How Much Does It Cost To File For Child Custody In Colorado?

Are you working to gain custody of your child in Colorado? There are some costs you must prepare for, especially court fees necessary for filing your case. Here is a guide to these expenses.

Colorado Court Fees For Child Custody Case

The State of Colorado has published a schedule of fees for all court filings. For your child custody case, you’ll want to look under the “District Court – Domestic Relations” section of the schedule for the following fees:

• Petition for Allocation of Parental Responsibilities. This is your main document in filing for child custody. In Colorado, the term “child custody” is now legally called “allocation of parental responsibilities”. Filing fee: $222.
• Registration: Child Custody Determination. You will need this if you were already granted child custody but in another state. Registration means making the custody decision valid in Colorado. Filing fee: $166.
• Registration: Enforcement Child Custody. This is necessary if, during your child custody proceedings, you would like to bring in testimony from a witness who is located in another state. With this registration, the testimony may be taken outside of Colorado or over the phone. Filing fee: $166.
• Motion to modify, amend, or alter decree or order. This is the request you file with the court if you wish to change an existing Colorado child custody order. Filing fee: $105.

Other Costs In CO Child Custody

Aside from court filing fees, there are other expenses you may have to face when pursuing child custody. These costs are likely to increase if the custody case is heavily contested.

• Mediator fees. If you and the other parent are in dispute over the custody of your child, you may both try mediation as a more affordable alternative to a court case. Expect a mediator to charge from $100 to $300 per hour.
• Custody evaluation cost. If your custody case goes to trial, there is a possibility that the court will order a Parental Responsibility Evaluation. This process involves a family expert or other professional to assess your family situation for the court. The total cost can be anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, which you may split with the other party.
• Guardian ad litem. This is a court-appointed legal representative for your child during the case. Not all custody cases involve this kind of attorney, but when they do, the representative may charge from $15 to $100 per hour.
• Lawyer fees. A child custody case doesn’t normally require either party to have an attorney, but you may want to hire one to represent you and protect your parental rights, especially if the case is contentious. Custody lawyers charge a flat fee or they go by the hour. The overall nationwide average of custody lawyer fees is between $1,200 and $4,500.

Do you have any extra questions regarding child custody in Colorado? Or do you have concerns about the costs and requirements? Talk to us at Goldman Law – we can provide you clear answers and a professional case evaluation.