Englewood Child Custody Attorneys
Committed Child Custody Attorneys Aiding Englewood Clients
Whenever a dispute involves children, whether it is part of a divorce or a standalone child custody case, the adults have to be sensitive to the needs of the kids first and foremost. Courts take the needs of children very seriously and there are measures and laws in place to protect them in a custody battle. With your child’s future on the line, you will need to rely on an experienced Englewood child custody attorney to guide you through this process and protect your parental rights, while also advising you each step of the way during litigation. The Englewood child custody attorneys at Plog & Stein, P.C. have been helping Englewood parents with their family law needs for decades. With over 70 years of combined legal experience, we’re ready to handle any child-related matters you may have.
- Establishment of Custody
- Parenting Time
- Decision-Making
- Modifications
- Enforcement of Orders
- Child Custody Emergencies
Your Child Custody Rights and Responsibilities in Englewood, Colorado
Child custody is “parental responsibility” in Colorado statute and entails three areas: major decision making responsibilities, primary residence of a child, and the visitation (parenting time) schedule to be exercised by the parents. Overwhelmingly, parents are likely to know their children best, so if you are able to work with the other party to determine the best custody arrangement for your family, you should. At Plog & Stein, our attorneys will take the time to listen to your concerns and will use our years of experience to help formulate a detailed and comprehensive a child custody settlement that works for you. If you explore options for settlement and, ultimately, an agreement cannot be reached, a family court judge will make the final decision. In either scenario, we know what it takes to fight for your interests.
In contested custody cases where it is difficult to determine the best arrangement for a child or if abuse has potentially taken place, the courts might enlist the help of a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) or a Parental Responsibilities Evaluator (PRE), respectively pursuant to C.R.S. 14-10-116.5 and C.R.S. 14-10-127. These are neutral third party experts who will make recommendations to the court. These experts are highly influential and judges will quite often choose to follow their recommendations. At the outset of any custody litigation, one of the first steps we take is to determine whether one of these professionals might be beneficial. An experienced Englewood child custody lawyer will be familiar with the local CFIs and PREs, should the use of one become necessary. The issuance of an expert report is not the end of the story and sometimes people are not satisfied with the the expert’s conclusions. In some instances, you may disagree with the experts conclusion, in which case you will need to be prepared to challenge their findings in court. Understanding your rights and options matters. Regardless of the positioning in your case, our Englewood child custody lawyers will be prepared when it comes time to settle your case or proceed to trail.
Formulating a detailed parenting plan that both you and the other party will agree to is not always easy task. Disagreements which prevent settlement can arise over lesser issues, such as holiday parenting time or provisions regarding out-of-state travel. When settlement is reach, it’s important to make sure that the final, written document contains the detail necessary to allow you and your children to function, without ambiguity.
As circumstances change over time, it’s not uncommon for people to go back to court multiple times, over the years, to seek modifications of their child custody and visitation orders. Whatever your needs, we will be there to advocate for you. Keep in mind that parenting plans will likely change as your children get older and their needs change. Having the right family law firm matters when it comes time to deal with any child custody dispute.
A Nuanced Approach for Your Englewood Child Custody Case
Englewood is part of the 18th Judicial District, and most cases are heard in the Arapahoe County District Court. Our DTC office is conveniently located just a short drive from Englewood and the Arapahoe Courthouse. We take your future and the future of your children very seriously at Plog & Stein, P.C. In light of this fact, we strive to provide thorough and solid representation to each of our Englewood clients. If you are worried that you won’t be treated fairly when it comes to your rights to your children, don’t hesitate to call us at 303-781-0322, or contact us online.
Our legal team handles other types of family law cases as well, including: