On March 3, Jennifer Conrad, wife of former football star Keyshawn Johnson, filed for divorce with the L.A. County Superior Court. The two separated in February after seven months of marriage due to irreconcilable differences.
Conrad has requested that the two share child custody of their kids, but she desires primary physical custody with Johnson getting visitation.
Visitation in Colorado
In Colorado, the family law legal dictionary refers to child visitation as “parenting time.” Courts in Colorado will usually designate parenting time for one parent, with the other parent acting as the primary care parent. These classifications are important in determining a variety of issues that may pop up over the course of divorce proceedings, such as whether one of the parents is allowed to permanently leave the state with the children.
For the most part, it is easy to get the courts to agree to a parenting time plan as long as the parents are both in agreement and the court believes that the child’s best interests are being looked after. Because the legislature believes that a child benefits the most with frequent and continuous contact with both parents, often the non-custodial parent will still receive considerable parenting time.
That said, several factors will determine how much time the non-custodial parent will receive. A very young child, for example, will have few overnights with the non-custodial parents, and courts prefer if a child in school spends his or her weekdays and nights with the primary care parent. Once the child is more mature, the courts will give credence to the child’s wishes as well.
Divorce Matters ”“ Denver Family Law Attorneys