What Do Temporary Injunctions in a Divorce in Colorado Actually Mean?

The filing of every divorce case in Colorado creates an automatic temporary injunction. This is a legal order that prohibits both parties involved in the divorce or legal separation from certain activities, mainly relating to the destruction or use of marital property. Understanding how a temporary injunction works can help you avoid doing something that could get you into legal trouble. It can also help you protect your rights if your ex-spouse violates the injunction.

What Is a Temporary Injunction?

A temporary injunction, also known as a preliminary injunction, serves to protect the rights of both parties during a dissolution of marriage. The state law regarding automatic temporary injunctions is Colorado Revised Statute Section 14-10-107(b)(I). It states that upon the commencement of a divorce or legal separation proceeding by one of the parties, a temporary injunction will go into effect against both parties until the final divorce decree is entered or the petition is dismissed.

Temporary injunctions put many restraints on both parties involved in a divorce proceeding. Neither party may engage in any of the following activities while a temporary injunction is in place:

• Disposing of marital property in any way without the consent of the other party or a court order. This includes concealing, transferring, encumbering or destroying marital property.
• Molesting or disturbing the peace of the other party. This can refer to many actions meant to irritate or injure the other party.
• Relocating a minor child or children of the parties to a different state without the consent of the other parent or a court order.
• Canceling, modifying or allowing a lapse in a shared insurance policy, such as health insurance or automobile insurance, without giving the spouse at least 14 days’ advance notice and obtaining the spouse’s consent or a court order.

The terms of the temporary injunction must be printed upon the summons. There are some exceptions to a temporary injunction. For example, you may be allowed to dispose of marital property without your ex-spouse’s consent if doing so is a natural result of your usual course of business or for the necessities of life. If you are not sure whether you have the legal right to dispose of marital property, consult with an attorney before doing so.

Understanding Temporary Injunctions

In simple terms, a temporary injunction in a divorce case in Colorado prohibits both parties from engaging in activities that would hurt the other spouse physically, emotionally or financially. This law is in place due to the emotional nature of a divorce or legal separation. Its purpose is to prevent either party from doing something out of spite to harm the other party, such as destroying property to prevent the other spouse from receiving it in a divorce case.

It is important to note that temporary injunctions only apply to marital property, not your separate property. You can do what you wish to property that is classified as separate, such as property that you brought into the marriage (and did not commingle with your spouse’s property) or gifts or inheritance given only to you during your marriage. Verify that a piece of property is your separate property before acting. The law generally holds that you can also do what you want with your will, estate plan and separate credit cards, as long as it does not impact marital property.

If you believe your spouse violated a temporary injunction in your divorce or legal separation case, speak to an attorney right away. You have several options available, such as filing a motion for contempt of court or communicating directly with your spouse to resolve the violation. An attorney can help you with all of the aspects related to a temporary injunction while protecting your legal rights during a divorce case. Learn more today by contacting the Fort Collins divorce lawyers at the Law Office of Stephen Vertucci.