At Jones Law Firm, PC, we represent Aurora parents dealing with custody matters. Since 2000, our team has handled more than 3,500 family law cases.
Our founding attorney has been named to Super Lawyers since 2024, and the firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. For us, being the respondent is a starting position, not an outcome.
Child custody in Colorado is decided through a parenting plan. A court-approved document that sets parenting time and decision-making responsibility over school, medical care, and religious upbringing. Temporary orders often come first and can govern your household for months.
Arapahoe County District Court applies the best interests of the child standard, weighing each parent’s actual involvement rather than job title or travel calendar. According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, roughly 90% of Colorado family law cases resolve through settlement or agreement instead of trial. We build the evidentiary record of your parenting involvement early so any agreement reflects reality.
What Clients Say About Working with Jones Law Firm
“It takes a truly talented firm to represent a father and ensure full custody of his daughter remains intact.”- C.D.
Fathers who arrive as respondents get advocacy built around outcomes, not reassurance.
“Not a day went by when I did not receive a document, a question, or an answer from them.”- A.A.
No silence after the retainer, and no wondering where your case stands.
“April is well prepared and understands the law and court processes well beyond anything I have experienced, ensuring success.”- J.M
Preparation is the difference between reacting to the other side’s filings and controlling the record.
“She is sharp, quick and strong and we won my case decisively. Ms. Jones’ best quality is her ability to take charge.”- M.K.
Taking charge is exactly what closes the gap when someone else filed first.
“It made a difficult time of life softer while maintaining my dignity.”- B.H.
Aggressive courtroom strategy and respectful treatment of the client are not mutually exclusive here.
What Sets Jones Law Firm Apart in Aurora
Respondent-Focused Representation
Most family law firms are built around the parent who files first. We focus on representing the person who was served, closing the gap on temporary orders and the opening narrative before it hardens.
Round Table Brain Trust
Every Aurora custody case is reviewed collaboratively by multiple attorneys and staff, not handed off to one overloaded associate. You get the analytical depth of a full team applied directly to your parenting plan.
Communication Guarantee
Clients are never left wondering where their case stands. Proactive updates and responsive staff mean you get answers without chasing anyone.
Fathers’ Rights Track Record
The firm has secured full custody and expanded parenting time for fathers in Colorado, grounded in building an evidentiary record of real involvement.
More Than 3,500 Cases
More than 3,500 cases and 250-plus years of combined team experience translate into pattern recognition on contested custody, delivered in English and Spanish. It starts with a free 45-minute consultation with a Client Relationship Specialist.
What Is the Difference Between Decision-Making Responsibility and Parenting Time in Colorado?
The key difference is parenting time controls the schedule, while decision-making responsibility controls major legal decisions for the child.
In Colorado, parenting time determines when the child is with each parent, including weekdays, weekends, holidays, and school breaks.
Decision-making responsibility determines who has authority over major issues such as education, medical care, religion, and extracurricular activities. Decision-making may be shared, assigned to one parent, or divided by subject.
Our Child Custody Services in Aurora
- Initial custody case assessment
- Parenting plan drafting
- Temporary custody orders
- Decision-making responsibility disputes
- Parenting time allocation
- CFI and PRE coordination
- Contested custody hearings
- Fathers’ rights representation
- Custody modification motions
- Parenting plan enforcement
Speak With a Trusted Family Law Attorney
For clear guidance through divorce, custody, and family law matters in Colorado, contact Jones Law Firm. Call 303-799-8155 to schedule your confidential consultation.
What Should I Bring To My First Consultation With A Child Custody Lawyer In Aurora?
Bring every document that touches your children, your schedule, and the other parent’s claims. This includes the petition and summons you were served, any existing court orders, your marriage or separation paperwork, and a written timeline of events with dates.
Add the texts and emails that matter. Pull school records, medical records, coaching schedules, and calendar entries that show who actually shows up for conferences, appointments, and weekends.
Aurora custody matters are typically filed in the 18th Judicial District Court in Centennial when the child’s primary residence is in Arapahoe County, though Aurora crosses county lines into Adams and Douglas counties as well.
According to the U.S.Census Bureau’s 2023 Population Estimates, Aurora had an estimated population of 394,113, making it the third-largest city in Colorado. Filing jurisdiction follows the child’s primary residence, so confirm that early.
Our Process for Aurora Clients
1. Free 45-Minute Consultation With a Client Relationship Specialist
We gather the facts of your case, confirm jurisdiction in Arapahoe, Adams, or Douglas County, and assess how urgent your response deadline is. You leave knowing where you stand, not with a sales pitch.
2. Round Table Case Strategy Session
Your file goes in front of the full Jones Law Firm team, not one attorney working alone. Together we set your litigation posture and define concrete parenting plan goals before anything is filed.
3. Temporary Orders Preparation
Temporary orders set the parenting schedule you will live under for months, so we move fast. We prepare emergency motions, parenting plan proposals, and financial disclosures for filing in the 18th Judicial District.
