Domestic Issues and Protection for the Future
My wife left and went back to NJ to get some space with my 3 1/2 month old daughter a week and a half ago. This was unexpected and not normal. She claims that she needs some time apart. I do not want to file for legal seperation or divorce. My wife claims she wants our marrage to work. I want to see both her and my daughter. She is claiming that I am a very negative person and I am verbally abusing her. She claims to be scared of me. I have never physicaly or verbally abused her. She does not like Colorado and she does not want to live here. I have a career, friends and a life here. I agreed to move back to the east coast but not until this fall. I think she is making me look like the bad guy so she has an excuse to leave CO. I guess she could not wait for the fall! What do I do to protect myself now and if she decides not to come back? I do not want to make things worse than they already are. I would like to work things out in the most friendly and non-legal way as possible. This is a very stressful situation. Please help. Thank you, Andrew
If your wife is living in NJ, you need to file an action in Colorado for either Legal Separation or Divorce. After she’s been in NJ for 6 months, if not sooner for various reasons, the NJ court will have jurisdiction over your daughter and you will have no choice but to defend in NJ. You need a court order now from the state of Colorado before too much time goes by.