Whether you are a divorcing spouse or a parent in need of a new or modified child custody order, you are likely to face legal parental and legal challenges. Colorado child custody law is complex and can be difficult to navigate without the assistance of a legal professional.
Dealing with a spouse or a former partner can also present obstacles without the help of our Wellington child custody lawyer.
The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC, is an experienced Colorado family law firm. We are committed to working alongside our clients to resolve their most difficult and trying family law issues.
When you need legal representation that will aggressively protect your rights and those of your children, look no further than The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC. Our Colorado divorce attorneys can help you achieve your child custody goals through any means of dispute resolution.
Our lawyers well versed in child custody are trial-ready but are also highly efficient in negotiations, mediation, and collaborative divorce.
Contact The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC, in Wellington today to schedule your confidential consultation.
Colorado does not use the term “child custody.” Instead, Colorado refers to child custody as the “Allocation of Parental Responsibilities.”
Parental responsibilities are broken down into two types: parenting time and decision-making responsibilities.
Parental responsibilities are outlined in detailed agreements between parents or court orders called parenting plans. Parents who create their own parenting plans must present those plans for court approval. With the help of a Wellington child custody attorney, we can guide you through the process of creating the most efficient and effective parenting plan.
Parental responsibilities are divided by the court based on the best interest of the child standard. This standard is also used to approve any parenting arrangements presented to the court.
The court’s preference is for children to maintain frequent contact with both parents and for both parents to participate in child-rearing activities. This preference does not apply in cases where parental contact could negatively impact a child’s health, safety, or welfare.
Parenting time (physical child custody) in Colorado may be shared jointly between parents or one parent may have primary parental responsibility. When one parent has less than 90 overnight visits with their child, the other parent has primary parental responsibility.
If parents have equal or approximately equal amounts of overnight visits, they are said to have joint parental responsibility.
Decision-making responsibility (legal child custody) in Colorado refers to a parent’s ability to make important life choices for a child. These include a child’s:
Parents who share decision-making responsibility can typically cooperate and make decisions jointly in the best interest of their child. If one parent is awarded decision-making responsibility, it is usually the parent the court thinks is more likely to facilitate contact between the child and the other parent.
Learn more about Colorado’s allocation of parental responsibilities by speaking to a Wellington child custody lawyer. The Law Office of Stephen Vertucci, LLC, has over a decade of experience serving the family law needs of Northern Colorado and is ready to answer your most pressing child custody questions.
Call or contact us online now to discuss your optimal parenting plan. One of our skilled Wellington child custody attorneys can offer you honest advice about Colorado’s child custody process and having your plan approved by the court.