Colorado Child Support and Custody Laws - Supervised Visitation

SUPERVISED PARENTING TIME

If a court determines a parent may be a danger to a child physically or emotionally, the court may order that all parenting time by that parent be supervised. Evidence of such danger may include domestic violence (whether or not there have been convictions), alcohol or drug use, or psychological abuse.

Unless the endangerment involves conviction for certain violent or child endangering crimes, such supervision may be performed by anyone the parties agree to and approved by the judge, including, for example, relatives or friends. In any case, supervision may be performed by agencies that provide such services. While such agencies are generally not expensive, the fact there is any expense, along with the limiting nature of supervision, may cause a parent who is subject to being supervised to voluntarily limit his or her parenting time. Having one’s parenting time supervised is often perceived as significantly onerous, and may be the source of considerable friction between the parents.

A parent who believes a child is in imminent physical or emotional danger due to parenting time or contact with the other parent may ask the court to restrict such contact, and the court will hold a hearing on the issue within seven days. During this time, a person deemed suitable by the court will supervise any parenting time for the alleged offender. However, if the court determines that the allegation of endangerment was unsubstantiated, the court may order the accusing parent to pay the accused parent’s attorneys fees for defending him or herself.

These kinds of allegations can add an explosive and contentious element to a divorce or custody proceeding. As it should, the court will view all, such allegations of child endangerment very seriously. Therefore, it is important that all parents carefully investigate the circumstances and take protective measures only where necessary to protect a child’s safety.

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