Rapp & Minnerop, LLPGreeley Family Law Attorney | Rapp & Minnerop, LLP | Criminal Defense2026-07-13T17:23:58Zhttps://www.northcolaw.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1503971/2024/02/cropped-RMM-site-icon-32x32.pngOn Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[How a criminal charge can affect your custody case in Colorado]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=469812026-06-06T05:56:06Z2026-06-06T05:56:06ZWhen you face criminal charges in Colorado, your parenting rights may change quickly. Family courts act fast when a child's safety is at stake.
What Colorado law requires courts to consider
Colorado family courts base custody decisions on the child's best interests. The foundational statute is Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) § 14-10-124. It requires judges to review each parent's criminal history, domestic violence record and substance abuse patterns.A charge does not automatically end your parental rights. However, courts can impose restrictions before any verdict is reached.
Types of charges that raise concerns
Not every charge carries the same weight. Courts evaluate several factors when assessing risk to a child:
Violent offenses: Assault or any crime involving physical harm draws the most scrutiny.
Child abuse or neglect: Past allegations may affect custody even without a conviction.
Substance-related offenses: A recent DUI may signal instability, especially if a child was present.
Repeat behavior: A pattern of arrests may suggest ongoing risk to a child.
A single nonviolent conviction from years ago may carry less weight if you can show evidence of rehabilitation.
What can happen while charges are pending
Courts do not always wait for a conviction before acting. A judge may suspend or modify parenting time based on credible evidence of risk. A protection order in a domestic violence case may also bar you from contact with your children.If charges are later dismissed, the family court may still maintain restrictions. Courts conduct their own review of the evidence under the best interests standard.
How domestic violence is treated differently
Colorado law treats domestic violence as its own category. If a judge finds credible evidence of it, the court may presume that joint decision-making does not serve the child's best interest. The accused parent must then show they can make decisions safely.
You may speak with an attorney about your options
If criminal charges are affecting yourcustody case, acting early may help protect your parenting time. An attorney can help you understand how these rules apply to your situation. Speaking with a lawyer may also clarify what evidence could matter most in your hearing.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[Business asset division in complex divorces]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=469702025-06-25T14:31:07Z2025-06-25T14:31:07ZDividing a family-owned or closely held business during divorce brings unique legal and emotional challenges. This is especially true in Greeley, where family and business ties often overlap. These businesses have financial and personal value because they’re closely tied to the community. That makes them harder to divide than typical property. Understanding the process and your options can help you protect your future and move forward with peace of mind.
What is a complex divorce?
A complex divorce involves more than just ending a marriage. It may include dividing a business, settling large debts, handling child custody, or splitting multiple properties. These cases often require professional advice, financial review, and strategic legal planning to reach a fair outcome.
What counts as a business asset?
A business asset can include ownership in an LLC (limited liability company), an S-Corp (a corporation with special tax status), or a partnership (a business with two or more owners). In Colorado, business interests gained during marriage are usually considered marital property. This means both spouses may have a right to share the business’s value. However, dividing a business is more complex than splitting a house or bank account. It requires careful evaluation of the company’s value and each spouse's role in its success. Knowing this helps you prepare for the potential complications ahead.
Complications of dividing a family business
When both spouses are involved in the business, they may disagree about who should run it or what should happen to it. If other family members or partners are part of the business, things can get even more complicated. These situations are often emotional and require a respectful, thoughtful approach.
How courts value business interests
Courts rely on expert business appraisers to determine a company’s value. These experts look at financial records, assets, debts, and expected future earnings. If the spouses don’t agree on the value, the process may take longer and lead to more disputes.
Options for splitting ownership
When dividing business assets during a divorce, there is no universal solution. Each case requires a customized approach. There are several ways to divide business assets in a complex divorce:
Buying out the other spouse: Paying your former partner to keep full ownership of the business
Selling the business: Divesting the business and splitting the proceeds
Continuing co-ownership: Sharing ownership and management responsibilities
Using a buy-sell agreement: Establishing clear terms for ownership transfer and valuation to prevent disputes
Choosing the right option depends on your specific situation. Careful consideration can lead to a solution that safeguards your business and secures your long-term success.
Why legal advice is important
Dividing business assets is rarely simple. An experienced divorce attorney can help with business valuation, negotiations, and planning. Lawyers often collaborate with financial experts to ensure your interests are fully represented. Legal support provides insight into a complex process and helps safeguard your financial future.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[First steps to take to build your case for maintenance]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=469692025-03-21T21:18:18Z2025-03-19T21:14:24Zspousal maintenance, sometimes referred to as spousal support or alimony.
But you can’t just claim you need alimony and expect to be handed the money you’ve requested. Instead, you’ll have to demonstrate, whether through negotiations or litigation, that you’re entitled to spousal support as a matter of law. You do this by presenting evidence that speaks to the statutory considerations that are relevant in an alimony case, including length of marriage, each spouse’s earnings capacity and any sacrifices that were made during marriage.
If you’re thinking about pursing alimony, then you’re probably wondering what steps you can take to better position yourself for success. Merely considering this gets you off on the right foot, but there are other actions that can advance your position and maximize your chances of recovering what you’re owed. These include:
Creating a budget: To recover spousal support, you’ll have to demonstrate that you need alimony to become self-sufficient. Creating a budget can help you show how strained your finances will be once your divorce is finalized, thereby giving your spouse and the court an idea of what sort of support is needed to stabilize you. Just be realistic here so that you aren’t attacked for inflating expenses or minimizing your income.
Looking for a job: If it’s possible for you to look for a job, you should do so. This will help you articulate how you lack the education, experience or skills necessary to obtain meaningful work. Again, this helps you demonstrate that you need financial support until you can better position yourself to enter the workforce.
Gathering documentation that shows your marital lifestyle: While alimony is aimed at providing you with support until you can become self-sufficient, it’s also aimed at providing you with as close to the marital lifestyle as possible. So, if you can show the types of vacations you took, the car that you drove, the shopping you did and the frequency with which you ate at restaurants, then you’ll be in a better position to prove the marital lifestyle that you enjoyed.
Identifying witnesses: You might hope that your spouse and the court will take you at your word when it comes to what you need for financial support, they probably aren’t going to be as understanding of your position as you’d like. Therefore, it’s a good idea to think about witnesses who can testify as to the sacrifices that you made during your marriage and what sort of life you lived during your marriage.
Build a strong and aggressive case for alimony
Spousal support can be a lifeline in your time of need as you focus on establishing your post-divorce life. But there’s a chance that you’re going to have to fight for it. Don’t let the thought of contentiousness scare you, though. There are divorce legal strategies that can be utilized to protect your interests while shielding you from a lot of the stress associated with the situation. If you want to learn more about the legal avenues that are available to you, then continue reading up on alimony and what it takes to build a compelling case.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[How can I argue to win my child custody case?]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=469652024-06-12T11:31:05Z2024-06-21T11:30:18ZArguments that could address your child’s best interests in your custody case
The best interests standard in all encompassing. Although statute identifies some factors that will be taken into consideration, the courts are generally free to assess any evidence that they feel is relevant to their determination. So, as you prepare to head into your custody dispute, you should determine whether you can use any of the following evidence to support your legal arguments:
Parental substance abuse: If your child is exposed to parental substance abuse, then they’re at an increased risk of being abused or neglected. They might also develop emotional and psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, shame, and guilt. They also might socially isolate from their peers.
Domestic violence: Household violence can pose a significant threat to your child’s well-being. Your child can end up getting hurt when they try to intervene in instances of domestic violence, and they live their life in fear because of what’s going on at home. The trauma experienced by what they’ve witnessed can last a lifetime, too.
Untreated mental health issues: If your child’s other parent has untreated mental health issues, then they may not be in a proper state to care for your child. If this is something that you’re going to argue, then you’ll want to be able to show how the untreated mental health condition negatively impacts your child.
The other parent’s willingness to foster a relationship: Unless there are safety issues, the court is going to find a custody arrangement that allows the child to build and maintain a relationship with each parent. If your child’s other parent is unwilling to foster your relationship with the child, then you might be in a strong position to argue that they shouldn’t have sole physical custody.
Your child’s needs and opportunities: Your child has basic needs that must be met, but they also need educational and extracurricular opportunities. Can you provide for those better than the other parent? Can you and the other parent equally provide them? The answers to these questions can speak to what kind of custody arrangement protects your child’s best interests.
Advocate for a custody arrangement that’s right for your child
Remember, the best interests determination is all-encompassing. So, the factors mentioned above are only some of the areas where you might have room to argue. Therefore, if you’re headed for a child custody dispute, then you should fully consider the circumstances at hand and what evidence you need to appropriately advocate for your child’s well-being.
