Colorado voted November 4th on Amendment 67 to determine if the definition of person should include the unborn child in some specific criminal statutory language.
Should this pass, Family Law statutes could arguably expand the definition of child to include the unborn.
The details of Colorado law….
Law defines a “child” as a person under the age of 18. “Person” only considers those born and living and not the unborn.
Mothers still choose whether or not to have the child, but a father’s legal rights are not usually established until the birth of the child.
In Family Law a variety of situations happens that are not always ideal.
- I negotiated a father’s right to be present for the baby’s sonograms and to be updated as to the child’s health when Mother keeps the child.
- We received assistance with medical and prenatal expenses from fathers who presume they are the baby’s father.
- I’ve represented moms who were honest about the unknown paternity and went through her pregnancy alone. After the birth of the child, paternity was established.
- There was the dad whose girlfriend moved in long enough to get pregnant only to return to her “real girlfriend” leaving my client’s rights to be with his baby unknown.
- There was also a dad who found out his wife was pregnant with his child after she served him divorce papers.
NONE of these situations were easy for the client, the other party and especially not the unborn baby.
Regardless of religious or political views, these situations are about children and babies. They have no choice but to trust us to make the best decisions possible for them. Think about your choices and the consequences and remember both parents in any of these situations have shared responsibilities for the child no matter the legal definition.
If you have questions regarding your own situation please call 720-943-7707 or email us anytime!
Teddi Ann Barry PC
