Parents understand that children and teenagers sometimes engage in impulsive behaviors and often act without thinking. Teenagers also tend to enjoy rebelling against authority and employing outrageous behaviors to impress their friends. Studies show that the human brain isn’t completely matured beyond childhood impulsive behaviors until at least the mid-20s, but how long are parents legally responsible for the actions of their offspring, and just what does this legal responsibility entail? Even when children aren’t held to account in criminal…

In today’s world of blended families, there are more and more step-parents who have developed strong bonds with the stepchildren they’ve helped to raise. But what happens when a blended family ends up in a divorce? What rights does a step-parent have when they wish to maintain a close, loving relationship with a stepchild? Sadly, Colorado family courts operate under the presumption that step-parents do not hold the same parental rights as biological parents. Instead, a stepparent seeking visitation rights…

Life following divorce has many challenges for families, including the difficulty of becoming accustomed to living according to the terms of a parenting agreement or court-ordered schedule. While once a family enjoyed the holidays and a family vacation together every year, after a divorce, summer vacation, school holidays, and family travel often become contentious issues. How do you plan for vacations after a divorce without breaking the terms of a parenting-time agreement in Colorado? Splitting Parenting Time After a Divorce…

Many of today’s couples put off marriage or determine not to make their union legal for a variety of economic and social reasons. Approximately 23.2 percent of Colorado births occur to unmarried mothers. When unwed couples have children and then decide to separate, or when two people conceive a child outside of a committed relationship, questions arise about the way Colorado custody law works for unmarried parents. While like most states, Colorado acknowledges automatic rights for an unmarried mother, determining…

Divorce and the division of one home into two separate households can be difficult for young children; however, preschool and elementary-aged children have little say in decisions regarding their own lives and are typically compliant when parents enforce the court-ordered custody and visitation agreements. It’s a relatively simple matter to exchange small children, even in the most challenging cases when children react to the disruption with crying or temper tantrums. But when children become teenagers, parents can no longer carry…