]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[Parents should be prepared for relocation disputes]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=469362024-03-19T14:26:58Z2024-03-19T14:26:58Zhow the law handles these issues from both perspectives to try and reach an acceptable outcome. A key is to ensure the child is not caught in the middle and their development is not hindered as the sides seek viable solutions.
Fundamental facts about parental relocation
Before a parent can relocate with a child, the court must modify an existing parenting time order. Of course, the sides can simply agree to the modification and allow the custodial parent to relocate. In some instances, this is possible. Perhaps the parties are on amicable terms and there are workable options so the noncustodial parent has sufficient time with the child under a new parenting time template.
An example could be an extended period in which the child stays with the noncustodial parent during summer vacation when the parenting time was split differently under the original order.
However, there are many cases in which the other parent objects to the move. If the relocation will substantially alter the noncustodial parent’s ability to see the child as they did before, a hearing will be necessary. In deciding these cases, the court looks at various factors.
In these cases, the court wants to know why the move is being made. A custodial parent might have a job offer in the new location; they could have family they want to be close to; or they can be moving because they want to pursue a new relationship.
At the same time, the other parent needs to show why they are against the relocation. It could deny them reasonable parenting time or they could be fearful as to the child’s safety.
The court assesses each parent’s relationship with the child and how the previous parenting time order was working. It also considers whether the parents can work together to help the child’s development.
Other factors include the child’s educational opportunities; if there is extended family in the new location; if the child will benefit by remaining with the custodial parent; if there are options to reasonably change the parenting time order to suit the new circumstances; and how to ensure the child’s best interests are served.
Relocation and parenting time can be handled with qualified guidance
Any child custody and parenting time issue can be difficult areas of family law. This is particularly true when the custodial parent is relocating and the noncustodial parent is afraid that their time with the child can be limited.
Before letting emotions lead to hard feelings, it is important to be aware of the available solutions. As the case moves forward, the parents should be prepared to try and find a reasonable outcome, most importantly to avoid an upheaval for the child.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[What is not considered marital property in a divorce?]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=466692023-09-22T16:01:12Z2023-09-25T15:57:28Zunder the law is important.
Some property is not marital
When the term “marital property” is used, it refers to items that were accrued after the couple got married. If they bought a home, then it is marital property. The same is true for furnishings, automobiles and other items. Still, there are exceptions.
If a person was named in a will and received property through the document, then it belongs to them alone. A loved one might have died and given a person money, family heirlooms, artwork or anything else. That is not viewed as marital property even though it was acquired after the marriage.
Those who owned property before the marriage and exchanged it for new property will get to keep that as their own. The same is true when exchanging something they received as a gift or by descent. When a couple legally separates and they amass property in the aftermath, that property is theirs despite them not getting divorced yet.
Finally, if there is property that has been excluded by an agreement between the parties, it is not marital property provided it is valid. A prenuptial or post-nuptial agreement can detail which properties belong to whom. The agreement must be valid and it will be assessed to determine if it is legally binding. If it is, then the property will belong to one person.
A successful family law case requires preparation
There can be confusing aspects in family law cases. Property division is among the most complex parts of the law. People might not realize that certain properties were acquired after the marriage that are not viewed as marital property.
Knowing this and other facts about the law can be essential to reaching a positive outcome. Whether it is a relatively amicable case or the sides are in dispute about myriad issues, it is useful to be completely prepared from the start.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[The top signs that your marriage might be over]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=466602023-06-09T06:29:39Z2023-06-22T11:00:13Za tell-tale sign that your marriage is over.
Signs that it might be time to seek a divorce
No two marriages are the same. Therefore, the factors that are significant enough to warrant a divorce are going to be different for everyone. That said, here are some of the biggest signs that your marriage might be over:
Domestic violence: You need to be safe in your marriage. If you’re being subjected to physical, emotional, psychological, or verbal abuse, then now is probably the time to find a way out. But if you’re being exposed to domestic violence, then you need to protect yourself as you find a safe and efficient way out of your marriage.
Infidelity: This is a major cause of divorce, as it can rip you and your spouse’s trust for each other to shreds. Some can work through this issue and keep their marriage intact, but it’s going to take a lot of effort.
Disconnectedness: Sometimes couples simply grow apart. They have interests that don’t align, and their priorities no longer match. This can lead to feelings of isolation, and you might find that you’re hopeless about the future of your marriage.
