Adams County Child Custody Lawyer

When a marriage or relationship breaks down, important child custody issues often must be resolved if a couple has children. Child custody matters may be among the most contentious and emotionally charged issues in a divorce. At Plog & Stein, P.C., our Adams County child custody attorneys understand the gravity of what is at stake, and we work diligently for each and every client. With decades of experience to guide us, we have helped many Colorado parents continue to maintain a meaningful role in their children’s lives.

Protecting Your Child Custody Rights

Colorado technically no longer uses the term “custody.” Instead, the term “parental responsibility” is used, and this may be either joint or sole. Joint responsibility refers to an arrangement in which the parents share equal decision-making authority related to making major health, educational and welfare decisions for the children. In deciding whether or not joint parental responsibility will be awarded, a court will take particular note of the degree to which the parents can make decisions jointly for the best interest of the children. Decision-making has nothing to do with the time the parents spend with the children.

Joint parental responsibility as to major decisions is generally the norm, absent extreme circumstances, such as domestic abuse, child abuse, substance abuse, or severe mental illness. Most courts believe that parents making decisions jointly promotes the best interests of the child.

The other major aspect of parental responsibility is parenting time. In Colorado, there is a presumption that children benefit from frequent and ongoing contact with both parents. Also, a court will not favor the mother over the father, as was sometimes the case in years past. Parenting time (visitation) can come in many forms. This can include the children living primarily with one parent and the other parent having visitation. It can also include equal parenting time. Many factors go into determining what appropriate parenting time should be and each family is different. An Adams County child custody lawyer can explain these factors to you.

All court-imposed custody determinations in Colorado are based on what the court believes is in the best interest of the child. A court may consider any factor that is deemed to be relevant to custody, including the wishes of the child, the wishes of each parent, the household environment of each parent, where the child goes to school, the child’s ties to the community, the mental and physical health of all parties, any history of substance abuse, or any history of physical or sexual abuse.

It is important to note that the allocation of parental responsibilities is determined entirely separately from decisions of child support. As a result, child support payments or the lack thereof may not be used as a reason to deny custody or visitation.

Discuss Your Child Custody Needs with an Adams County Lawyer

Over the years, our dedicated Adams County child custody attorneys have helped many parents preserve and build a healthy relationship with their children, and we can help you as well. We understand that these issues need to be treated with sensitivity and attention to detail. Our divorce attorneys will take the time to understand your goals and expectations. We represent people throughout the Denver metro area. Call us at 303-781-0322 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our family law attorneys.