Legal Question in Family Law in Colorado
Take the children out-of-state for a better environment
I have been married to an alcoholic for eleven years. His drinking is getting worse and worse and he may be smoking crack. he has three DUIs. I am a stay at home mom with three small girls. He is verbally abusive and somewhat physically abusive to me and is hardly ever around. I want to move to new Mexico to be close to my best friend for twenty years. We can live with her for free until I can get on my feet. Can I take my girls out of state without his permission?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Take the children out-of-state for a better environment
Yes, you can take your children out-of-state without your husband's permission. However, if your husband is abusive, you should also consider a civil and/or criminal restraining order (called an "order of protection") against your husband. You should get the order of protection, file for a dissolution of marriage, try to obtain sole custody of your children based on the father's history of alcoholism, drunk driving and abuse, and then move to New Mexico once the dissolution proceeding has been finalized. Alternatively, you could move to New Mexico and conduct the same process there. However, New Mexico may require you and your children to live in that state for a certain period of time before you may commence the divorce proceedings. In Colorado, you can commence the process immediately.