Lack of effort: It takes a lot of work to build and maintain a happy marriage. But if your spouse isn’t willing to put in the work, then that may be a sign that they’re not invested in your marriage, regardless of the circumstances.
Disrespect: You and your spouse have to respect each other if you hope for your marriage to work. If there isn’t mutual respect, then your relationship can quickly turn toxic, which is bad for your mental health and can lead to otherwise avoidable stress. You don’t deserve that.
Unrealistic expectations: As life goes on, the dynamics of your marriage might change. While spouses expect each other to adapt to a certain extent, sometimes the expectations that are laid out are simply unrealistic. When these sorts of expectations are implemented, then disappointment, resentment, and regret can set in, which can be devastating to a marriage.
Lack of support: Spouses lean on each other for emotional support. But when neither spouse dedicates themselves to hearing their spouse and understanding what’s going on in their life, there can be a lack of emotional and psychological intimacy that creates a significant divide. So, if you and your spouse can’t talk to each other, understand each other, and support each other, then your marriage might be on a cliff’s edge if it hasn’t already fallen over.
Protect your interest if and when the time comes
If you decide that the time has come to end your marriage, then you need to be prepared to protect your interests throughout the process. This means knowing how to cope with the emotional ramifications of your marriage dissolution, but it also means having a grasp on the legal issues that you’re about to confront.
That might all sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, you can continue to read up on those issues that are relevant to you so that you can confidently move forward with your divorce, making the decisions that protect you and your future. Hopefully then you can successfully move into the next chapter of your life.
]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[5 ways that a spouse attempts to hide assets]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=466592023-03-15T22:26:12Z2023-03-15T22:26:12ZThrough friends and cryptocurrency
A person who attempts to hide marital assets may resort to some surreptitious methods. They may include:
Scheming with friends and relatives: Hiding assets such as cash, savings bonds and broker-issued investment certificates with friends and relatives happens. This group has loyalty to your spouse and also may hide cash by accepting payments for debts that do not exist.
Transferring funds into your minor children’s accounts: In a way, this is a “shell game,” trying to determine where to find these assets.
Colluding with an employer: That long-expected bonus may not surface until the divorce is final. Same goes for the promotion that includes a much higher pay rate.
Cryptocurrency: This has become an increasingly popular place to hide marital assets.
The dissipation of assets: Excessive spending on global travel, gifts and rent may be signs that your spouse is spending money on a lover. Another method may be to secretly purchase a car and then sell it immediately after the divorce.
It may be difficult to track down these assets. However, it is possible. A knowledgeable divorce attorney with the help of a forensic accountant has the skills to do so.
Uncovering those assets
In certain divorce cases, including those involving high-asset divorce, hiding marital assets represents a way for a vengeful spouse to get back at the other. Keep your eyes and ears open. It just may help you uncover those assets.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[Sensible steps to follow before you hire your divorce attorney]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=466312024-04-29T04:17:01Z2022-09-26T19:14:56ZWhen are the divorce seasons?
The two times of the year when the greatest number of people hire divorce attorneys are at the end of the summer (when the children return to school) and right after the holidays at the very beginning of the next year. If you have arrived at the difficult decision to divorce your spouse, before you actually reach out to any attorney to start the divorce process, you should seriously consider taking the following step so that you will be well prepared once you start the process.
Familiarize yourself with the Colorado state court website: The state court system (in Colorado or any of the other states) will probably prove to be less than user-friendly so the more acquainted you become with the information, the better off you will be once you actually sit down with an attorney and start the divorce process.
Gather your financial documents: In divorces, absolutely everything financial will be scrutinized. It is a really good idea to make an inventory of your present assets, income, debt, and all of your major expenses. When a couple is in the process of divorcing in Colorado, they have 42 days from the beginning of the process to hand over all of their financial information to each other. You may very well find that it is not easy to gather all of that information. It is also a good idea to bring tax returns from the last three years, if you can get your hands on those. This will help your attorney to get a quick understanding of your finances.
Create a reasonable budget that you will be able to maintain: Getting a divorce will not be an inexpensive experience. You can think of your finances as doubling because the money that you and your spouse have will now need to support you separately since you will most likely not be living together. When you create your budget, make sure to include the money that you will need while you are going through the divorce and after the divorce is final. There are many things that you will need to include in your budget, such as court fees, parenting class costs, and other divorce-related costs.
