Colorado Code § 14-10-129

Modification of parenting time
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(1) (a) (I) Except as otherwise provided in
subsection (1)(b)(I) of this section, the court may make or modify an order granting or denying
parenting time rights whenever such order or modification would serve the best interests of the
child. The trial court retains continuing jurisdiction to make or modify an order granting or
denying parenting time rights pursuant to this section during the pendency of an appeal.
(II) In those cases in which a party with whom the child resides a majority of the time is
seeking to relocate with the child to a residence that substantially changes the geographical ties
between the child and the other party, the court, in determining whether the modification of
parenting time is in the best interests of the child, shall take into account all relevant factors,
including those enumerated in paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section. The party who is
intending to relocate with the child to a residence that substantially changes the geographical ties
between the child and the other party shall provide the other party with written notice as soon as
practicable of his or her intent to relocate, the location where the party intends to reside, the
reason for the relocation, and a proposed revised parenting time plan. A court hearing on any
modification of parenting time due to an intent to relocate shall be given a priority on the court's
docket.
(b) (I) The court shall not restrict a parent's parenting time rights unless it finds that the
parenting time would endanger the child's physical health or significantly impair the child's
emotional development. In addition to a finding that parenting time would endanger the child's
physical health or significantly impair the child's emotional development, in any order imposing
or continuing a parenting time restriction, the court shall enumerate the specific factual findings
supporting the restriction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect grandparent or
great-grandparent family time granted pursuant to section 14-10-124.4.
(II) The provisions of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b) shall not apply in those
cases in which a party with whom the child resides a majority of the time is intending to relocate
with the child to a residence that substantially changes the geographical ties between the child
and the other party.
(1.5) If a motion for a substantial modification of parenting time which also changes the
party with whom the child resides a majority of the time has been filed, whether or not it has
been granted, no subsequent motion may be filed within two years after disposition of the prior
motion unless the court decides, on the basis of affidavits, that the child's present environment
may endanger the child's physical health or significantly impair the child's emotional
development or that the party with whom the child resides a majority of the time is intending to
relocate with the child to a residence that substantially changes the geographical ties between the
child and the other party.
(2) The court shall not modify a prior order concerning parenting time that substantially
changes the parenting time as well as changes the party with whom the child resides a majority
of the time unless it finds, upon the basis of facts that have arisen since the prior decree or that
were unknown to the court at the time of the prior decree, that a change has occurred in the
circumstances of the child or the party with whom the child resides the majority of the time and
that the modification is necessary to serve the best interests of the child. In applying these
standards, the court shall retain the parenting time schedule established in the prior decree
unless:
(a) The parties agree to the modification; or
(b) The child has been integrated into the family of the moving party with the consent of
the other party; or
(c) The party with whom the child resides a majority of the time is intending to relocate
with the child to a residence that substantially changes the geographical ties between the child
and the other party. A court hearing on any modification of parenting time due to an intent to
relocate shall be given a priority on the court's docket. In determining whether the modification
of parenting time is in the best interests of the child, the court shall take into account all relevant
factors, including whether a party has committed an act of domestic violence, has engaged in a
pattern of domestic violence, or has a history of domestic violence, as that term is defined in
section 14-10-124 (1.3), which factor shall be supported by a preponderance of the evidence, and
shall consider such domestic violence whether it occurred before or after the prior decree, and all
other factors enumerated in section 14-10-124 (1.5)(a) and:
(I) The reasons why the party wishes to relocate with the child;
(II) The reasons why the opposing party is objecting to the proposed relocation;
(III) The history and quality of each party's relationship with the child since any previous
parenting time order;
(IV) The educational opportunities for the child at the existing location and at the
proposed new location;
(V) The presence or absence of extended family at the existing location and at the
proposed new location;
(VI) Any advantages of the child remaining with the primary caregiver;
(VII) The anticipated impact of the move on the child;
(VIII) Whether the court will be able to fashion a reasonable parenting time schedule if
the change requested is permitted; and
(IX) Any other relevant factors bearing on the best interests of the child; or
(d) The child's present environment endangers the child's physical health or significantly
impairs the child's emotional development and the harm likely to be caused by a change of
environment is outweighed by the advantage of a change to the child.
(2.5) (a) When the court restricts a party's parenting time pursuant to section 19-5-105.5,
C.R.S., or section 19-5-105.7, C.R.S., or section 14-10-124 (4)(a)(IV), the court may make or
modify an order granting or denying parenting time rights whenever such order or modification
would serve the best interests of the child. Within thirty-five days after the filing of a verified
motion by the restricted party seeking a modification of parenting time, the court shall determine
from the verified motion, and response to the motion, if any, whether there has been a substantial
and continuing change of circumstances such that the current parenting time orders are no longer
in the child's best interests, including consideration of whether the restricted parent has
satisfactorily complied with any conditions set forth by the court when the court imposed the
restrictions on parenting time, and either:
(I) Deny the motion, if there is an inadequate allegation; or
(II) Set the matter for hearing as expeditiously as possible with notice to the parties of
the time and place of the hearing.
