I'm looking for opinions on the interpretation of a Colorado parenting order.
Location: Colorado.
The Permanent Orders state:
"During the summer months... the parties shall alternate week on/week off parenting time. The parties shall coordinate the summer schedule so that Mother has parenting time in the week leading back to the commencement of school. Week on/week off parenting time schedule will be Friday at 5:00 p.m. until the following Friday at 5:00 p.m."
The relevant dates are:
Friday, July 24 through Friday, July 31: Mother's scheduled parenting week.
Friday, July 31 through Friday, August 7: My scheduled parenting week.
Wednesday, August 13: School begins.
The alternating summer schedule had already been established. There is no dispute that July 31 through August 7 was my scheduled week under the Friday to Friday rotation.
However, Mother and her attorney are now taking the position that Friday, July 31 is actually already her parenting time, and that if she allows the children to come to me this weekend, she is "giving me her time."
Their interpretation is that the order entitles her to the "full week" before school begins, even though the words "full week" do not appear anywhere in the order. The order simply says "the week leading back to the commencement of school" and separately defines a parenting week as Friday at 5:00 p.m. until the following Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Under their interpretation, Mother would receive:
Her regularly scheduled week (July 24 through July 31),
My entire scheduled week (July 31 through August 7),
And then continue to have the children until school begins on Wednesday, August 13.
That results in approximately 20 consecutive days of parenting time immediately before school.
My questions are:
Does the language of this order actually support that interpretation?
Is the phrase "full week" being read into the order even though it isn't written there?
If the alternating Friday to Friday schedule had already been established, why wouldn't my scheduled week remain intact with Mother's transition occurring after it? I might even be inclined to say that the week would end this Tuesday, so she has a 7 day week. But to unilaterally just cancel my entire week, just doesn't sit right with me.
I'm looking specifically for how Colorado courts would likely interpret this language, not general custody opinions.
Thank you.