📅 2026 Update: Changes to Child Custody Laws in Colorado

Since the original article on child custody laws in Colorado was written, there have been important updates that affect how custody cases are handled. In 2024, Colorado passed new legislation that introduced significant changes aimed at protecting children and ensuring fair treatment in custody decisions. The earlier article continues further down the page, providing foundational information on the topic.

🆕 📜 Legislative Changes

In 2024, Colorado enacted House Bill 24-1350. This law introduced standards related to court proceedings for parental responsibilities. Courts must now consider evidence of coercive control and avoid biased information about a person’s religion, gender, or race when deciding the best interests of a child.

🚨 👨‍⚖️ Domestic Violence Training

As part of this legislative update, all court personnel are required to undergo training on domestic violence. This training aims to improve the handling of custody cases where domestic violence is a concern.

🧒 📝 Child Interviews and Evaluations

The law now mandates that courts conduct child interviews and evaluations by child and family investigators. This helps ensure that the child's voice and needs are prioritized in custody determinations.

⚖️ 📅 Best Interest Factors

The factors used to determine the best interests of the child have been revised. Courts will consider the child’s relationship with parents and siblings, along with their overall adjustment to home and school.

📌 Summary of Key Changes

  • 🆕 New law requires the consideration of coercive control.
  • 🚨 Domestic violence training for court personnel is now mandatory.
  • 🧒 Interviews and evaluations of children are required in custody cases.
  • ⚖️ Revised best interest factors prioritize children's relationships and adjustments.

💡 Tips for Navigating Child Custody in Colorado

Review the details of your situation with an attorney to ensure you understand your rights and responsibilities.

📑 📝 Understand the Forms

To initiate a custody case, you need to file the JDF 1031: Petition for Parental Responsibilities and the JDF 1000: Case Information Sheet. Make sure to complete these accurately to avoid delays.

⏰ ⏳ Respond on Time

If you receive a custody petition, respond within 21 days. If served by publication or outside Colorado, you have 35 days to respond.

🗓️ 🏡 Create a Parenting Plan

Develop a detailed parenting plan that outlines responsibilities, visitation schedules, and decision-making authority. This document is essential for defining how you and the other parent will share responsibilities.

📞 🆘 Seek Legal Assistance

They provide step-by-step instructions and answers to common questions.

📍 🔍 Know Your Rights

Both parents have rights to parental responsibilities unless evidence shows that one parent is unfit. Non-parents may also petition for parental responsibilities if they meet specific criteria.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 What is coercive control in custody cases?

Coercive control refers to a pattern of controlling behaviors that restrict a partner’s freedom. Colorado law now requires courts to consider evidence of this when making custody decisions.

🏠 How does Colorado define a child's "home state"?

A child's home state is where they have lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least six consecutive months. This definition is essential for determining jurisdiction in custody cases.

📅 What if I need to modify a custody order?

To modify a custody order, you usually need to prove that the child's current environment poses a danger to their health or emotional development. Modifications cannot be filed within two years of the last order without a valid reason.

👴 Can grandparents seek visitation rights?

Yes, grandparents or great-grandparents can petition for visitation if there is an existing custody case or if specific conditions are met, such as the death of a parent.

🗺️ How can I register an out-of-state custody order in Colorado?

You can register an out-of-state custody order in Colorado courts. Once registered, you can request enforcement or modifications to the order according to Colorado law.

⚖️ What factors do courts consider when determining the best interests of a child?

Courts consider factors like the wishes of the parents and child, relationships with siblings, adjustment to home and community, and the mental and physical health of everyone involved.

⚖️ Recent Court Cases Related to Child Custody

Recent court rulings reflect ongoing changes in child custody laws in Colorado. These decisions are crucial for understanding how the courts apply new legal standards in custody cases.

Readers can browse more rulings on the news page for updates on recent court decisions.

