Colorado

Child Visitation Laws

Section(s):
COLD. REV. STAT. § 19-1-117COLD. REV. STAT. § 14-10-123COLD. REV. STAT. § 14-10-1233

19-1-117. Visitation rights of grandparents.

(1) Any grandparent of a child may, in the manner set forth in this section, seek a court order granting the grandparent reasonable grandchild visitation rights when there is or has been a child

custody case or a case concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities relating to that child.

Because cases arise that do not directly deal with child custody or the allocation of parental responsibilities but nonetheless have an impact on the custody of or parental responsibilities with

respect to a child, for the purposes of this section, a “case concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities with respect to a child” includes any of the following, whether or not child custody was or parental responsibilities were specifically an issue:

(a) That the marriage of the child’s parents has been declared invalid or has been

dissolved by a court or that a court has entered a decree of legal separation with regard to such marriage;

(b) That legal custody of or parental responsibilities with respect to the child have been given or allocated to a party other than the child’s parent or that the child has been placed outside of and does not reside in the home of the child’s parent, excluding any child who has been placed

for adoption or whose adoption has been legally finalized; or

(c) That the child’s parent, who is the child of the grandparent, has died.

(2) A party seeking a grandchild visitation order shall submit, together with his or her motion for visitation, to the district court for the district in which the child resides an affidavit setting forth facts supporting the requested order and shall give notice, together with a copy of his or her

affidavit, to the party who has legal custody of the child or to the party with parental

responsibilities as determined by a court pursuant to article 10 of title 14, C.R.S. The party with legal custody or parental responsibilities as determined by a court pursuant to article 10 of title

14, C.R.S., may file opposing affidavits. If neither party requests a hearing, the court shall enter an order granting grandchild visitation rights to the petitioning grandparent only upon a finding that the visitation is in the best interests of the child. A hearing shall be held if either party so requests or if it appears to the court that it is in the best interests of the child that a hearing be held. At the hearing, parties submitting affidavits shall be allowed an opportunity to be heard. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the court finds it is in the best interests of the child to grant grandchild visitation rights to the petitioning grandparent, the court shall enter an order granting such rights.

(3) No grandparent may file an affidavit seeking an order granting grandchild visitation rights more than once every two years absent a showing of good cause. If the court finds there is good cause to file more than one such affidavit, it shall allow such additional affidavit to be filed and shall consider it. The court may order reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. The court may not make any order restricting the movement of the child if such restriction is solely for the purpose of allowing the grandparent the opportunity to exercise his grandchild visitation rights.

(4) The court may make an order modifying or terminating grandchild visitation rights whenever such order would serve the best interests of the child.

(5) Any order granting or denying parenting time rights to the parent of a child shall not affect visitation rights granted to a grandparent pursuant to this section.

14-10-123. Commencement of proceedings concerning allocation of parental responsibilities – jurisdiction – automatic temporary injunction – enforcement

A proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities is commenced in the district court or as otherwise provided by law:

(1)

(a) By a parent:

(I) By filing a petition for dissolution or legal separation; or

(II) By filing a petition seeking the allocation of parental responsibilities with respect to a child in the county where the child is permanently resident or where the child is found; or

(b) By a person other than a parent, by filing a petition seeking the allocation of parental responsibilities for the child in the county where the child is permanently resident or where the child is found, but only if the child is not in the physical care of one of the child’s parents;

(c) By a person other than a parent who has had the physical care of a child for a period of one hundred eighty-two days or more, if such action is commenced within one hundred eighty-two days after the termination of such physical care; or

(d) By a parent or person other than a parent who has been granted custody of a child or who has been allocated parental responsibilities through a juvenile court order entered pursuant to section 19-1-104(6) , C.R.S., by filing a certified copy of the juvenile court order in the county where the child is permanently resident. Such order shall be treated in the district court as any other decree issued in a proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities.

(2) Except for a proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities commenced pursuant to paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section, notice of a proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities shall be given to the child’s parent, guardian, and custodian or person allocated parental responsibilities, who may appear and be heard and may file a responsive pleading. The court may, upon a showing of good cause, permit the intervention of other interested parties.

(2.5) Upon the filing of a petition pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, each party shall provide to the court, in the manner prescribed by the court, his or her social security number and the social security number of each child named in the petition.

(3)

(a) Upon the filing of a petition concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities pursuant to this section and upon personal service of the petition and summons on a respondent or upon waiver and acceptance of service by a respondent, a temporary injunction shall be in effect against both parties:

(I) Enjoining each party from molesting or disturbing the peace of the other party;

(II) Restraining each party from removing a minor child who is the subject of the proceeding from the state without the consent of all other parties or an order of the court modifying the injunction; and

(III) Restraining each party, without at least fourteen days’ advance notification and the written consent of all other parties or an order of the court modifying the injunction, from cancelling, modifying, terminating, or allowing to lapse for nonpayment of premiums a policy of health insurance or life insurance that provides coverage to a minor child who is the subject of the proceeding or that names the minor child as a beneficiary of a policy.

(b) The provisions of the temporary injunction shall be printed upon the summons and the petition. The temporary injunction shall be in effect upon personal service of the petition and summons on a respondent or upon waiver and acceptance of service by a respondent and shall remain in effect against each party until the court enters the final decree, dismisses the petition, or enters a further order modifying the injunction. A party may apply to the court for further temporary orders pursuant to section 14-10-125 , an expanded temporary injunction, or modification or revocation of the temporary injunction.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection (3), the temporary injunction described in this subsection (3) shall not apply to a proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities commenced pursuant to paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section or to a proceeding concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities commenced by a parent that is governed by the automatic temporary injunction pursuant to section 14-10-107(4) (b).

(d) For purposes of enforcing the automatic temporary injunction that becomes effective in accordance with this subsection (3), if the respondent shows a duly authorized peace officer, as described in section 16-2.5-101 , C.R.S., a copy of the petition and summons filed and issued pursuant to this section, or if the petitioner shows the peace officer a copy of the petition and summons filed and issued pursuant to this section together with a certified copy of the affidavit of service of process or a certified copy of the waiver and acceptance of service, and the peace officer has cause to believe that a violation of the part of the automatic temporary injunction that enjoins a party from molesting or disturbing the peace of the other party has occurred, the peace officer shall use every reasonable means to enforce that part of the injunction against the petitioner or respondent, as applicable. A peace officer shall not be held civilly or criminally liable for his or her actions pursuant to this subsection (3) if the peace officer acts in good faith and without malice.

Colorado Revised Statutes Title 14 Domestic Matters § 14-10-1233 Requests for parental responsibility for a child by grandparents

Whenever a grandparent seeks parental responsibility for his or her grandchild pursuant to the provisions of this article, the court entering such order shall consider any credible evidence of the grandparent's past conduct of child abuse or neglect.  Such evidence may include, but shall not be limited to, medical records, school records, police reports, information contained in records and reports of child abuse or neglect, and court records received by the court pursuant to section 19-1-307(2)(f), C.R.S.