2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 19 - Children's Code
Article 4 - Uniform Parentage Act
§ 19-4-116. Judgment or order - birth-related costs - evidence

(1) The judgment or order of the court determining the existence or nonexistence of the parent and child relationship is determinative for all purposes.

(2) If the judgment or order of the court is at variance with the child's birth certificate or if the court enters a judgment or order determining the existence of a parent and child relationship during the course of a proceeding held pursuant to article 3 of this title, the court shall order that a new birth certificate be issued under section 19-4-124.

(3) (a) The judgment or order may contain any other provision directed against the appropriate party to the proceeding concerning the duty of support, the recovery of child support debt pursuant to section 14-14-104, C.R.S., the allocation of parental responsibilities with respect to the child and guardianship of the child, parenting time privileges with the child, the furnishing of bond or other security for the payment of the judgment, or any other matter in the best interest of the child. The judgment or order may direct the father to pay for genetic testing and to pay the reasonable expenses of the mother's pregnancy and confinement.

(b) Repealed.

(c) Bills for pregnancy, childbirth expenses, and genetic testing are admissible as evidence without the necessity of third-party foundation testimony and shall constitute prima facie evidence of the amounts incurred for such services or for expenses incurred on behalf of the child.

(4) Support judgments or orders ordinarily shall be for periodic payments which may vary in amount. In the best interest of the child, a lump-sum payment or the purchase of an annuity may be ordered in lieu of periodic payments of support. The court or delegate child support enforcement unit may enter an order directing the father to pay for support of the child, in an amount as may be determined by the court or delegate child support enforcement unit to be reasonable under the circumstances, for a time period which occurred prior to the entry of the order establishing paternity. The court may limit the father's liability for past support of the child to the proportion of the expenses already incurred that the court deems just.

(5) The judgment or order may include a provision requiring that the respondent initiate inclusion of the child under a medical insurance policy currently in effect for the benefit of the respondent, purchase medical insurance for the child, or in some other manner provide for the current or future medical needs of the child. At the same time, the court may make a determination of whose responsibility it shall be to pay required medical insurance deductibles and copayments. If the judgment or order does not contain a provision regarding medical support, such as insurance coverage, payment for medical insurance deductibles and copayments, or unreimbursed medical expenses, that fact may be grounds for a modification of the order under section 14-10-122, C.R.S.

(6) In determining the amount to be paid by a parent for support of the child and the period during which the duty of support is owed, a court enforcing the obligation of support shall consider all relevant facts, including:

(a) The needs of the child;

(b) The standard of living and circumstances of the parents;

(c) The relative financial means of the parents;

(d) The earning ability of the parents;

(e) The need and capacity of the child for education, including higher education;

(f) The age of the child;

(g) The financial resources and the earning ability of the child;

(h) The responsibility of the parents for the support of others;

(i) The value of services contributed by the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the time;

(j) The standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the parents been married; and

(k) The child support guidelines, as set forth in section 14-10-115, C.R.S.

(7) Any order of support made pursuant to subsections (4) to (6) of this section shall continue until the child is nineteen years of age, unless the support order is terminated sooner by court order.

(8) The court may order support to be continued after the child is nineteen years of age if the child is unable to care for himself or herself by reason of mental or physical disability or other reason justifiable in the opinion of the court.

(9) All child support orders entered pursuant to this article shall include the names and dates of birth of the parties and of the children who are the subject of the order and the parties' residential and mailing addresses. The social security numbers of the parties and children shall be collected pursuant to sections 14-14-113 and 26-13-127, C.R.S.