Boulder, Colorado, Child Support and Custody Lawyer
Family law cases involving children place a great deal of strain on an entire family. It is important to keep the best interests of your children in mind when moving forward with a child support or child custody case.
At the law firm of Goff & Goff, LLC in Boulder, our attorneys and staff are sensitive to the needs of clients going through a child support or child custody dispute. We work to provide our clients with tailored advice and guidance that is designed to advance our client's goals.
You do not have to face a child support and a child custody dispute alone. Contact us online or by phone at 303-872-0535 for a free telephone consultation with a lawyer to discuss your situation.
Decision Making
In Colorado, the legislature enacted legislation which codifies a presumption that notwithstanding the ending of a relationship, that both parents should be involved with making decisions in their children's best interests.
In most child custody cases the parents will either agree, or the court will order, that they exercise joint decision making for their children. The primary areas in which joint decision making is exercised are medical care and treatment, religion, and education. On occasion, one party may be given sole decision making authority in one or more of those three areas, if the court determines that it is in the child's best interests.
Parenting Time
While the term child custody is no longer used, it is still common for a parent with whom the children reside a majority of the time to be designated as the primary residential custodian. In addition, one of the most important factors in determining the amount of child support a parent receives is the number of overnights that each parent has with the children.
One of risks to a parent in a child custody case, is that the court will not order a sufficient amount of parenting time to enable the parent and child to continue to develop and strengthen their relationship. Our lawyers understand the importance of obtaining as much parenting time as possible for our clients, consistent with their children's best interests.
Child Support
In Colorado, child support is governed by a complex statute. This statue provides a formula which generates a presumed child support amount. Some of the figures that are used in the formula include the income of each parent, the number of overnights that each child spends with the parent, the number of children and other expenses such as health care and day care expenses. We are here to help parents obtain child support orders that are fair to them and in the best interests of their children.
Modification and Enforcement
After a custody or support order has been established, the parties are obligated to follow its terms. However, if a change needs to be made, it may be it is possible to obtain a modification of the order in question. Child support or Parenting Time orders can be may be modified upon a showing of a substantial and continuing change, so as to make the terms of the of the existing order unfair.
In most circumstances, a child support order may only be modified as to payments that come due after the filing of the motion. It is therefore important that if a parent experiences a significant change in their circumstances, i.e. job loss or significant income reduction, that a motion to modify the support agreement be filed as soon as possible.
A parenting time order can be modified in the event of a parent's relocation, a child's endangerment, or if a court determines a modification is in the child's best interest. Our lawyers are also experienced with enforcing the terms of existing child support and parenting time orders, often through a contempt of court proceeding against the non-complaint parent.
For more information regarding decision making parenting time or child support matters, contact us online or by phone at 303-872-0535 to speak with an experienced attorney at our firm.
