laws

Colorado Child Relocation Laws

Prior to 2001, a custodial mother could relocate with her child even though the non-custodial father would be remaining in Colorado and objected to the move. As long as certain conditions were met, the court almost always granted the move. Now, though, any move of a custodial parent must be in the best interests of the child, according to updated Colorado child relocation laws. Since Colorado began using the “best interests of the child doctrine” as a determining factor in parental relocation, the court does not automatically grant a presumption or advantage to either parent. Neither do they allocate the Read more

New ‘Best Interest’ Colorado Child Custody Law

When parents go to court to battle over whom shall be the parent with the most parental rights, the judge must decide who is the better and most appropriate parent for the job. By the time a child custody case reaches this level, there are commonly numerous written reports from mediators, social workers, therapists, doctors, and other professional personnel associated with the custody case. Perhaps the saddest example, nationally, of children being with the wrong parent is the Josh Powell case. For those who don’t remember, Josh was the dad who grabbed his two boys from the social worker at Read more

Drastic Changes To Colorado Alimony Laws

The amount and duration of alimony in Colorado has been standardized for all family law courts in the state, as part of new alimony legislation. Prior to the passage of House Bill 13-1058, Colorado alimony (renamed “spousal maintenance”) awards varied greatly from judge to judge and were left to the discretion of the court. The new legislation provides a well-defined, clear-cut formula for the first time in the history of Colorado alimony laws. The Basic Calculation If a couple makes $300,000 or less, the formula is 40 percent of the higher income earner’s adjusted gross income, less 50 percent of Read more