Child Custody And Visitation

Denver Child Custody Attorneys

At the Law Offices of W. Robert Montgomery in Denver, Colorado, we believe that decisions involving children should be made by parents, not by the courts. Resolving child custody issues in an amicable manner during your divorce will make it easier for you and your ex to continue to cooperate on child care issues in the future.

Allocation of Parental Responsibilities

In Colorado, child custody and visitation are referred to as an “allocation of parental responsibilities.” Parental responsibilities include decision-making authority for issues such as education, medical care and religious upbringing. Other issues include parenting time and the payment of child support.

When allocating parental responsibilities, a family law judge will carefully examine several factors, including the lifestyles of the parties, the wishes of the children, and any evidence of prior child or spouse abuse. The ultimate determination must be based on what is in the best interest of the child.

A number of parenting arrangements are possible, from sole custody to joint custody where the child spends approximately 50 percent of overnights with each parent, to traditional plans where one parent has primary residential custody and the other parent sees the child one night during the week, alternate weekends, alternate holidays and an extended period of time in the summer. Colorado also has split custody, where children live with different parents.

If the parents can’t agree on a parenting time schedule, the court will make those decisions based on the child’s best interests. However, in the majority of cases we handle, our lawyers are able to help you reach an agreement through negotiation and/or mediation.

Learn more about non-parent and stepparent custody.