4. Discovery and Evidence Development
We coordinate with the CFI or PRE, pull school and medical records, build custody journals, and identify witnesses. This is where a demanding travel schedule stops being a liability and starts being documented context alongside proof of your daily involvement.
5. Mediation and Settlement Negotiation
Arapahoe County requires mediation before most contested hearings, and we arrive prepared to use it. Negotiating from a built evidentiary record turns settlement into leverage rather than compromise.
6. Trial-Ready Courtroom Advocacy
If settlement fails, we try the case in front of Arapahoe County magistrates and judges who already know this firm. Every case is prepared for trial from day one, which is why most never need one.
7. Final Orders and Post-Decree Support
Orders only matter if they are followed. We handle parenting plan enforcement, modification motions, and contempt proceedings when the other party stops complying.
What Types of Parenting Plans Are Used in Colorado?
Colorado parenting plans can be structured in different ways depending on the child’s needs, the parents’ schedules, and the distance between households.
| Parenting Plan | General Structure |
| —– | —– |
| Equal Parenting Time | The child spends roughly equal time with both parents |
| Primary Residential Schedule | One parent has most overnights while the other has scheduled parenting time |
| 2-2-3 Schedule | Parenting time rotates in two-day and three-day blocks |
| Alternating Weeks | The child spends one full week with each parent |
| Long-Distance Plan | Parenting time may be concentrated during summers, holidays, and school breaks |
| Supervised Parenting Time | Visits occur with an approved third party or professional present |
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Custody in Aurora
Does Colorado Favor Mothers Over Fathers In Custody Cases?
No. C.R.S. section 14-10-124 is gender neutral and directs judges to allocate parenting time based on the best interests of the child, not the parent’s sex.
If I Live In Aurora, Does My Custody Case Go To Arapahoe County Or Adams County?
Aurora spans Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, so your case is filed where the children reside. Most Aurora families land in Arapahoe County District Court in Centennial, part of the 18th Judicial District.
Can My Child Choose Which Parent To Live With In Colorado?
No, a child cannot unilaterally decide.
What Is A Child And Family Investigator And How Much Does Their Report Affect My Case?
A Child and Family Investigator (CFI) is a court-appointed neutral who interviews both parents, the children, teachers, and others, then files written recommendations on parenting time and decision-making. Judges give CFI reports considerable weight.
How Long Does A Contested Custody Case Take In The 18th Judicial District?
Contested cases commonly run six to twelve months from filing to permanent orders, longer when a CFI or Parental Responsibilities Evaluator is appointed.
Will My Work Travel Be Used Against Me In A Parenting Time Dispute?
It can be, if you let the other side define the narrative.
Can I Modify A Custody Order After It Is Final In Colorado?
Yes. Parenting time can be modified when circumstances change and the modification serves the child’s best interests, though motions to change the primary residential parent face a higher standard.
What Happens If My Co-Parent Violates The Parenting Plan?
You file a motion to enforce parenting time under C.R.S. section 14-10-129.5, and the court can order makeup time, require parenting classes, impose fines, or modify the plan.
Are Custody And Child Support Decided At The Same Time?
Usually yes. Colorado calculates support using each parent’s income and the number of overnights in the parenting plan, so the schedule you negotiate directly changes the dollar figure.
Aurora Resources for Custody Matters
- Arapahoe County District Court
Handles family law proceedings including divorce, child support, and related domestic matters for Arapahoe County residents.
- Adams County District Court
Serves the portion of Aurora falling within Adams County for family and domestic relations case filings.
- Douglas County District Court
Processes family law matters for residents in the southern Aurora areas that fall within Douglas County jurisdiction.
- Arapahoe County Human Services
Administers child welfare, protective services, and family support programs for Arapahoe County families.
- Adams County Human Services
Provides social services, child protection investigations, and family assistance programs for Adams County residents.
- Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder
Maintains vital records, court documents, and official filings for Arapahoe County.
- Adams County Clerk and Recorder
Issues vital records and maintains official documents for residents in the Adams County portion of the area.
- Arapahoe County Family Court Facilitator
Provides procedural guidance to self-represented litigants navigating family law matters in the courthouse.
- Aurora Mental Health Center
A community behavioral health organization offering counseling and evaluation services for individuals and families.
Protect Your Parenting Rights With a Child Custody Lawyer in Aurora
Temporary orders in Arapahoe County set the pattern your final parenting plan is measured against, and they are entered early. Every day you wait is a day the other side’s version of your parenting record stands unchallenged in the 18th Judicial District.
Call us to schedule your free 45-minute consultation. Your first conversation is with a Client Relationship Specialist, not a salesperson. You can also request your consultation online and access your case through our secure Client Portal. Consultations are available in English and Spanish.
We choose sides. Yours. Bring us the paperwork you were served, and we will tell you exactly where you stand and what we do next.
