Key Takeaways Colorado law sets no specific age at which a child can legally refuse court-ordered parenting time. Courts consider a child’s maturity, actual preference, and how much weight it deserves before making decisions. A child’s preference is one factor among many and never automatically dictates a parenting time outcome. A parent’s non-compliance can…
Key Takeaways Neither “sole custody” nor “full custody” exists under Colorado law. Courts allocate decision-making responsibility and parenting time separately, not as one arrangement. Decision-making responsibility covers major issues such as education, medical care, and religious upbringing. Primary parenting time goes to the parent who has the majority of overnights. Strong cases require organized…
Key Takeaways Colorado ties parenting time to the best interests of the child standard, not to a fixed-age formula. For infants and toddlers, parenting plans may include shorter but more frequent contact depending on developmental needs and routines. Families with multiple residences or significant travel demands may need more detailed parenting-plan provisions, not a…
Key Takeaways Colorado law treats grandparent visitation and grandparent custody as separate legal paths, each carrying a distinct standard. Common grounds include parental unfitness, abandonment, incarceration, a parent’s death, or established physical care of 182 days. A grandparent with 182 days of physical care of a grandchild may file within 182 days after that…
Key Takeaways For cases involving the allocation of parental responsibilities, Colorado statute has established the roles of a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) and a Child Legal Representative (CLR). Courts may now appoint a CFI or a CLR in custody cases rather than a Guardian ad Litem, depending on details of the case. A…
Key Takeaways Written notice and court approval are required before relocating if there is a custody order in place and one parent does not support the relocation. Relocation disputes often involve modification of parenting time and decision-making authority. Colorado courts focus on the child’s best interests when evaluating relocation requests. Judges closely examine stability,…
Key Takeaways Colorado courts look at whether each parent is genuinely fostering the child’s relationship with the other parent. Repeated interference, hostility, or parenting order violations can lead to modification of parenting time or decision-making authority. Courts weigh concrete evidence, including communication records, missed exchanges, and adherence to the parenting plan. Withholding information, speaking…
Concerns about a child’s safety can force a parent to act quickly. In an effort to protect a child, normal legal processes may not suffice when a child may be in danger. An emergency custody order in Colorado exists for the limited situations where serious risk is too urgent to wait for the standard…
False allegations can quickly alter the course of a Denver child custody case, forcing a parent into a defensive position before the court reviews the facts. Parents researching how to fight false allegations in child custody cases need a focused response grounded in Colorado law. A strong approach starts with immediate legal guidance, careful…
Many Denver parents in the midst of a divorce have myriad questions about child custody, including, “What is the right of first refusal?” When creating or updating a parenting plan, understanding the answer to this question is crucial. The concept requires a parent who cannot be with their child during scheduled parenting time to…
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Equity Partner Kathleen Ann Hogan, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a Family Law Attorney in Colorado.