End of October 2026 Update





COLORADO CHILD CUSTODY LAWS & REGULATIONS UPDATE 2023

A DECADE OF CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW OF COLORADO'S CHILD CUSTODY LAWS AND REGULATIONS TIMELINE (2013-2023)


Over the last ten years, Colorado's child custody laws and regulations have evolved to reflect the state's commitment to promoting the best interests of children in custody disputes. This article provides a comprehensive overview of key updates in Colorado's child custody laws and regulations from 2013 to 2023.

2013: Best Interests Standard

- Adoption of the best interests standard as the primary criterion in custody decisions.

2014: Shared Parenting Promotion

- Promotion of shared parenting arrangements to foster the involvement of both parents.

Child Custody Laws in Colorado

2015: Parenting Plans Requirement

- Introduction of mandatory parenting plans outlining custody, visitation

, and support arrangements.

2016: Child's Wishes Consideration

- Consideration of the child's preferences in custody determinations based on maturity.

2017: Grandparent Visitation Recognition

- Recognition of grandparent visitation rights in custody proceedings.

2018: Domestic Violence Protections

- Strengthened provisions to protect children from exposure to domestic violence.

2019: Mediation Emphasis

- Emphasis on mediation as a method to resolve custody disputes amicably.

2020: Virtual Visitation Acceptance

- Acknowledgment of virtual visitation as a means for non-custodial parents to connect with their child.

2021: Military Deployment Consideration

- Consideration of the impact of military deployment on custody arrangements.

2022: Child Support Integration

- Integration of child custody and child support processes for consistency.

2023: Relocation Guidelines

- Introduction of guidelines for parents seeking to relocate with their child, emphasizing stability.

Colorado's continuous efforts to adapt child custody laws reflect the state's dedication to the well-being of children and families. Staying informed about these changes is essential for parents and legal practitioners navigating custody matters.

Guide to Child Custody Laws in Colorado

Going through a divorce is very stressful, and dividing child custody can be moreso.  If you're a Colorado parent, you need to understand the child custody laws in Colorado to have the best chance of getting the custody you want.  There are a number of myths and misconceptions surrounding child custody, and you need to have good information.  This guide will help you separate fact from fiction about child custody laws in Colorado, and make it easier for you to find more specific information on the kind of custody you seek.

Myths About Child Custody Laws in Colorado

Many people believe things about child custody laws that simply aren't true.  Usually, these myths were true in the past or are law in another state.  One of the biggest myths is that fathers are ineligible to parent very young children unless the mother is unfit.  This is not true: according to child custody laws in Colorado, even very young children can be placed with their mother or father, whichever seems to be in the best interest of the child.

This is more often the mother for small children, but only because mothers tend to take care of younger children more and have a closer relationship with them.  If the father has been the primary caregiver, he is likely to be awarded custody based on child custody laws in Colorado.

In fact, “in the best interest of the child” is the only metric that Colorado courts use to make custody determinations.  Another myth is that children 14 or older can decide for themselves who to live with.  While children's preferences for one parent or another are taken into account by the judge, child custody laws in Colorado do not permit any child to choose their custody arrangement.

Joint Custody

When parents in Colorado say that they have joint custody, it does not necessarily follow that a child splits all their time equally.  Many joint custody arrangements do manage to have equal time, but if parents live further apart or cannot figure out an equal time arrangement that works for them and their children, one parent will get primary physical custody.

While in this situation, one parent will live with the child significantly more often, child custody laws in Colorado mandate that both parents in a joint custody arrangement have a say in the child's religious and educational upbringing as well as medical and dental care.

Sole Custody

If parents have a hard time agreeing, or if one parent has issues that the court sees as making them unfit for joint custody, a judge may award sole custody to one parent.  When a parent has sole custody, they no longer have to consult the other parent to make critical decisions about their child according to child custody laws in Colorado.

Parenting Time

Parenting time is what used to be referred to as “visitation.”  Child custody laws in Colorado give a right to parenting time to any parent without primary physical custody of their child.  If the judge feels one parent may pose a safety threat to a child, the visitation awarded may be supervised.