Graham.Law Blog

When a judge awards maintenance as part of a final orders in a dissolution of marriage case, the maintenance is subject to modification “upon a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms unfair” (1)(a). However, when the spouses reach an agreement for maintenance, they…

Almost two years ago, we wrote about a Colorado Court of Appeals decision where the Court found that all of the evidence of common law marriage had to be considered, and the fact that the parties filed separate tax returns could not be the controlling factor in the face of…

What is a Putative Spouse? The traditional, ceremonial marriage works for most, our legal system recognizes that a couple who did not enter into a ceremonial marriage may still need legal protections after a long-term relationship. Some states, such as California, have developed concepts such as palimony, under which an…

Marriage License Requires Personal Appearance “There is now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. You can do it by Zoom. Yes or no.” With these words, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he would issue an executive order waiving the requirement for would-be spouses to appear personally…

What Is a Covenant Marriage? In short, a covenant marriage is a way around a no-fault divorce whereby a couple entering into marriage agrees to make it harder to dissolve the marriage by requiring counseling, specific grounds, or a longer waiting period. Think of it as roughly analogous to a prenuptial…

Can You Marry Your First Cousin in Colorado? Yes. Colorado law permits first cousins to marry without restriction. Someone called our office last week with a simple question about whether it was permissible to marry a cousin. While we unfortunately are not able to give out legal advice over the…