Child Custody Attorney Not Involving Divorce in Colorado Springs

You Don’t Have to Be Married to Be a Parent in Colorado

Families come in all shapes and sizes. It is not uncommon to find couples who were never married now facing child custody issues. In Colorado, child custody is handled similarly for unmarried and married couples – with just a few differences.

The Law Offices of Andrew Bryant understands that child custody issues between unwed parents can seem complicated. After all, the law is not always easy to understand in these circumstances, but that is what our experience and expertise are here for.

Few legal matters are more important than determining child custody, making it a stressful and confusing time for many parents involved. With the guidance and expertise of the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant, you can rest assured that your best interests and those of your child will be properly represented.

Establishing Paternity in Colorado Springs

One of the biggest differences between child custody cases involving married versus unmarried parents is that when parents are unmarried, the father must establish legal paternity. This process is necessary to help fathers protect their rights. Otherwise, a father cannot petition the Colorado State Judicial Branch for custody or visitation rights.

The process is straightforward if the father has signed the child’s birth certificate. However, those who did not sign the birth certificate may have a more complex road ahead.

In Colorado, there are essentially two ways to establish paternity. The first is a voluntary process where both parties agree on the child’s father. Under this scenario, a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity form is signed, a form that establishes one party as the legal father. The child’s name is then added to the birth certificate.

A person can also establish paternity in Colorado through court action. This is used in cases where the parents cannot agree on the paternity of the child or children in the case. When this action is taken, a judge will typically require the father to take a paternity test before attempting to determine the father’s rights and responsibilities.

Colorado Has Different Types of Child Custody

Once paternity has been determined, the case moves forward to resolve any disputes over custody in the same way it would for any parents who were married and now divorcing. In each case of child custody, the number one factor considered by the courts is the child’s best interests.

There are different types of legal custody that are important to understand in a child custody case since they directly impact the legal responsibilities of each parent. The different types of custody in Colorado include:

What Does Colorado Consider “the Child’s Best Interest”?

Many parents want to know what the court considers to be in the child’s best interest in parental responsibility and custody determinations. Colorado judges will consider what the child wants if they are old enough to have what they consider to be an independent opinion, but ultimately the fate of the case rests in the hands of the judge.

The judge looks at a variety of factors to determine what is in the best interest of the child, such as:

What About Child Support in Colorado Springs?

It is not uncommon for one or both parents to be ordered to pay child support in Colorado. Child support is meant to help cover the costs of raising a child, and the court’s goal is to maintain the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the parents stayed together.

Child support is based on each parent’s income and physical custody of the child. It helps to cover the costs associated with the child, such as maintaining a home, feeding the child, educating the child, providing them with clothing, and sustaining health insurance coverage.