Parker Child Custody Attorneys
Our attorneys can help you understand your rights to child custody and advocate for your child’s best interests.
Navigating child custody can be an incredibly overwhelming experience. You want what’s best for your child, but their other parent might disagree with what “best” looks like for them. Perhaps you have a previously established custody order that is no longer working for your family or fear for your child’s safety under their other parent’s custody.
At Palmer Family Law, we act as compassionate legal advocates throughout the child custody process. Our attorneys are prepared to help you navigate a wide range of challenges related to legal custody. Our goal is to protect your child’s best interests and advocate for your rights under Colorado law.
Understanding Colorado’s Child Custody Process
In Colorado, the child custody process is referred to as “allocation of parental responsibilities.” It focuses on two key areas:
- Parenting time: When the child will spend time with each parent
- Decision making: Who has decision-making authority for essential areas of the child’s life, such as medical care, religious upbringing, and education
Colorado courts aim to create custody arrangements that are in the child’s best interests. The law does not automatically mandate a 50/50 split of parenting time. While judges typically focus on ensuring frequent and continuing contact with both parents, the actual parenting schedule depends on the child’s specific needs.
Both parenting time and decision-making responsibilities can be shared jointly or assigned to a sole parent. These areas also do not have to be divided the same way. For example, a parent might share decision-making responsibility equally while only having the child in their care during the summer vacation and holidays.
Our Parker, CO, child custody attorneys assist clients in understanding and navigating this process. We can help you and your child’s other parent develop a parenting plan that addresses all major concerns, works well for both parents, and prioritizes the child’s interests above all.
Factors Affecting the Allocation of Parental Responsibilities
If both parents can agree on all aspects of a parenting plan, a judge may not need to intervene. However, if they cannot agree on any elements, a judge can make the decision for them. They may consider any of the following factors when determining the division of both parenting time and decision-making responsibilities.
- Where each parent will live
- Each parent’s job and income
- The physical and mental health of both parents
- The child’s relationship with each parent
- Each parent’s past involvement in the child’s life
- The distance between each parent’s residences
- Any history of violence or abuse
- Specific factors relevant to the family
There is not a one-size-fits-all formula to determine custody. As a result, you may be able to help your case by providing evidence in court to show that you having parenting time and decision-making responsibility would be in the child’s interests.
Our child custody attorneys help clients understand the potential outcomes of a custody dispute and provide representation in court.
Seeking Modification of Child Custody Orders
A child custody order that previously reflected your family’s circumstances may no longer be accurate. Custody orders do not need to be permanent. You can pursue a modification of the order with the help of an experienced attorney.
Either parent can ask the court to change custody or decision-making responsibilities. The court would be more likely to approve the modification if:
- Both parties agree to it.
- Keeping the current order would endanger the child’s physical or emotional health.
- A previous order modifying parenting time would give cause to modify decision-making responsibilities or custody.
- One parent wants to allow the other parent to increase their custody or decision-making responsibilities.
A judge may not grant a modification if there was no significant change to your family circumstances and you and your spouse cannot agree on the modification. Our attorneys can help you understand what is needed for a successful modification and walk you through the process.
How Does Child Custody Impact Child Support Needs?
When two individuals do not raise their child together in the same home, at least one parent may be required to pay child support. This requirement may arise if:
- The parents do not share 50/50 custody. The parent with less custody may be required to pay support to fairly share financial responsibilities with the other parent.
- The parents do share 50/50 custody, but one parent makes significantly more than the other. The higher-earning parent may be required to pay support that reflects their income.
Child support calculations in Colorado are typically based on the “Income Shares” model. This seeks to ensure that the child receives the same financial support they would if their parents lived together. It considers these factors:
- Both parents’ gross incomes
- The child’s income, if applicable
- Expenses (health insurance, daycare, etc.)
- The number of nights the child spends with each parent, on average
The child support order will indicate the exact amount either or both parents owe.
Parenting Coordinator/Decision-Maker Services in Colorado
Our attorneys act as Parenting Coordinators/Decision Makers (PC/DMs) for a range of clients throughout the greater Parker, CO, area. The court appoints PC/DMs in cases in which parents need help resolving disputes or making custody decisions.
We can act as mediators to help you and your child’s other parent reach agreements that work well for your family and prioritize your child’s best interests. In this role, we can assist with:
- Resolving disputes and finding mutually beneficial agreements
- Clarifying and implementing court orders regarding parenting time or parental responsibilities
- Finding the root causes of conflicts and implementing strategies to prevent future disputes
- Making final, binding decisions on parenting issues, when necessary
- Filing child custody agreements with the court
Working with a PC/DM is often faster and less expensive than going back to court to resolve disputes. It also allows you to have a voice in the final agreement. While we do make decisions for clients when necessary, we start by giving them tools to resolve disagreements themselves and seek a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Why Choose Palmer Family Law for Your Child Custody Needs?
Navigating child custody disputes, visitation rights, and support orders can be one of the more stressful challenges you encounter during your life. At Palmer Family Law, we provide compassionate legal assistance for clients going through this often arduous process. Our law firm upholds each of these values for clients navigating custody:
- Individualized attention: We take the time to fully understand the unique complexities of your family unit and your custody case. This individualized attention allows us to cater all legal advice and guidance to your family.
- Unbiased support: Child custody cases bring about a range of complex emotions. We provide guidance from an unbiased, logical perspective to help you look past emotions and do what is best for your child.
- Compassionate advocacy: We understand that navigating child custody may be a trying time. Our attorneys act as compassionate advocates. We know that this is more than a legal case; it is a real issue that deeply affects your family.
- Efficient assistance: The process of seeking or modifying child custody orders can be long and time-consuming. We know how to keep cases moving in court and use alternative dispute resolution methods to help parties reach agreements faster.
Seek Legal Guidance for Your Parker, CO, Child Custody Case
At Palmer Family Law, our legal professionals have over a decade of experience helping families like yours navigate child custody cases and other family law matters. We offer free, 30-minute consultations via phone, video, or in person to help determine whether we are the right fit for your case.
Schedule your consultation with our Parker, CO, family law attorneys today by calling 720-399-7434 or filling out our online form.