Grandparents’ & Kinship Rights
By Attorney Charles E. Liken Jr., Colorado court-appointed Child & Family Investigator. When you’re raising a grandchild — or fighting to see one — Colorado grandparent visitation and kinship options.
Charles E. Liken Jr., Esq. — On the Legal Front Lines · Government Investigator, Denver Human Services · Licensed Colorado Attorney ~ 20+ Years in Private Practice · Colorado Deputy District Attorney · Colorado Court-Appointed Child and Family Investigator
A parent’s rights are strong, but they’re not the end of the story
Colorado gives grandparents and kin real, if narrow, tools. Grandparent visitation (C.R.S. § 19-1-117) is available — but only when there’s already been a court case affecting the child, and only against the constitutional weight courts give a fit parent’s decisions.
Ready when you are — talk it through with Attorney Liken.
Your choice: no-charge 20-minute phone call OR in-depth hour ($300) — both directly with Attorney Liken.
Grandparent cases turn on the entry point
Whether you file for visitation, custody (APR), or guardianship changes everything about your odds. The free call is where we pick the door that actually fits your family.
Frequently asked questions
Do grandparents have visitation rights in Colorado?
They can, in specific situations. Colorado allows grandparents and great-grandparents to seek visitation when there has been a divorce, the death of a parent, or a dependency case (C.R.S. § 19-1-117). The law gives significant weight to a fit parent's decisions, so these cases require careful strategy.
Can grandparents get custody of a grandchild?
Sometimes. A non-parent who has had the child in their care can seek an allocation of parental responsibilities under C.R.S. § 14-10-123, typically when the child has lived with them or a parent is unable to care for the child. The bar is high, and the firm will give you a candid read.
What is kinship care?
Kinship care is when relatives step in to raise a child whose parents cannot. Colorado increasingly supports kinship placements, and the right legal tool — guardianship, an allocation of parental responsibilities, or adoption — depends on whether the arrangement needs to be temporary or permanent.
Take the first step. We'll take it from there.
No-charge 20-minute phone consultation, or an in-depth hour ($300) — both directly with Attorney Liken.