Category: Child Custody

What To Do If A Parent Is Preventing Child Visits

What should someone do if one parent is preventing visits with their child? The first thing you need to look at is whether or not there is a parenting plan in place because that is what we’re seeking to enforce. If there’s no parenting plan in place, then either parent has an equal right to […]

When Do Children Become Emancipated?

In Colorado, child support goes until the child turns 19. So for at least for child support purposes, a child is emancipated when the child turns 19. In many instances, a child would have graduated from high school and might even attending college, but still, there will be a child support order. Child support can […]

Visitation and Child Support

If child support payments are not being made, should child visitation continue? Actually these are two separate issues. Whether or not you’re paying child support or receiving child support is a separate issue from parenting time. This is a mistake that a lot of parents make. They think that because one parent is not paying […]

What Is A Child and Family Investigator v. Parental Responsibilities Evaluation?

What is a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) as compared to a Parental Responsibilities Evaluation (PRE)?  So when do you need one of these experts? The court can appoint a CFI or a PRE if there are disputes regarding parenting time, decision making, what is in the best interests of the child. A Child and […]

What To Do If Your Ex Is In Violation Of The Parenting Plan

The first question to ask yourself is why is your ex is in violation of the parenting plan? Is there a specific reason why? Is it something that you could fix by having a dialogue with your ex? Does your parenting plan have a mediation provision? If it does, you might want to look and […]

What Will Child Support Cover?

Child support is intended to cover the basic needs for the child when the child is in your care. Child support also factors in things like work and school-related childcare costs, and extraordinary expenses for the child. For example, if the child needs to go to a private school due to special needs, that would […]

Can A Child Decide Which Parent They Want To Live With?

Well, the answer to that is yes and no. First off, it depends on the age of the child. If the child is under 13 years of age, generally we feel like the child is too young to decide which parent they want to live with. If the child is reasonably mature and generally a […]

What Are Parenting Classes and Will I Need To Take Them?

In Colorado, a parenting class is required in all dissolution of marriage or allocation of parental responsibility cases. Upon the commencement of the case, the court will issue a case management order, and one of the aspects of that case management order is the requirement for both parties to take a parenting class. The focus […]

Which Parent Is More Likely To Be Granted Custody If The Couple Is Not Married?

There is no presumption in favor of either parent in Colorado. We’re going to assume that both parents of capable of parenting their child, and we are not going to presume that the mom is better capable of parenting the child as compared to the dad. We look, again, at what is in the child’s […]

What Factors Does The Court Consider In Determining Child Custody?

What factors does the court consider in determining child custody? Child custody is based upon the best interest of the child. There are a number of factors that are set forth in the statute that the court would consider. One factor is, does the parent have the ability to support the relationship of the other […]