Understanding Common Law Marriage in Colorado

For those families who participate in youth lacrosse programs in Colorado, understanding how common law marriage laws work is essential for ensuring that you have the appropriate rights and responsibilities associated with your marital status. But many people aren’t aware of the rights and responsibilities that come with being married, and they may not be familiar with the nuance of the Colorado family law statutes…. This is where knowledge is power.

Common law marriage is a standard in which the state provides for marital status based on two people having lived together as a couple so long that the law presumes the couple are legally married. In Colorado, the standard for establishing a marriage through common law is met if a couple meets the following conditions: To be sure, there are some stipulations to this rule. For instance, if a couple decides to change their legal name or if they file a joint tax return, these changes are not indicative of marital status. In addition, while only one spouse is required to have the intention of being married for the couple to establish a common law marriage, both partners must intend to live together as a married couple. It is important to understand that a common law marriage in Colorado is valid in every state in the union, and the fact that it’s not a formally registered marriage in Colorado does not lessen its legitimacy.

Common law marriages in Colorado operate like any other marriage. In addition to being eligible to file for a divorce with the Colorado courts like any other legally married couple, common law spouses are also eligible for many benefits like spousal support, health care insurance, and Social Security benefits. These rights are identical to those that are available to legally married couples. The short answer to the question of “is Colorado a common law marriage state” is yes, and to this end, it’s important to note that the legal relationship that exists establishes rights and responsibilities that could be relevant to your family. As an example, while commonly recognized as one of Colorado’s most competitive youth sports programs, Holt Lacrosse also prides itself on its community focus. For example, a number of adult teams are available for older athletes, and each team consists of friends and fellow teammates that the players have known for years. However, what happens when a player’s parents are no longer married? This is where understanding the impact of marital status is essential.

For instance, in order to be eligible to play in youth lacrosse teams and participate in related activities, youth athletes are required to get parental consent. Because the parents of these athletes are frequently the ones providing this permission, understanding how the law defines the term “parent” is essential for ensuring the rights of everyone involved are respected. In some cases, knowing a sport athlete’s legal status could change their ability to travel with their team or be involved in any number of activities. When the law is unclear, it can result in confusion that affects people who are most conspicuously in relationships. For sports programs, this is especially relevant. For instance, for youth teams that travel out of state or even across the country, permission is required before allowing such travel to occur. Coaches and other officials must also be aware of the role of differing legal statuses in determining who is able to provide permission for travel. Additionally, while determining travel permissions is important, medical consent for minor athletes is also equally critical. When youth organizations take their athletes into potentially dangerous conditions, parents need to be aware of their legal status as well as the relevant medical permissions that must be provided. Furthermore, it’s also important to consider how the dynamics of a sports family would change if marital statuses changed. For example, if two parents get divorced, but the family continues to play competitively on the same team, how is the family unit affected when marital statuses change? This is part of the reason why legal definitions of marriage should be used whenever possible to ensure that mistakes don’t affect youth athletes. Moreover, for active youth athletes, unofficial marriages can also affect financial responsibilities that the family is expected to pay, including the cost of sports gear and travel fees associated with staying competitive. To that end, it’s important to know that the law recognizes relationships as equivalents to marriage when the circumstances apply. This applies even if neither partner believes that they are part of a marriage-like situation. This is just one of the support systems that Holt Lacrosse provides to its youth athletes. By ensuring that their family structures remain intact regardless of legal status, they help athletes stay focused on the field.