Dealing with a Child Custody Battle in Colorado Springs?
You Need a Family Law Attorney
If you are dealing with a child custody fight in Colorado Springs, then you need legal representation from a family law attorney that specializes in child custody.
Attorney Bryson Perkins is among the top-rated Colorado Springs child custody lawyers.
Click to schedule a free consultation with a Colorado Springs family law attorney.
Children caught up in their parents’ divorce have a lot of questions
Where will I live?
When will I see you?
Which school am I going to go to?
What happens to me?
Parents will have to work together to provide answers, or a judge could render them instead. Issues involving child custody and visitation can be some of the thorniest and most emotionally taxing in a divorce. The practical realities and personal challenges of raising a child in two households require care, patience, and focus on ensuring that the needs and well-being of the child always come first.
As a Colorado Springs divorce attorney, it is my goal to help clients reach custody arrangements that accomplish just that.
Parental Responsibility v. Custody
While we often speak of “custody” when discussing where a child will live and who will have authority over what decisions involving the child.
However, Colorado law no longer uses the term “custody.” Rather, parents in a divorce or other separation situation must allocate “parental responsibility” – including decision-making authority and “parenting time” - between themselves.
If Colorado Springs parents can’t reach a resolution of these issues on their own, an El Paso County judge will allocate parental responsibilities and parenting time based on what he or she deems to be in the best interests of the child.
Parenting Plans
Divorcing parents and their attorneys will attempt to reach an agreement on all of the issues and choices that are involved in raising a child. These agreements are put into a detailed parenting plan that is designed to bring clarity and minimize the potential for conflict.
As a family law attorney I work with parents to help them craft thorough parenting plans that are fair and that keeps the focus on maintaining positive relationships not only between the parents and the child but between the parents themselves to the extent practicable.
In developing a parenting plan, the following issues are addressed:
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Allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities to include religion, education, and healthcare; this may involve allocating these decisions to one parent or sharing them between the two;
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Provisions for the child's living arrangements and for each parent's parenting time, including a schedule that designates in which parent's home the child will reside on given days;
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Each parent's right of access to the child’s important records, including medical, dental, psychological, and child care records, as well as school and extracurricular records, reports, and schedules;
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A designation of the parent who will be denominated as the parent with the majority of parenting time (formerly known as the “custodial parent”);
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Provisions requiring each parent to notify the other of emergencies, health care, travel plans, or other significant child-related issues;
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Transportation arrangements between the parents;
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Provisions for communications, including electronic communications, with the child during the other parent's parenting time;
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Provisions for resolving issues arising from a parent's future relocation;
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Provisions for future modifications of the parenting plan, if specified events occur.
Building A Bright Future for You and Your Children
Of course, in some Colorado Springs divorces, parents are unable to reach an agreement on some or all of the issues regarding their child. Other times, there are concerns about the fitness or ability of one parent to be responsible for the child’s safety and well-being. In those circumstances, a Colorado Springs court will determine as to any contested issues.
Talk with a Child Custody Lawyer
When an agreement can’t be reached, Attorney Perkins will forcefully advocate on behalf of his clients and their children to put them in the best position to obtain a favorable outcome from the judge.
With preparation, pragmatism, and a thorough understanding of the Colorado child custody law and the issues, Attorney Perkins is unwavering in his commitment to helping build a bright and secure future for each parent and child he has the privilege to represent.
Attorney Bryson Perkins offers a free consultation to anyone dealing with a child custody legal issue in the Pikes Peak region. Mr. Perkins can help you understand what to expect in our local courts based on Colorado laws and the assigned Colorado Springs judge and prosecutor.
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