Highlands Ranch Child Custody Lawyer

Child Custody Attorney in Highlands Ranch, CO

Child custody disputes may cause parents to experience a range of emotions as they navigate the Colorado legal system. Many parents feel as if their character is put on display in the midst of contentious and protracted litigation, and they do not know when to seek out a Highlands Ranch child custody lawyer. Individuals involved in these disputes may not know where to turn as they are caught between different authorities that can determine their parental rights.

The family law attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C., understand how to help individuals and families who are dealing with child custody disputes. Whether you are going through a divorce or have disagreements with the other parent from a previous relationship, our team of knowledgeable and skilled lawyers can help you determine the course of action you should take to ensure that you can help your child grow into a healthy and functional adult.

Our legal team of attorneys has over 75 years of combined experience and has helped many families in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, when they need it most.

Child Custody Laws in Colorado

While the term child custody is still utilized, the official terminology in the state is the allocation of parental responsibilities. Decisions in these cases follow the best interest of the child standard. Judges will decide on disputes to ensure that the child is living in a healthy, productive, and supportive environment free from conflict and domestic strife. Courts also divide custody into legal custody, now known as decision-making responsibility, and physical custody, now called parenting time.

Decision-making responsibilities involve the power to make decisions about the child’s daily routine. These decisions often include where the child will attend school and where the child will receive healthcare. It also typically involves the right to make decisions about the religious upbringing the child will experience. It can be granted equally (joint custody), split unequally, or given to one parent (sole custody).

Parenting time involves the location where the child resides, as well as the schedule the child will adhere to, which states the time each parent will spend with their child. The factors courts consider when assessing the best interests of the child include the child’s opinion, any established residence, each parent’s relationship with the child, the mental and physical health of the child and parents, issues regarding domestic violence, and the ability of each parent to support the child.

Disputes Related to the Allocation of Parental Responsibilities in Colorado

Legal disputes regarding the allocation of parental responsibilities are numerous. The best interest of the child standard is operative in all child custody cases, and therefore, courts view the conduct of the parties in relation to the effect this conduct has on the child’s emotional, physical, and psychological development. Child custody disputes are often centered on the parents and their legal rights.

The parties in child custody disputes often litigate issues regarding the time each parent may spend with their child, who makes decisions regarding the education of the child, and which routines will help the child grow into a responsible and healthy adult. Courts will assess the arguments the parties present, and sometimes this becomes very emotional and contentious.

Approximately 22.2 million children in 2022 lived in a home with one parent living outside the household. About 13.9 million custodial parents live in the United States. Statistics regarding child custody can help parents contextualize their own experiences related to parenting in a one-parent household.

The Right Time to Hire a Child Custody Lawyer

Seeking the right lawyer to help with custody or the allocation of parental responsibilities is an important decision that can influence your own life and your child’s development. Therefore, it is wise to hire a child custody lawyer as soon as you begin having significant conflicts with your other parent. It is essential that you seek legal counsel as early as possible.

Having legal counsel on your side can provide you with the guidance you need to understand and enforce your legal rights. How you present yourself to the Douglas County Courthouse in Castle Rock is paramount in child custody cases, which your attorney can help prepare you for should your case proceed to litigation.

FAQs

What Looks Bad in a Child Custody Case?

The behavior that can make a parent look bad during a child custody case includes unethical and deceitful conduct. Courts will assess if either parent has manipulated their children, engaged in destructive behavior patterns, or committed domestic violence. The judge will utilize the best interest of the child standard to determine which party is granted custody or parenting time of a child.

What Hurts a Child Custody Case?

Individuals who do not adhere to or abide by court orders may harm their child custody case. Also, if a parent is talking negatively about the other parent to their child or posting negative comments on social media, it is harmful to the case. Any abuse, neglect, or substance use disorders can greatly affect an allocation of parental responsibility case.

Who Usually Wins Child Custody?

The court adheres to a legal standard known as the best interests of the child standard when deciding allocation of responsibility cases in Colorado. The court will assume that it is beneficial to have both parents involved in their child’s life. The judge will examine how the child has developed relationships with each parent, as well as the stability each parent can provide, with a strong focus on what is in the child’s best interest.

Contact a Highlands Ranch Child Custody Attorney Today – Fuller & Ahern, P.C.

Child custody cases may involve parents who feel exhausted and stressed as they are forced to deal with their own emotions while also considering the well-being of their children. You do not have to face an allocation of parental responsibilities case on your own.

The family law attorneys at Fuller & Ahern, P.C. understand how to resolve child custody cases. We have years of experience helping families in Highlands Ranch with contentious family law matters with the compassionate and personalized attention they deserve. Contact us today to schedule a confidential case review.