Beginning January 1, 2014, Colorado Courts will use a new, more detailed, statutory framework for determining the right to maintenance, as well as the amount and duration of that maintenance award. Currently, the Courts’ orders regarding maintenance tend to be inconsistent, since the factors the Court can consider in determining maintenance are so vague. The new law provides that maintenance shall be calculated according to an established table (See: Colorado’s New Maintenance Law tables) . Proponents of the law say that this will provide consistency in maintenance awards and that all cases will be treated the same. Opponents, on the other hand, are concerned that it takes the Court, who is in the best position to know the facts and circumstances of a particular case, primarily out of the decision-making role. Either way, it is important for any person considering dissolution of marriage to consider and discuss with counsel the new law and the affect that it could have on them.
