Family Law

Photos: More civil unions than marriages at Denver license bureau in first half of May

Want proof there was a lot of pent-up demand for civil unions? According to Denver's Office of the Clerk and Recorder, the city issued 255 civil union licenses during the first two weeks of May, as compared to 245 marriage licenses. Granted, 114 of the civil-union licenses were issued during Denve ... More >>

Racines pops the cork for civil unions this month

At 12:01 on May 1, Colorado's Civil Unions Act took effect. And to commemorate the new law,Racines is offering same-sex couples celebrating their new legal status a complimentary 187 ml bottle of Korbel California Brut Champagne to share during lunch or dinner...or breakfast, if you're so inclined. ... More >>

Photos: One Colorado rings in civil unions with the Civil Soiree at McNichols

One Colorado, the state's most formidable gay-rights organization, hosted the Civil Soiree at the McNichols Building on the eve of the civil unions bill going into action across the state. Only hours later, many supporters traversed Civic Center and headed to the Wellington Webb Municipal Building t ... More >>

License to Thrill

Civil unions bill on way to governor's desk, One Colorado plans celebration event

It's been a long time coming. After a bill to legalize civil unions in Colorado fell short in both 2011 and last year, the measure finally passed the Colorado House today. Next, the legislation heads to the desk of Governor John Hickenlooper, who's promised to sign it. This breakthrough delights B ... More >>

Photos: "Pro marriage" supporters protest civil union bill at State Capitol

At noon, two days after a Senate committee voted to approve a bill allowing same-sex civil unions, a sizable crowd of "pro-marriage" supporters rallied on the steps of the State Capitol building. A similar gathering took place in May last year following the failure of another civil union bill. But ... More >>

Colorado Civil Unions Act to be reintroduced today, activist optimistic about its chances

Although Colorado has led the way in the effort to legalize small amounts of marijuana, it's another bill that may just push the state into the 21st century: the Colorado Civil Unions Act. After dying on the legislative floor last year, the bill will be heard and debated at 1:30 p.m. today by the Co ... More >>

Robert Ramirez, Westminster rep, first target of pro-civil union group Fight Back Colorado

Fight Back Colorado, a group devoted to defeating anti-civil union lawmakers, has announced its first target: Representative Robert Ramirez, a Westminster Republican who narrowly won his race two years ago and who Fight Back Colorado says flip-flopped on civil unions. The group has sent mailers to v ... More >>

Anti-civil unions lawmakers: Fight Back Colorado asks which should be sent packing

Fight Back Colorado, a group devoted to defeating lawmakers in November's election who voted against a bill to legalize civil unions, is soliciting input on exactly which lawmakers to target. The campaign has launched a survey called Send 'Em Packin' that asks supporters to pick their three least fa ... More >>

Video: Fight Back Colorado to target lawmakers who killed civil unions bill

A new group called Fight Back Colorado has a message for the lawmakers who voted to kill a bill to legalize civil unions: Watch out. The group launched an effort today to defeat those legislators in November's election -- though they haven't yet named names.

Foster parent rights: Abuse intervention focus in one of two cases before CO Supreme Court

Earlier this week, we told you the story of a little boy in Montezuma County who suffered horrible abuse in his parents' care and was placed with a foster family. That family eventually intervened in the court case to terminate the parents' rights, offering information and cross-examining witnesses. ... More >>

Defense of Marriage Act ruling shows courts rejecting marriage inequality, activist says

Yesterday, the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals struck down a key provision in the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, shorthanded as DOMA. And while the ruling doesn't directly impact Colorado, where a fight over a civil unions bill killed not once but twice was the story of the just-completed legi ... More >>

John Hickenlooper, Mike Coffman could see political fallout, pollster says

John Hickenlooper and Mike Coffman aren't exactly ideological twins. But at the end of this big political week in the State of Colorado, they both face political fallout, albeit for very different reasons: a special session that failed to pass civil unions and comments questioning Barack Obama's bir ... More >>

Frank McNulty kills civil unions bill, earns shmuck of the session

He looked shmucky enough at the end of the regularly scheduled session of the Colorado Legislature when he pointed the finger at Democrats for not pushing the civil unions bill earlier, then delivered his own lethal injection when he sent the proposal to a "kill committee." And then whoops, House S ... More >>

Dee Coram, gay son of rep who helped kill civil unions bill, on love and dad

"This is certainly not the first issue we've ever disagreed on," says Montrose businessman Dee Coram about the stance staked out by his father, Representative Don Coram, in regard to the now-defeated civil unions bill. "But this is certainly the most public issue we've disagreed on." No kidding: The ... More >>

