Need professional legal advice? Request a Consultation Now →
Divorce can be among the most emotionally difficult experiences a person can go through, and it’s easy to feel lost in the legal system. Family-law matters affect far more than legal rights. They can change where you live, how you parent, what you own, and what daily life looks like moving forward. Having our firm on your side can make all the difference in your divorce process.
No two families are the same and, in turn, no two divorces are identical. At Cozakos & Centeno, our Boise divorce and family law attorneys help individuals and families understand their options, protect what matters most, and make informed decisions during periods of uncertainty. Some families may be able to hash out the terms of an agreement amicably while others may need the full force of the legal system to resolve their dispute in court. We provide practical advice and a legal strategy tailored to your circumstances.
“Our mission is to provide clients with individualized attention and cost effective legal services. We are focused on helping you resolve your legal issue.”
Navigate Divorce & Family Law with Confidence, Contact Us.
Shelly Cozakos and Susan Centeno assist clients with a range of divorce and family-law matters in Boise and throughout the Treasure Valley.
An uncontested divorce generally means the spouses agree on the issues that must be resolved, including property, debt, parenting arrangements, and financial support when applicable. A contested divorce involves one or more issues the parties cannot resolve without further negotiation, mediation, or a court decision.
Even when spouses agree, the final documents must accurately reflect the agreement and comply with Idaho law. Susan Centeno and Shelly Cozakos can help prepare, review, negotiate, and finalize divorce agreements while identifying issues that may otherwise be overlooked.
When an agreement is not possible, our attorneys provide strategic representation designed to protect our client’s interests and move the case toward resolution.
Custody decisions can be among the most personal and difficult issues in a family-law case. Idaho courts consider the best interests of the child when establishing custody and parenting arrangements.
Our Attorneys help parents address:
A well-constructed parenting plan should do more than divide time. It should provide clear expectations, reduce opportunities for future conflict, and support the needs of the children involved.
Idaho courts use statewide child-support guidelines when determining support obligations. The calculation may consider factors including the parents’ incomes, parenting schedule, health-insurance costs, childcare expenses, and other circumstances.
The calculation is not always as simple as entering two salaries into a worksheet. Self-employment, variable income, bonuses, business ownership, healthcare costs, and disagreements about a parent’s earning capacity can make the analysis more complicated.
Cozakos & Centeno Law can assist with establishing, reviewing, modifying, or enforcing child-support obligations. Idaho’s guidelines prioritize the needs of children and
generally consider gross income from multiple potential sources. Idaho Supreme Court Child Support Guidelines.
Divorce requires the spouses’ property and financial obligations to be identified, valued, and divided. This may include:
Clear documentation and accurate financial information are particularly important when substantial assets, a closely held business, separate-property claims, or disputed debts are involved.
Our attorneys help clients understand the legal and financial questions that should be addressed before they agree to a final property settlement.
Establishing legal parentage can affect custody, parenting time, child support, decision-making authority, and a child’s long-term security.
We help parents address paternity and the related legal issues that arise when parents are unmarried, disagree about parentage, or need formal custody and support orders.
A divorce decree or family-court order may need attention long after the original case is completed.
A parent or former spouse may need to request a modification because of a substantial change in circumstances. In other cases, an existing order may need to be enforced because one party is not complying with its terms.
Idaho’s family-law rules provide procedures for requesting modifications of child custody, child support, and spousal maintenance, as well as enforcing existing orders. Idaho Rules of Family Law Procedure
Cozakos & Centeno Law assists clients with matters involving:
Thoughtful agreements can provide clarity about financial expectations, property rights, debt, and other responsibilities.
Our attorneys prepare and review:
Each party should have adequate time to review a proposed agreement and obtain independent legal advice. These agreements should be created carefully and well before they are needed.
The spouse filing for divorce must generally have lived in Idaho for at least six full weeks before filing.
