Colorado no longer uses the word custody when referring to a parent’s time with a child, instead calling it parental responsibility. The idea is the same, but the change in terms opens the door for two different types of responsibility, which are:
— Parental responsibility.– Decision-making responsibility.
The first refers more to your active role in the child’s life on a daily basis. With joint responsibility, you share it with your ex. With primary responsibility, you are more involved than your ex. Things that you do could include:
— Having the child live at your home.– Providing food, clothing and shelter.– Taking the child to school.
You’re providing the daily support and assistance that the child needs. You’re the caretaker.
With decision-making responsibility, you get a say in the important choices that parents must make in the child’s life. This could include, but is not limited to, where the child attends school, if the child goes to church, where medical care is provided, where the child goes on vacation and more.
One key thing to remember is that you can still have decision-making power, even if parental responsibility was primarily given to your ex. The child is yours, so you may still have some say in these life choices, even if things like your career prevent you from directly caring for the child as often as your ex.
If you want to learn more about your rights under state laws, we encourage you to check out our site today. It’s very important to fully understand the power provided to you by the divorce agreement.