can last all day). You discuss the issues you're stuck on—property division, custody schedules, support payments. The mediator asks questions, suggests options you might not have considered, and helps you find middle ground. When you reach agreements, the mediator documents them. Those agreements become part of your divorce decree.
Most divorces need 1-2 mediation sessions total. Some complex cases need more and it can take months of prep to be ready to go to a productive mediation. Between sessions, you gather requested documents and think about proposals. The mediator doesn't represent either of you—you can each have your own attorney reviewing agreements before you sign.
The Bottom Line: Mediation typically adds 2-4 months to your timeline compared to a completely uncontested divorce, but it saves 6-18 months compared to going to trial. You're looking at 6-8 months total from filing to finalization if mediation works, versus 12-24+ months if you fight everything in court.
How Much Time and Money You Might Save
The numbers tell the story. Mediators typically charge $150-$400 per hour. A complete mediation process might cost $3,000-$8,000 split between both spouses. That sounds like a lot until you compare it to contested divorce costs: $15,000-$50,000+ per person in attorney fees, expert witness costs, and court fees.
Time-wise, you're saving even more. A contested divorce in Colorado averages 12-18 months. A mediated divorce usually wraps up in 6-8 months. That's a year of your life you get back—not to mention the emotional cost of dragging things out.
The Bottom Line: Mediation costs roughly one-quarter of what a court battle costs and takes about half the time. Even if you're skeptical about sitting down with your spouse, the math makes it worth trying before you lawyer up for war.
What Slows Everything Down (And How to Avoid It)
You can know everything about how to get divorce immediately in Colorado and still end up in a year-long process if you make certain mistakes. Most delays aren't caused by complicated legal issues or bad luck with court scheduling. They're caused by predictable problems that people walk straight into because they're angry, scared, or convinced they need to "win" the divorce. Here are the traps that turn a four-month divorce into a sixteen-month ordeal.
The Custody Battle Trap
Fighting over custody is the single biggest time-killer in divorce. Courts take parenting decisions seriously, which means more hearings, more evaluations, and more waiting. When you can't agree on a parenting plan, here's what gets added to your timeline:
Parenting time evaluations by court-appointed professionals (2-4 months)
Guardian ad litem investigations if the court appoints one to represent the children's interests (adds 3-6 months)
Multiple temporary hearings to establish interim arrangements while the case proceeds
Psychological evaluations if there are concerns about fitness or mental health (2-3 months per evaluation)
Competing expert witnesses who need time to review records and prepare testimony
The parents who fight over every overnight, every holiday, and every decision-making detail can add a year or more to their divorce. The ones who recognize that both parents matter and focus on what's actually best for the kids get through the process much faster. You don't have to agree on everything—just on a framework that's reasonable.
Property Disputes That Drag On for Months
Complex assets require time to value, divide, and transfer. Simple disagreements about who gets what become complicated when neither person will budge. Here's what slows things down:
Business valuations that require forensic accountants (3-6 months for a thorough analysis)
Real estate appraisals, especially if you disagree on the appraiser's findings and need a second opinion
Retirement account divisions that need QDRO preparation and approval (can add 2-4 months)
Hidden asset investigations when one spouse suspects the other isn't being honest about money
Fighting over items with more sentimental value than actual worth (the $500 couch that costs $3,000 in attorney fees to argue about)
The pattern is obvious: the more you fight about property, the longer everything takes. Pick your battles. That artwork might matter to you, but is it worth adding three months to your divorce?
Common Mistakes That Add Weeks or Months to the Process
These are the unforced errors that people make all the time. They're completely avoidable:
Filing incomplete paperwork that the court kicks back for corrections (adds 2-4 weeks each time)
Missing court deadlines for responses or required documents (can add months if the court imposes sanctions or delays)
Failing to disclose assets or income, which gets discovered later and destroys trust (adds months of investigation and negotiation)
Making major financial decisions during the divorce without court approval (buying a house, taking on debt, hiding money)
Using your kids as messengers or weapons, which makes judges question your judgment
Posting on social media about your spouse, the divorce, or your new lifestyle (gives their attorney ammunition)
Refusing to compromise on anything because you're angry, which guarantees court intervention
If you want your divorce to move quickly, treat it like a business transaction you need to close. Get organized. Be honest about finances. Respond to requests promptly. Save the venting for your therapist, not your attorney's billable hours.
Need help moving through your divorce as efficiently as possible? The attorneys at Reputation Law Group understand Colorado divorce law and can help you avoid the common delays that turn a straightforward process into a lengthy battle. We'll assess your situation, explain your options, and develop a strategy that protects your interests while keeping things moving forward. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
After Filing: What Happens Next
You've filed your petition. Now what? Understanding the actual steps between filing and finalization helps you know what to expect and where you can take action to keep things moving. The process isn't mysterious, but it does have a specific order. Here's what happens after you submit those initial documents:
Service of process: Your spouse must be formally notified of the divorce filing. They have 21 days to respond if served in Colorado (35 days if served out of state). If they don't respond, you can request a default hearing.
