Going through a divorce is a complicated, emotional and sometimes scary experience, so having an advocate you trust and feel comfortable with to guide you through the proceedings is important. Debra Crane is that advocate for her clients. “I want each of my clients to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. My goal is to help them and their children have the best life possible before and after divorce,” she said.
Debra sees divorce as a new beginning, and with that in mind, she takes her clients through the process with the least amount of disruption to their lives. She understands how difficult it is to end a marriage—emotionally, physically and financially. She has practiced exclusively in family law for 30 years in Michigan, Illinois and, for the past five years, in Colorado. “I pride myself on communicating with my clients so they fully understand each step along the way.”
She is a certified family law mediator and child representative/guardian ad litem.
With her background in mediation and counseling and her decades of experience, she is able to understand and navigate the complex motivations that can detract from the issues to ensure that her clients get what is most meaningful to them in the settlement.
Debra focuses on negotiating a settlement to avoid the distress and legal fees of going to trial. This helps the people she works with move forward after the divorce in a way that allows both parties to treat each other with respect, and walk away with their integrity, self-respect and self-esteem intact. That said, she added, “I am fearless about protecting my clients’ interests. When necessary, I am a tenacious litigator and I have a record of excellent results.”
One of the most challenging parts of the divorce process is the division of finances and assets. Today, divorce typically requires complex tax and financial planning, and Debra works closely with the best expert financial consultants. Having an experienced professional in your corner through this phase is critical, she advised.
Even someone who has been contemplating divorce typically doesn’t know where to begin. Debra offers a complimentary initial consultation to talk about the general divorce process and the options available. “I want clients to have a good idea of what to expect if they decide to go forward with the dissolution of their marriage.” Unless domestic violence is an issue, she usually suggests people have an open, honest
conversation with their spouse in a safe environment to talk about the best way to go about separating and divorcing, and the details of their particular situation. “The more they can discuss amicably, the less attorneys and the court need to be involved. We want to keep hostility to a minimum. An amicable divorce saves money and is better for the family,” she said. Because divorce is tough for people, even if they want it, Debra recommends counseling.
She also knows how important it is to choose an attorney you feel comfortable with. “You’re going to be dealing with this attorney for a long time, about six months, so you better be able to relate to and be comfortable talking to this person.”
Debra handles all aspects of divorce including property division, property settlement disputes, retirement asset division, spousal support, separate maintenance, maintenance modification, legal separation, post-judgment actions, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, child custody, parenting time, parenting time modification, paternity, change of domicile/relocation, facilitative mediation, orders of protection and restraining orders.
“This is such a tough time for people contemplating divorce. I want them to have a good understanding of what to expect to help them plan ahead. I help them think about what they want. I want them to have a good future,” she said.
Call Debra for a complimentary consultation. Debra Crane Law is located in the Stone House Business Center, 1524 Belford Court, Evergreen. debracranelaw.com, 303.679.3499
