In almost all contested divorce cases, the court requires mediation.

Under the Colorado court rules, judges may order the parties in a family law dispute to attend mediation prior to a formal hearing or trial because settlements obtained in mediation have better results than those determined by the court. [Colorado Revised Statues, Art.10 14-10-110, 14-10-123.7, 14-10-128.5. and 14-12-106].

The judge may appoint a marriage counselor in any divorce and delay the dissolution of marriage by 30 to 60 days to allow for counseling at the request of either spouse or on its own.

The court may order the parent of a minor child to attend a program about the impact of divorce on children. Some courts require parents to attend a Children and Families in Transition (CFIT), which is a three-hour course to help the parents understand the trauma of divorce on children.