Initial status conference: In many Colorado counties, the court schedules an early meeting to discuss the case timeline, identify issues, and set deadlines. This usually happens 4-6 weeks after filing.
Temporary orders hearing (if needed): If you need immediate decisions about custody, support, or who stays in the house, you can request a temporary orders hearing. These typically happen within 30-60 days of filing.
Disclosure of financial information: Colorado requires both parties to exchange detailed financial documents within 42 days of filing. This is mandatory even in uncontested cases.
The 91-day waiting period runs: During this time, you're negotiating, preparing documents, possibly attending mediation, and working toward a settlement agreement.
Final hearing or decree submission: Once the 91 days pass and you've reached agreements, you either submit your decree for approval or attend a final hearing where a judge reviews everything.
Judge signs the decree: Your divorce is officially final when the judge signs and the decree is entered with the court. This can happen the same day as your hearing or take 1-2 weeks if submitted without a hearing.
What You Can Control vs. What You Can't
Some parts of the divorce timeline are fixed by law or court procedures. Others depend entirely on how you handle things. Knowing the difference helps you focus your energy where it matters.
What you cannot control:
The 91-day waiting period (it's Colorado law)
Court scheduling and how busy your judge's docket is
How long it takes the court to process paperwork (usually 1-2 weeks but can be longer)
Whether your county requires certain hearings or conferences
The way the other party acts (do they want to fight over everything or are they also interested in reaching agreements)
What you absolutely can control:
How quickly you gather and exchange financial documents
Whether you respond to requests and deadlines promptly
Your willingness to negotiate and compromise on disputed issues
How organized your paperwork is when you submit it
Whether you create new conflicts or focus on resolution
How well you communicate with your attorney (if you have one)
The people who understand how to get divorce immediately are the ones who focus on what they can control. They don't waste time complaining about waiting periods or court backlogs. They use that time to get their affairs in order.
How to Avoid Delays Once You're in the System
The system moves at its own pace, but you can avoid making it slower. Most delays happen because someone dropped the ball on something simple. Stay on top of the process and you'll get through it faster.
Pro tip: Get your divorce done right the first time. It might take a little bit longer, but you avoid the case being reopened or numerous modifications which could then add months or years to your involvement in the legal system.
Pro tip: Create a divorce timeline calendar. Mark every deadline the court gives you—responses due, financial disclosures due, hearing dates, mediation sessions. Set reminders for three days before each deadline. Missing a deadline can add weeks to your case.
Pro tip: Respond to every request within 48 hours, even if your response is "I need more time to gather that information." Silence makes people assume you're being difficult or hiding something, which leads to court intervention.
Pro tip: Keep all your divorce documents in one organized folder—digital or physical. When your attorney or the court asks for something, you should be able to find it in minutes, not days.
Pro tip: Don't create new problems during the divorce. Don't make major purchases, don't introduce your kids to a new partner, don't trash-talk your spouse to mutual friends. Every new issue gives the other side something to fight about, which adds time.
Pro tip: If your county offers a final decree review without a hearing, use it. Some Colorado courts will review and sign your decree without requiring you to appear if everything is uncontested and properly documented. This can save 2-4 weeks of scheduling time.
How to Get Divorce Immediately in Colorado: The Bottom Line
The honest truth about divorce speed in Colorado is this: you're working within a system that has built-in time requirements, and no amount of money or legal maneuvering changes that 91-day minimum. But the difference between a three-month divorce and a three-year divorce is almost entirely about how you handle the process. If you get divorced right the first time, you can avoid months or even years of your involvement with the legal system by avoiding case reopens or numerous modifications. If you and your spouse can agree on the major issues—or at least work through them with mediation—you're looking at four to six months total. If you turn everything into a battle, you're looking at a year or more of court dates, legal fees, and stress. The choice is largely yours.
Speed in divorce isn't about finding loopholes or shortcuts. It's about being organized, being honest with your financial disclosures, being willing to compromise on things that don't actually matter, and understanding that the goal is to close this chapter of your life and move forward. People who figure out how to get divorce immediately in Colorado aren't doing anything magical—they're just avoiding the predictable mistakes that turn a straightforward legal process into a prolonged nightmare.
Your Next Steps Based on Your Situation
If you and your spouse are on reasonably good terms and can discuss things rationally, start gathering your financial documents and having honest conversations about how you'll divide things. You might be able to handle an uncontested divorce with minimal legal involvement. If you're stuck on a few issues but willing to work through them, look into mediation before you escalate to full legal warfare. If things are hostile or complicated—especially around custody or hidden assets—you need professional help to protect your interests while still moving as efficiently as possible.
Ready to move forward with your divorce? The team at Reputation Law Group has guided hundreds of Colorado families through this process. We'll give you an honest assessment of your timeline, help you understand your options, and create a strategy that gets you to the other side as quickly as possible without sacrificing what matters most. Whether you need full representation or just strategic guidance, we're here to help. Reach out today to discuss your situation and take the first step toward finalizing your divorce.
