Colorado Divorce Decree: How to Finalize Your Divorce

The divorce decree — officially JDF 1116 (Decree of Dissolution of Marriage) — is the court order that legally ends your marriage in Colorado. Getting there requires clearing every procedural gate: the 91-day waiting period, financial disclosures, parenting class (if children are involved), and signed agreements. Here's how the finalization process works.

Prerequisites Before the Court Will Enter a Decree

Before a judge will sign your decree, the following must be complete:

1. 91-day waiting period expired — counted from the filing date (joint petitions) or service date (solo petitions)
2. Financial disclosures exchanged — JDF 1111 (Sworn Financial Statement) and JDF 1104 (Certificate of Compliance) filed by both parties
3. Separation agreement filed — JDF 1115 (Property and Financial Agreement) signed by both parties
4. Parenting plan filed (if children) — JDF 1113, plus JDF 1821 (Support Worksheet)
5. Parenting class completed (if children) — Certificate of Completion filed with the court

If any of these items are missing, the court will not finalize your case — regardless of whether both parties agree.

Decree Without Appearance (Skipping the Hearing)

In uncontested cases, Colorado allows you to finalize your divorce without ever appearing in court. You do this by filing JDF 1018 (Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance).

JDF 1018 certifies to the judge that:

• Residency requirements have been met
• Service of process has been completed or waived
• All required agreements have been signed and filed
• The 91-day period has passed

The court will grant a decree by affidavit without a hearing only if:

• There are no minor children, or
• Both parents are represented by attorneys

If the case involves minor children and either parent is self-represented, a brief in-court hearing is mandatory. The judge needs to review the parenting plan and child support calculations to ensure they serve the children's best interests. This hearing is usually short — 15 to 30 minutes in an uncontested case.

What Happens at the Hearing

If a hearing is required, both parties appear before a judge or magistrate. The judge will typically:

• Confirm residency and jurisdiction
• Review the terms of JDF 1115 (property agreement) and JDF 1113 (parenting plan)
• Ask whether both parties signed the agreements voluntarily
• Verify the child support calculations in JDF 1821
• Confirm that both parents completed the parenting class

If everything checks out, the judge signs the decree on the spot or within a few days.

What the Decree Contains

JDF 1116 incorporates by reference all the agreements you filed:

• The property division terms from JDF 1115
• The parenting plan from JDF 1113
• Any maintenance obligations
• Any name restoration orders

If child support or maintenance is ordered, the judge also signs JDF 1117 (Support Order), which is the enforceable order for ongoing payments.

After the Decree Is Signed

It's final immediately. Unlike some states, Colorado does not have a mandatory waiting period after the decree is entered. Your marriage is legally dissolved the moment the judge signs JDF 1116.

Get certified copies. You'll need certified copies of the decree to update your Social Security records, driver's license, bank accounts, and other official documents. The court clerk charges about $20 per certified copy.

Name restoration. If you requested a name change in your petition or response, the decree includes the restoration order. If you forgot to request it during the case, you can file JDF 1824 (Motion for Name Restoration) within 60 days of the decree at no additional cost. After 60 days, standard filing fees apply.

Post-decree modifications. Either party can file a motion to modify maintenance, child support, or parenting arrangements if there's a substantial change in circumstances. The filing fee for a post-decree motion is $105.

Track Every Deadline to Finalization

Missing a single filing — a disclosure deadline, a parenting class certificate, or a required form — can delay your decree by weeks or months. The Colorado Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a deadline tracker and finalization checklist so you know exactly what's left before the judge will sign.

See more Colorado guides →