Consider hiring a therapist or mental health professional: When you go through a divorce, many different emotions are involved and it may help you a great deal to speak with a professional to get those feelings out so that they don't fester and eventually harm you and those close to you. It may take you a little while to find the right therapist. You will not want to settle for just any therapist. You will want the therapist that particularly suits your needs and helps you in the way that you need.
Try not to use social media: Posting things on social media may end up hurting you even though whatever you are posting may be seemingly innocent. It is important to keep in mind that whatever you post on social media will be out in cyberspace forever so if you do something in anger or frustration, you can't ever take it back and you may very well regret that you ever posted anything. You certainly don't want to give your spouse the upper hand.
Think about what your life will be like after your divorce: If you have come to the decision that divorce is the only answer for you, hopefully, it was a decision that you did not make in haste. If you have thought long and hard and you are sure that this is what you want, you should be fine. Just like marriage, divorce will require a great deal of compromise and it will not only affect you but it will also affect your children and possibly your ex-spouse. You want to do everything possible to be happy in your new life.
Solid advice from an experience Colorado divorce attorney
Once you have taken all of the necessary steps before starting the divorce process, it will be time to choose an experienced and knowledgeable Colorado divorce attorney. You may have worked for many years and have accumulated many valuable assets in your life with your spouse. Those assets may make your divorce complicated so having the right advice can help you to hopefully ensure that things run smoothly so that your life after divorce will be positive and successful going forward.]]>On Behalf of Rapp, Manzer & Minnerop, LLP<![CDATA[What is parental gatekeeping and how is it harming your child?]]>https://www.northcolaw.com/?p=466262022-03-21T19:25:32Z2022-03-22T19:21:58ZWhat is parental gatekeeping?
One way that parents are cutoff from their children is through parental gatekeeping. Gatekeeping refers to a custodial parent’s ability to determine who has access to the child and what information the child receives. This gatekeeping function can be beneficial in some instances, such as when a non-custodial parent poses a threat to the child. Yet, all too often, the gatekeeping function is taken advantage of to the detriment of the non-custodial parent, oftentimes when the custodial parent erroneously sees the non-custodial parent as a threat or the custodial parent invents a threat posed by the non-custodial parent.
How does negative parental gatekeeping occur?
It is easy to overdo things when playing a gatekeeping role . All a custodial parent has to do is cut off your contact with the child. Your phone calls may go unanswered, excuses may be made for missed parenting time, and you may not be kept informed of your child’s medical appointments, schooling, and extracurricular activities. This is slightly different from parental alienation in that parental alienation still allows contact between the non-custodial parent and the child but warps the child’s perception of the other parent.
The dangers of abusive parental gatekeeping
There are many risks associated with improper parental gatekeeping. For example, one study showed that overuse of the gatekeeping role caused extensive conflict amongst parents, and understandably so. Also, since parental gatekeeping is more likely to impact young children who are too young to challenge their custodial parent, children who are subjected to abusive gatekeeping can lose out on the positive impact of the non-custodial parent, which is oftentimes the father. This can lead to a whole host of mental health and behavioral issues later in life, especially if that child has no idea why their other parent has no contact with them.
What can you do to stop abusive gatekeeping?
If you suspect that your child’s custodial parent is engaging in abusive gatekeeping based on perceived, but untrue, or manufactured harm, then you’ll probably need to take legal action to bring it to a stop. In order to successfully do so, though, you’re going to need evidence. That’s why now is the time to start gathering the evidence that you need to support your position. This may mean keeping a journal of each time that you’re denied access to your child and how your child’s other parent responds to your requests and your concerns.
Additionally, you shouldn’t be tricked into losing your temper or saying awful things to your child or your child’s other parent. After all, these statements may be used against you. Instead, you should try to remain calm, honest, and respectful at all times.
You may also want to get an expert on your side. This may mean requesting that the court order some sort of evaluation, that way you can have a psychologist testify as to how your child is being negatively impacted by the custodial parent’s actions.
Have a strong legal advocate on your side
If you’re facing a situation where negative parental gatekeeping is occurring, then we know that you’re angry, frustrated, and scared for the future of your relationship with your child. But you can have a strong legal advocate on your side to not only help guide you through the process, but also to build the persuasive legal arguments that you need on your side. If you’d like to learn more about what a law firm like ours can do to assist you in that regard, then we encourage you to continue to read our website.]]>