Civil unions bill dies in special session: "Forced acceptance" v. love, rights

The so-called House "kill committee" has put to death a bill to legalize civil unions. The measure, sponsored by House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, who is gay, failed despite having bipartisan support in the full House when the committee's five Republicans voted against it. But first, supporters ... More >>

Colorado's civil unions bill got shut out, but filmmaker Mike Shum shows the human side

Even after a committee killed HB 1006, thecivil unions bill, late yesterday, filmmaker Mike Shum holds out hope. While the documentary creator says he doesn't usually consider himself an activist, he was particularly moved by the recent round of civil unions discussion at the legislature -- and want ... More >>

Civil unions: Catholics, conservatives rally to celebrate bill's defeat

At noon, a day after Republican lawmakers defeated a bill to legalize civil unions in a special legislative session, conservatives rallied on the steps of the Capitol building. The event had been planned days in advance, but due to the demise of civil unions, the tone was celebratory. House Speaker ... More >>

Video: John Hickenlooper says civil unions aren't marriage on CNN

Colorado's special session, which begins today, is earning nationwide attention for Governor John Hickenlooper due in large part to the civil unions legislation whose death largely inspired it. But in conversation with the net's Candy Crowley (see it below), Hickenlooper avoided espousing same-sex m ... More >>

Civil unions go before "kill committee" that could give pot bills new life

A bill to legalize civil unions and two bills dealing with marijuana have been assigned to be debated this afternoon in the House's State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee, which is likely to reject civil unions but keep the latter measures alive. Today is the first day of a special legislati ... More >>

THC driving bill on special sessions agenda: Does that mean Hick will sign it?

As we've reported, Governor John Hickenlooper called for a special legislative session following the blockage of a civil unions bill. The governor's office has identified seven bills that Hickenlooper hopes will be addressed beginning on Monday, including the controversial THC driving bill. Does tha ... More >>

John Hickenlooper: Special session would move state forward to justice

My nephew in Chicago has a sudden interest in Colorado politics, and he's been closely following the progress of the civil union bill at the legislature -- a proposal resurrected yesterday when Governor John Hickenlooper said he would call a special session to debate the issue.

Video: Civil unions bill dies, proponent "angry and pissed off and frustrated"

Update: In our coverage yesterday about a pro-civil unions rally on the west steps of the State Capitol (it's on view below), we asked: "Can Colorado House leaders be shamed into giving a chance to the civil unions bill?" Turns out the answer is "no." The civil unions bill died because of a procedur ... More >>

Civil unions bill: Pat Steadman calls measure's killing a disgusting spectacle

Last night, House GOP leadership killed a civil unions bill sponsored by Senator Pat Steadman by preventing a procedural vote that would have brought it to the chamber's floor today. Steadman was severely disappointed by this manner of murder, which also prevented the passage of many other bills. B ... More >>

B.J. Nikkel civil unions vote: Coincidence she's not running for reelection?

Representative B.J. Nikkel, a Republican from Loveland, became a hero to supporters of the Senator Pat Steadman-sponsored civil unions bill when her vote in favor of the measure allowed it to pass the House judiciary committee yesterday; see a slew of tweets singing her praises below. She was the so ... More >>

Civil unions bill passes Senate, sponsor hopes House lemmings won't jump off cliff

Later today, the Colorado Senate is expected to formally approve a bill that would legalize civil unions. Of course, the Senate also approved a civil unions measure last year, only to see the proposal die in a House committee, with all six Republican members voting against it. Can it avoid a similar ... More >>

Lay Catholics use donations to fight back against their church's right-wing contigent

Catholics are pushing back against a decision by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development to cut off funding to an immigrant advocacy group in Durango because it has ties to an LGBT advocacy group that supports the legalization of civil unions. The progressive national nonprofit Catholics United ... More >>

Catholic fund stops aid to immigrant advocates over link to LGBT group

In February, Catholic Charities testified that if Colorado lawmakers legalize civil unions, it may stop providing adoption and foster care services. Now, it seems that another Catholic organization, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, has cut off funding to an immigrant advocacy group in Du ... More >>

Child and Family Investigators clause in reform bill draws fire from legal lobby

Figuring some modest improvement is better than none, the Colorado House Judiciary Committee passed along a bill yesterday that's intended to make child and family investigators (CFI) and other professionals operating in family court more accountable -- after first amending and watering down its mos ... More >>

