Most Denver parents probably agree that, in a perfect world, both parents would have plenty of time to spend with their children.
They would also likely acknowledge that this is, in the usual case, what is best for the emotional well-being of the children. Also, liberal parenting time for both parents will usually reduce legal conflict between the parents.
In reality, there are very few child custody cases that fit neatly into a mold. In many cases, Colorado mothers or fathers may really want the other parent’s involvement, but they know that the other parent is emotionally, mentally or physically not capable of caring for the children.
Colorado law allows a parent to ask a Colorado court to impose restricted parenting time. However, the court may not grant such requests in just any set of circumstances.
Even if the court feels that it is not in the best interest of the child that a particular parent have ordinary parenting time with the child, that’s not enough for a court to deny a parent his or her opportunities to interact with the child.
The standard is that the parent asking for restricted parenting time, like supervised visits, will have to prove that unrestricted parenting time will actually hurt the child, say by endangering the child’s physical health or significantly harming the child’s emotional health.
On a related point, if one parent has committed certain crimes, including crimes relating to child abuse and neglect, then the other parent can object to parenting time outright or ask for restrictions. This rule also applies when a parent has been convicted of a crime of domestic violence.