Colorado is unique, and when it comes to family law, Colorado has its own unique vocabulary.
Here are 2 common examples:
Physical Custody = Parenting Time
Parenting time (the term used in the state of Colorado) is how much time the child is to spend with each parent. The amount of parenting time each parent has is determined by the Parenting Plan. If one parent has the child the majority of the time, they are the Primary Residential Parent. Even if there is a 50/50 schedule, one parent may be designated the Primary Residential Parent, meaning their address is used for school, extracurricular activities etc.
Legal Custody = Decision-Making
Decision-making (the term used in the state of Colorado) is the ability to make major decisions for your child. Colorado recognizes four major categories for decision-making: education, medical, religious, and extracurricular activities. Decision-making can be joint (the parents must agree), sole (one parent has the final say to make major decisions), or some other combination (each parent has sole decision-making in some, but not all, of the categories).
Family law vocabulary and the process, in general, can be very unique and confusing. If you need assistance with any questions/clarifications about your own situation, please do not hesitate to reach out to schedule a free, 30-minute consultation as I would be more than happy to try and clear up some of the confusion.