Father's Rights

If you’re a father navigating a Colorado custody case, your parental rights are legally the same as a mother’s; the law does not favor one parent over the other based on gender when deciding parenting time or decision-making responsibility.

Whether or not you were married to your child’s other parent, you generally have the right to seek parenting time and a voice in major decisions about your child’s upbringing, and the court evaluates what arrangement serves your child’s best interests using the same factors regardless of which parent is asking. If you are unmarried, establishing legal paternity is usually your first step before those rights can be formally exercised through the court. If you feel your rights as a father are being overlooked or are not yet legally established, that is worth addressing directly with an attorney rather than assuming the law does not protect you.