Parenting Rights and Responsibilities

Colorado Child Custody, Support & Visitation Lawyer

Settling child custody, visitation and support is one aspect of a divorce decree; the other is property division. If the children are born to unmarried parents, the court settles parenting time questions after it establishes paternity. Even if you are not the child’s biological parent, you may still get parental rights. If you have been the child’s primary caretaker for six months or more, you may petition the court to allow you to participate in the parenting plan.

Because we all feel strongly about our children, these issues are often emotional and difficult. If you are facing a parenting issue, call the Marrison Law Firm. Our attorneys can provide you with the information you need to make sound decisions for your family.

Legal Child Custody / Decision Making

There are two types of custody in Colorado—residential and legal. Residential custody involves where the child lives and legal custody is the right to make decisions about the child’s life. Colorado no longer uses the term custody. Instead, parenting rights are two-fold: where the child lives and who makes the decisions. When deciding who gets to make the decisions, the court considers, among other factors:

• Ability of parties to cooperate and make mutual decisions
• Past pattern of involvement with children
• Whether there has been child abuse or spousal abuse

Colorado allows couples to split the decisions among themselves, something other states do not normally allow.

Physical Custody / Visitation Rights

When determining parenting time, the court considers eleven factors, including:

• Wishes of parents
• Wishes of child, if old enough
• Interrelationship between child, parents and siblings
• Mental and physical health of everyone involved
• Ability of the parents to encourage love, affection and contact between the child and the other parent
• Child abuse or spousal abuse
• Each party’s ability to place child’s needs above their own

Colorado Child Support Law

In Colorado, child support is largely determined by statute, or written law. It is normally based on a percentage of the parents’ combined income, and the number of overnights each parent is awarded.

Contact the Marrison Law Firm to talk with a lawyer about custody, visitation, and child support law.