If a Colorado state legislator has his way, couples with children in that state will have to go through a waiting period before they would be permitted to divorce. In addition to a so-called cooling off period of six months, the bill would require substantial educational instruction detailing the impact of divorce on children.

The thought is that it might make parents think twice before ending their marriage because of the potentially devastating effect that divorce can have on children. Right now in Colorado, all that is required of divorcing parents is a brief course on divorced parenting that can be completed in a day. Several states, including Texas, have drafted similar legislation in recent years. However, none of the bills were actually enacted into law.

The bill, known as the Parental Divorce Reduction Act, is a response to increasing divorce rates in Colorado. It contains exceptions for situations such as domestic abuse, substance abuse and if one of the parents is in prison. There was a similar bill that came up during a legislative session in 2001, but it did not advance to the governor. Other states that have attempted similar legislation include Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Emotions run high at times of divorce, and the thoughtful input of an attorney can help to protect your rights during this time of transition. People who are going through divorce proceedings are often in need of an experienced family law attorney to help navigate them through the complexities of the process.

Source: 9NEWS.com, "'Cooling off' period proposed for Colorado divorces," Corey Rose, Jan. 3, 2012