LGBT advocates fight Catholic Charities' threat to stop adoptions if civil unions are legalized

Video below.​Gay advocacy group One Colorado has started an online petition to fight against what it calls "scare tactics" by Catholic Charities, whose reps testified at the Capitol last week that if lawmakers legalize civil unions, it may stop providing adoption and foster care services. Why? ... More >>

Civil unions could generate $4.8 million for Colorado in first three years, study says

one-colorado.org​ If Colorado lawmakers pass a bill to legalize civil unions, the state could see a bump in its bank account -- $4.8 million in the first three years, according to a report by the California-based sexual orientation think tank The Williams Institute. That money would come from ... More >>

Same-sex couples could get a belated valentine from Senate Judiciary committee

The Colorado Legislature has a date with cupid a day after Valentine's Day. At 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider the Colorado Civil Union Act in the old Supreme Court Chambers. The bill would provide same-sex couples the same legal protections and ben ... More >>

Reader: Civil union proposal like leftovers compared to a true marriage bill

In a recent post, Senator Pat Steadman discussed the challenges that stand before his civil unions bill, whose previous version failed to get out of committee after all its GOP members rejected it. One of our readers isn't a big backer, either -- but for what appears to be a very different reason.

Civil unions bill could fail again unless Republican supporters step up

Last March, Senator Pat Steadman told us he believed the civil unions bill he sponsored would pass the Colorado House, as it had the state senate, if not blocked by extremists. In the end, however, it fell one vote short in committee, with all six of the panel's GOP members rejecting it. This year, ... More >>

Civil unions: One Colorado director Brad Clark glad for GOP group in favor of them

one-colorado.org​ The defeat of a bill to legalize civil unions in the last legislative session was a heart-breaker for those in favor of marriage equality. After passing in the Senate, the bill was defeated in a House committee by one vote -- with all six of the panel's Republicans voting aga ... More >>

Civil Union Act should pass in CO House if not blocked by extremists, says Sen. Pat Steadman

Pat Steadman.​Update below: Today, in all likelihood, SB 172, intended to legalize civil unions in Colorado, will be okayed by the state senate, following debate yesterday that warmed the heart of its sponsor, Senator Pat Steadman. Next, however, the bill must be approved by the Republican-con ... More >>

Civil Union Act debate begins: Senator Pat Steadman says public is ready for measure

Pat Steadman.​Today at 1:30 p.m., the senate judiciary committee and members of the public will begin discussing Senate Bill 172, the Colorado Civil Union Act, co-sponsored by Senator Pat Steadman: Read it below. Back in 2006, Colorado voters rejected a referendum that would have established m ... More >>

Littleton residents are for civil unions, bovine winter wear and MMJ expiration dates

Littleton residents come out in favor of civil unions.​For this Friday, we've got three news stories to talk about over drinks tonight at Happy Hour. Be the informed drinker. Littleton residents are showing some tolerance -- that's what one could infer from statements made by Republican state ... More >>

Operation Dead-Beat Parent sweeps up almost half of top child-support avoiders

"If I win, I hope to hell he pays child support."​One reason so many parents skip out on child support after a divorce: Given how overburdened the system is, there's seldom anyone in authority to make them keep the money train rolling. In an attempt to change that equation, the Arapahoe Count ... More >>

Judge Naughty's accuser is hell on lawyers

Motherless Child

The bonds of love are being broken for Rosa Avina.

Alienation Nation

In bitter custody battles, parents aren't fighting for their kids -- they're fighting through them.

The Adams Family

One metro county experiments with family law.

Divorce, Collaboration-Style

When a marriage ends, does it have to end up in court?

Divorced From Reality

A Colorado Supreme Court commission says this state's justice system could do more to help families -- starting with the parents.

Pop Quiz

As genetic testing pins down paternity issues, the definition of fatherhood gets murkier.

A Lack of Supporting Evidence

Colorado gets tough on deadbeat parents--but what if they happen to be lawyers?

Hell to Pay

A child-support check promised by an ex-husband bounces, and the authorities go after the mother.

BURIED TREASURE

THE HONEYMOON'S LONG OVER FOR EX-EPA CHIEF ANNE BURFORD AND HER LATE HUSBAND--BUT THE DIVORCE IS FOREVER.

BILL ALL THE LAWYERS

A BOULDER ATTORNEY LOSES A CHILD-SUPPORT CASE, THEN VOWS TO MAKE PAYMENTS HIMSELF.