Child custody is an important legal matter that is governed by the Colorado Revised Statutes. The best interests of the child are always the primary consideration in determining child custody. At Stahly Mehrtens Miner LLC, our Steamboat Springs child custody lawyers have extensive experience representing clients in Steamboat Springs and throughout Colorado. We understand the unique challenges of child custody cases and can help you navigate the legal process with confidence.
Our team of experienced child custody lawyers will work with you to understand your legal rights and options. We will also help you to develop a personalized strategy to protect your child’s interests. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal representation and compassionate guidance.
If you are involved in a child custody matter, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Steamboat Springs family law attorneys. Call us today at 303-797-2900 or contact us online to get started.
What Is Child Custody?
Custody for children is referred to in Colorado as the allotment of parenting time and responsibilities in accordance with CRS 14-10-103. Child custody is a common issue in many family law matters, however, it is most often an issue in divorce and in matters where unmarried parents are no longer together and want to legally establish a parenting plan along with child support.
The Court takes several factors into consideration when making a determination on child custody issues. Some of those factors include:
- The parent’s desires regarding parenting time and responsibilities
- The child’s desires if they are mature enough to express them according to the Court
- The child’s relationship and how they interact with each parent, their siblings (if any), and other family members
- How adjusted the child is to their school, home, and neighborhood
- The mental and physical health of the child
- The mental and physical health of each parent
What Types of Custody Are Available in Steamboat Springs?
Colorado does not use the terms that most people are familiar with– legal custody and physical custody. Instead, the terms “parenting time” and “parental responsibilities” are used.
- Parental responsibilities are what was once commonly referred to as legal custody. This may be awarded to only one parent or both parents.
- Parenting time refers to both physical custody and visitation. One parent may be the physical custodian; that is, they may be the parent with whom the child lives on a full-time basis. The other parent may receive parenting time less often. In some cases, the parents may have a more equal parenting time schedule.
How Is Child Support Determined?
Child support is a payment made to help financially support the child. The parents have the opportunity to come to an agreement on what they believe is a fair child support payment. The other option is to go through the process of allowing the Court to set a child support payment. For both parents, it’s almost always better to work together to establish a child support payment.
Utilizing Mediation To Determine Child Custody Arrangements
Mediation is a tool that is beneficial to custody matters. Parents can work together, along with their attorneys, to develop a parenting plan that addresses the issues within their matter. Issues include:
- Whether the parties will hold joint custody or whether one parent will hold primary custody and one will receive visitation
- Whether both parties will share parenting responsibilities and decision making
- The amount of child support to be paid each month
- Any other issues related to the parenting plan, such as daycare costs and education matters
With mediation, both parents can be assured that at least they get something that they want within the parenting plan instead of leaving everything up to the court. If both parties cannot come to a fair agreement in mediation they may move to litigation and allow the courts to decide for them.
Let Our Steamboat Springs Child Custody Attorney Help You
The Steamboat Springs custody lawyers of Stahly Miner Mehrtens LLC understand the importance of custody matters and how they impact your family life. To learn more about your options and how we can help, schedule your consultation now by calling us at 303-797-2900 or contacting us online