Denver, Colorado, Family Law Attorney

Family is often the foundation for the rest of a person's life and happiness. If you need to make a legal change to your family arrangement, I would like to help. Only you and your family can ultimately determine which arrangement will serve you best. I can help you understand and examine your options and make legal changes to protect the future happiness of your family.

• Divorce/Dissolution of Marriage: Divorce legally dissolves the marital relationship between two people. During a divorce, we have the opportunity to conduct the proceedings as effectively and empathetically as possible to minimize the confusion and feelings of loss often inherent in ending a marriage.
  
  I offer "holistic" divorce services when appropriate and work toward satisfying resolutions to legal problems like property division, custody and support, and asset and debt division. I provide caring and supportive services aimed at fully understanding your goals and emotional concerns. We can work together to discover which decisions will truly bring you peace of mind, a primary goal of any divorce.
  
  
• Child Custody and Visitation/Parenting Time: Custody and visitation issues involve the responsibilities and rights of the parents. Determining custody can be the most contentious part of a divorce, and reaching an agreement between the two parents can be extremely difficult.
  
  I am experienced in helping parents see custody issues from the child's perspective as well as the perspective of the child's other parent. Children are most often bonded with both parents, regardless of respective parenting skills or styles. We can work to find a solution that will ensure the best situation for the child and provide an acceptable arrangement for both parents.
  
  
• Child Support: Child support is paid by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent. It is "owned" not by a parent but by the child, and consequently it cannot be waived. Many legal issues can arise when determining and continuing child support arrangements and dealing with nonpayment. These issues include modification, enforcement of payment, paycheck deductions and revocation of driving privileges.
  
  
• Paternity: Child support, visitation and custody can hinge on paternity determinations. Testimony and DNA testing can help determine the identity of a child's biological parent and obligate a parent to pay support, allow visitation or share custody.
  
  A paternity suit can be an emotional process. Often the mother needs financial assistance from her child's father. Frequently, men seek legal acknowledgement of a father/child relationship. I have helped many parents resolve the legal and emotional issues surrounding paternity questions.
  
  

• Common Law Marriage: Colorado is one of several common-law-marriage states. Many misunderstandings and misperceptions regarding common law marriage exist. Questions can arise when a couple lives together, pays taxes together, shares bank accounts and other property and/or lists each other as beneficiaries for insurance policies. Emotions can run high when the confusion of marital status is added to custody and property questions during a possible common-law-marriage divorce. I can help determine your marital status and achieve your legal goals.
  
  
• Legal Separation: A legal separation redefines the relationship between married people. Legally separated people usually live apart, cannot remarry others unless a divorce is completed and can enjoy some marital benefits like shared health insurance and property. I can work with you to determine whether legal separation offers a solution for you, and I can facilitate the legal proceedings.
  
  
• Annulment: An annulment of marriage is issued by a court. It nullifies a marriage and determines that the marriage was at no point valid. I offer full annulment legal services.
  
  
• Spousal Support/Maintenance: Spousal support (alimony) issues are part of divorce proceedings, and the process for determining fair and enforceable payments can be complex. I have helped hundreds of people achieve their full spousal support rights.
  
  
• Stepparent Adoption: Stepparents often wish to legally adopt the children of their spouse. This act of love is one of the true joys of family law and is a process I have worked with many times. I can move to legally end a biological parent's legal ties to a child and establish those rights and duties with the stepparent.
  
  
• Prenuptial Agreements: Prenuptial agreements are increasingly popular and, when properly executed, are usually enforceable. They can provide peace of mind for both parties when handled respectfully. I offer full prenuptial agreement legal services.
  
  
• Domestic Violence and Abuse: Domestic violence and abuse can involve not only physical violence and harm, but also emotional harm. Both men and women experience domestic violence. Abuse and violence are illegal and always completely unacceptable. If you or someone you know is suffering domestic abuse or violence or feels threatened by domestic abuse or violence, I can help with legal solutions, advice and support.

Contact Me

If you need the services of a lawyer for family law issues, choose an attorney who works exclusively to help people resolve their family law matters. I have helped many people achieve legal solutions to their family issues, and I would love to help you.

My office is southeast of downtown Denver, off I-25 and Colorado Boulevard. Street parking and inexpensive lot parking are available. Contact me at 303-757-5155.

Debra Jay Ehrenstrasser, Family Law Attorney
3900 E. Mexico Avenue, Suite 330
Denver, CO 80210-3942

Phone: 303-757-5155
Fax: 303-757-8188

The law office of Debra Jay Ehrenstrasser provides family law legal services to the residents of the cities of Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Golden, Littleton, Englewood, Westminster, Arvada, Brighton and Thornton and the counties of Douglas, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams and Denver, Colorado.