Unmarried Parents

Experienced Colorado Family Law Attorney

Paternity Issues • Common Law Marriage

The Law Offices of Fred Andrew Dunsing protects the rights of men and women who are not legally married, in terms of child support, child custody and division of assets. Contact a Colorado family law attorney who will fiercely protect your rights.

I am an experienced trial lawyer with extensive knowledge of Colorado law regarding unmarried parents, paternity actions, and common law marriage. I personally handle your case, not a paralegal, and I will return your calls and answer your questions.

Establishing Paternity

In Colorado, there are two ways to address parental rights and child support, and I advise clients on the appropriate legal avenue. For instance, if the paternity action is filed under the Colorado Children's Code, child support and birthing expenses can be ordered retroactive to the date of birth. This would be beneficial for a single parenting mother filing a paternity claim against an absent father. If the action if filed under Colorado's domestic code, back child support is ordered only to the date the petition was filed. This might make more sense for a father seeking to establish a relationship with a child.

If fatherhood is disputed, the court can order genetic testing to prove paternity. Again, I represent either mothers seeking financial support or fathers seeking visitation or custody.

Common Law Marriage and Distribution of Property
Child support and custody are determined by the same criteria for married or unmarried parents. However, division of property is affected if a couple is not legally married but is found to be married under common law. In a common law marriage, the couple's assets are subject to equitable distribution, the same as for a civil marriage.

The court decides whether the parties are married under common law. Length of marriage is not the determining factor. Rather, the court considers whether the couple held themselves out to the public as being married:

• Did they publicly refer to each other as husband and wife?
• Did they file income taxes individually or jointly?
• Did they co-mingle assets, credit cards, health insurance, or buy real estate together?

Denver (303) 758-8981 and Avon (970) 949-1777

Your rights in paternity or common law marriage depend on quality legal advice and aggressive representation in court by a skilled Colorado family law attorney. Contact me today for a free consultation. I take evening and weekend appointments, and I accept major credit cards.

 Law Offices of Fred Andrew Dunsing
Colorado Family Law Attorney

   Email Fred Dunsing

Our family law practice serves clients in Metro Denver, Vail Valley and the Front Range of Colorado, including Avon, Littleton, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Lakewood, Castle Rock, Aurora, Thornton, Broomfield, Westminster, Highlands Ranch, Arvada, and Golden, and throughout Denver, Douglas, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Eagle, Adams, and Broomfield counties.