(b) If the court finds that the filing of a motion pursuant to subsection (2.5)(a) of this
section was substantially frivolous, substantially groundless, substantially vexatious, or intended
to harass or intimidate the other party, the court shall require the moving party to pay the
reasonable and necessary attorney fees or licensed legal paraprofessional fees and costs of the
other party.
(3) (a) If a parent has been convicted of any of the crimes listed in subsection (3)(b) of
this section or convicted in another state or jurisdiction, including, but not limited to, a military
or federal jurisdiction, of an offense that, if committed in Colorado, would constitute any of the
crimes listed in subsection (3)(b) of this section, or convicted of any crime in which the
underlying factual basis has been found by the court on the record to include an act of domestic
violence, as defined in section 18-6-800.3 (1), that constitutes a potential threat or endangerment
to the child, the other parent, or any other person who has been granted custody of or parental
responsibility for the child pursuant to court order may file an objection to parenting time with
the court. The other parent or other person having custody or parental responsibility shall give
notice to the offending parent of the objection as provided by the Colorado rules of civil
procedure, and the offending parent has twenty-one days from the notice to respond. If the
offending parent fails to respond within twenty-one days, the parenting time rights of the parent
are suspended until further order of the court. If the parent responds and objects, a hearing must
be held within thirty-five days after the response. The court may determine that any offending
parent who responds and objects is responsible for the costs associated with any hearing,
including reasonable attorney fees or licensed legal paraprofessional fees incurred by the other
parent. In making the determination, the court must consider the criminal record of the offending
parent and any actions to harass the other parent and the children, any mitigating actions by the
offending parent, and whether the actions of either parent have been substantially frivolous,
substantially groundless, or substantially vexatious. The offending parent has the burden at the
hearing to prove that parenting time by the parent is in the best interests of the child or children.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) shall apply to the following
crimes:
(I) Murder in the first degree, as defined in section 18-3-102, C.R.S.;
(II) Murder in the second degree, as defined in section 18-3-103, C.R.S.;
(III) Enticement of a child, as defined in section 18-3-305, C.R.S.;
(IV) (A) Sexual assault, as described in section 18-3-402, C.R.S.; and
(B) Sexual assault in the first degree, as described in section 18-3-402, C.R.S., as it
existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(V) Sexual assault in the second degree, as described in section 18-3-403, C.R.S., as it
existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(VI) (A) Unlawful sexual contact if the victim is compelled to submit, as described in
section 18-3-404 (2), C.R.S.; and
(B) Sexual assault in the third degree if the victim is compelled to submit, as described
in section 18-3-404 (2), C.R.S., as it existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(VII) Sexual assault on a child, as defined in section 18-3-405, C.R.S.;
(VIII) Incest, as described in section 18-6-301, C.R.S.;
(IX) Aggravated incest, as described in section 18-6-302, C.R.S.;
(X) Child abuse, as described in section 18-6-401 (7)(a)(I) to (7)(a)(IV), C.R.S.;
(XI) Human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, as described in section 18-3-504
(2), C.R.S.;
(XII) Sexual exploitation of children, as defined in section 18-6-403, C.R.S.;
(XIII) Procurement of a child for sexual exploitation, as defined in section 18-6-404,
C.R.S.;
(XIV) Soliciting for child prostitution, as defined in section 18-7-402, C.R.S.;
(XV) Pandering of a child, as defined in section 18-7-403, C.R.S.;
(XVI) Procurement of a child, as defined in section 18-7-403.5, C.R.S.;
(XVII) Keeping a place of child prostitution, as defined in section 18-7-404, C.R.S.;
(XVIII) Pimping of a child, as defined in section 18-7-405, C.R.S.;
(XIX) Inducement of child prostitution, as defined in section 18-7-405.5, C.R.S.;
(XX) Patronizing a prostituted child, as defined in section 18-7-406, C.R.S.
(c) If the party was convicted in another state or jurisdiction of an offense that, if
committed in Colorado, would constitute an offense listed in subparagraphs (III) to (XX) of
paragraph (b) of this subsection (3), the court shall order that party to submit to a sex-offense-
specific evaluation and a parental risk assessment in Colorado and the court shall consider the
recommendations of the evaluation and the assessment in any order the court makes relating to
parenting time or parental contact. The convicted party shall pay for the costs of the evaluation
and the assessment.
(4) A motion to restrict parenting time or parental contact with a parent which alleges
that the child is in imminent physical or emotional danger due to the parenting time or contact by
the parent shall be heard and ruled upon by the court not later than fourteen days after the day of
the filing of the motion. Any parenting time which occurs during such fourteen-day period after
the filing of such a motion shall be supervised by an unrelated third party deemed suitable by the
court or by a licensed mental health professional, as defined in section 14-10-127 (1)(b). This
subsection (4) shall not apply to any motion which is filed pursuant to subsection (3) of this
section.
(5) If the court finds that filing a motion pursuant to subsection (4) of this section was
substantially frivolous, substantially groundless, or substantially vexatious, the court shall
require the moving party to pay the reasonable and necessary attorney fees and costs or licensed
legal paraprofessional fees and costs of the other party.

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