Simply put, child custody is determined based on the best interests of the child. However, the process is more nuanced and typically involves several legal considerations:
Types of Custody:
Physical Custody: Refers to where the child physically spends their time. This can also be joint (the child spends time with both parents) or sole.
Legal Custody: Refers to the right to make important decisions about the child’s upbringing, including education, healthcare, and religion. This can be joint (shared by both parents) or sole (granted to one parent). This is most commonly referred to as decision-making.
Physical Custody (Parenting Time)
As stated in C.R.S. 14-10-124, in determining the best interests of the child for purposes of parenting time, the court will consider all relevant factors, including:
(I) The wishes of the child’s parents as to parenting time;
(II) The wishes of the child if he or she is sufficiently mature to express reasoned and independent preferences as to the parenting time schedule;
(III) The interaction and interrelationship of the child with his or her parents, his or her siblings, and any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interests;
(III.5) Any report related to domestic violence that is submitted to the court by a child and family investigator, if one is appointed pursuant to section 14-10-116.5; a professional parental responsibilities evaluator, if one is appointed pursuant to section 14-10-127; or a legal representative of the child, if one is appointed pursuant to section 14-10-116. The court may consider other testimony regarding domestic violence from the parties, experts, therapists for any parent or child, the department of human services, parenting time supervisors, school personnel, or other lay witnesses.
(IV) The child’s adjustment to his or her home, school, and community;
(V) The mental and physical health of all individuals involved, except that a disability alone shall not be a basis to deny or restrict parenting time;
(VI) The ability of the parties to encourage the sharing of love, affection, and contact between the child and the other party; except that, if the court determines that a party is acting to protect the child from witnessing domestic violence or from being a victim of child abuse or neglect or domestic violence, the party’s protective actions shall not be considered with respect to this factor;
(VII) Whether the past pattern of involvement of the parties with the child reflects a system of values, time commitment, and mutual support;
(VIII) The physical proximity of the parties to each other as this relates to the practical considerations of parenting time;
(IX) The ability of each party to place the needs of the child ahead of his or her own needs.
Legal Custody (Decision-Making):
(I) Credible evidence of the ability of the parties to cooperate and to make decisions jointly;
(II) Whether the past pattern of involvement of the parties with the child reflects a system of values, time commitment, and mutual support that would indicate an ability as mutual decision makers to provide a positive and nourishing relationship with the child;
(III) Whether an allocation of mutual decision-making responsibility on any one or a number of issues will promote more frequent or continuing contact between the child and each of the parties.