Once the residency requirement is met, the divorce action can be filed in the appropriate Idaho court. Where the case should be filed may depend on where each spouse lives. An attorney can help confirm the correct county and ensure the initial documents are prepared and served properly.
An uncontested divorce means the spouses agree on the issues; a contested divorce means one or more issues remain unresolved.
An uncontested divorce may still require the spouses to address property, debts, parenting arrangements, child support, and spousal maintenance. When agreement is not possible, unresolved matters may require negotiation, mediation, or a decision from the court. Even when spouses agree, their final documents should clearly state the terms and comply with Idaho law.
The timeline depends largely on whether the spouses agree and how complicated the issues are.
Under Idaho law, a divorce generally cannot be finalized until at least 21 days after the action has commenced and service of process has been completed. That is only the minimum waiting period not a typical completion time. An uncontested divorce may move relatively quickly, while disputes involving custody, property, business interests, or financial support can take considerably longer.
Idaho generally treats property and debts acquired during marriage as community property.
Community property is generally divided equally unless the court finds compelling reasons for a different division. Separate property may include certain assets owned before marriage or received individually through a gift or inheritance. However, separate and community assets can become difficult to distinguish when money or property has been combined. Careful documentation is especially important when a divorce involves real estate, retirement accounts, businesses, inheritances, or substantial debt.
Idaho courts make custody and parenting-time decisions based on the best interests of the child.
The court may consider the child’s relationships with each parent and siblings, adjustment to home and school, the need for stability and continuity, the circumstances of everyone involved, and any history of domestic violence. Joint custody does not necessarily mean that parenting time will be divided exactly equally. The parenting arrangement should reflect the child’s needs and the family’s circumstances.
A parenting plan should clearly explain how the parents will share time and responsibilities for their children.
A thorough parenting plan may address the regular parenting schedule, holidays, vacations, transportation, exchanges, communication, school decisions, medical care, extracurricular activities, and methods for resolving future disagreements. Clear expectations can reduce confusion, protect consistency for the children, and help prevent avoidable conflict between parents.
At Cozakos and Centeno, our team of experienced Boise attorneys values our clients and believes that legal counsel should be widely available. Together, we have over 35 years of experience practicing law. We have extensive experience in adoption and surrogacy law, estate planning and probate law, family and divorce law, and bringing justice to business law, including litigation. Cozakos and Centeno have a long-standing positive reputation in Idaho and within our practice areas, as well as an impressive track record of success.
If you’re looking for a law firm in Boise’s Metropolitan area or Treasure Valley, you’re probably dealing with something important and time-sensitive.
At Cozakos & Centeno Law, we don’t just “handle cases.” We step in when situations are complex, contested, or too important to get wrong. Whether you’re navigating probate, facing a family law issue, building a business, or working through an adoption, our team brings both legal strategy and real-world experience to the table.
We serve individuals and families across Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa, and the greater Treasure Valley, with a focus on clear guidance, strong advocacy, and outcomes that protect what matters most.
Our core practice areas are below. How can we help you to find the right path forward?
At Cozakos & Centeno Law Firm in Boise, Idaho, we are committed to helping you navigate complex legal issues with ease. Our experienced and dedicated team of attorneys specializes in adoption and surrogacy law, estate planning and probate law, family and divorce law, and business law. Our team takes pride in providing personalized attention to each of our clients. We believe in practical, personal, and professional legal services, tailored to meet your unique needs and interests. Trust us to provide you with effective representation and guidance throughout the legal process. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our team of Boise attorneys. We can assist you in finding the right solution for your legal matter.
“Shelly is the only attorney I work with professionally and personally, and the only one I confidently refer to clients. She has provided legal services for my company for 13 years, and knowing I can trust and rely on her has brought peace during stressful times. Shelly is strong yet caring, thinks ahead, and plans accordingly. She handles highly emotional clients well and brings a calming presence in a crisis. Having used Shelly’s services and knowing others who have I know she is incredibly competent in several areas of law. I describe her as brilliant and the only attorney I feel comfortable working with.”
