Most normal people (i.e. non-lawyers) think of a divorce as the action which ends a marriage, however Colorado uses the legal term "dissolution of marriage" instead.  The terms are interchangeable for all practical purposes.

A divorce is just one way to end a marriage - the others are a Colorado annulment, which is used in limited circumstances to not only end the marriage, but to pretend that it never occurred, and a Colorado legal separation, which technically does not end the marriage, but still finalizes financial and parenting issues.

With a Colorado dissolution of marriage, the parties are legally divorced for all purposes.  They file separate tax returns, they are free to remarry, etc.

A divorce and legal separation share the fact that there are no specific grounds required other than the marriage being irretrievably broken.  However, in contrast to a legal separation, a divorce is permanent and final.

Similarly, while both a divorce and an annulment are final, and sever the marital bonds for all purposes, most marriages don't qualify for an annulment, so a divorce is the only sure way to end a marriage.

Most marriages which are terminated end in divorce, not an annulment or legal separation, but if you're interested in exploring your options, discuss the pros and cons of each method with your Colorado family law attorney.

More Information

Divorce Mediation - Denver, Colorado Family Lawyer-Mediators. An alternative to litigated divorces is one mediated by experienced professionals. This web site also has excellent information on Colorado divorce law.