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Final/Annual Reports

2024 Legislative Oversight for Colorado Jail Standards Final Report

Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901, C.R.S, the Legislative Oversight Committee for Colorado Jail Standards (committee) is responsible for adopting and revising standards for Colorado jails. The committee adopted a set of jail standards in 2023. Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901.5, C.R.S, jails must comply with the standards by July 1, 2026.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial

Final/Annual Reports

2024 Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Final Report

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. The committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • General Assembly

Final/Annual Reports

2024 Legislative Oversight Committee for Colorado Jail Standards Final Report

Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901, C.R.S, the Legislative Oversight Committee for Colorado Jail Standards (committee) is responsible for adopting and revising standards for Colorado jails. The committee adopted a set of jail standards in 2023. Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901.5, C.R.S, jails must comply with the standards by July 1, 2026.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Final/Annual Reports

2024 Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Final Report

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. The committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • General Assembly
  • Human Services

Staff Publications

Crime Classification Guide (2024)

This guide is a compilation of crimes and traffic infractions in Colorado.  For each offense, a brief description of the elements of the crime and the statutory citation is provided.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Issue Briefs

Overview of the Office of the Attorney General

The Attorney General is a statewide elected official who acts as the chief legal representative of the state and the chief executive officer of the Department of Law. The Attorney General and the Department of Law together are known as the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. This issue brief provides an overview of the office’s functions.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • State Government

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of 2024 Civil Law Legislation

During the 2024 legislative session, the General Assembly passed a number of measures related to civil law. Specifically, the legislature increased consumer protections, regulated debt-related services, allowed for attorney fees in land use decisions, revisited civil protection orders, and updated uniform laws.  

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Civil Law
  • Courts & Judicial
  • General Assembly

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of 2024 Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Legislation

The Colorado General Assembly passed a variety of criminal and juvenile justice related bills in 2024. The new laws changed record sealing, criminal penalties, court procedures, behavioral health, bail, recidivism, and other relevant topics.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • General Assembly

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of 2025 Civil Law Legislation

During the 2025 legislative session, the General Assembly passed a number of measures related to civil law. Specifically, the legislature updated policies about digital images, law enforcement whistleblower protections, civil rape shield laws, anti‑discrimination, and landowner immunity.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Civil Law
  • Courts & Judicial
  • General Assembly

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of 2025 Criminal Justice, Corrections, and Courts Legislation

The Colorado General Assembly passed a variety of criminal justice, corrections, and court-related bills in 2025. The new laws made changes to forensic science, law enforcement, judges and municipal courts, prison policies, and immigration.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • General Assembly

Staff Publications

Criminal Justice Reform Bills

This memorandum provides a listing of criminal justice reform legislation enacted in Colorado from 2015 through 2025. More specifically, the attached table provides the bill number, title, and description of the criminal justice reform legislation, organized by category.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Issue Briefs

Judicial Discipline

Judges are responsible for interpreting laws and making decisions that significantly affect people's lives. Because of this, judges must adhere to strict ethical codes in both their professional and personal lives to uphold public confidence in the integrity of the judicial system. When judges fail to meet these standards, judicial discipline systems investigate and address complaints of misconduct. This issue brief describes the judicial discipline process in Colorado.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial

Staff Publications

Overview of the Colorado Judicial Branch

This memorandum provides an overview of the Colorado Judicial Branch, also referred to as the Judicial Department when described as part of the state budget. Established in Section 1 of Article VI of the Colorado Constitution, and further governed by Title 13 of the Colorado Revised Statutes and the Colorado Court Rules, the branch is responsible for administering a court system to resolve disputes and enforce civil and criminal laws.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial

Staff Publications

Process for Sealing or Expunging Criminal Records

This memorandum provides an overview of the process in Colorado for removing criminal records from publicly available sources, known as the “sealing” or “expungement” of criminal records.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Final/Annual Reports

2023 Legislative Oversight Committee on Jail Standards Final Report

Pursuant to House Bill 22-1063, the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards (oversight committee) is responsible for overseeing the 22-member Colorado Jail Standards Commission (commission), which was required to recommend standards for the operation of jails in the following areas:

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

Final/Annual Reports

2023 Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Final Report

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. This committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • Human Services


Issue Briefs

Law Enforcement Liability

Under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA), public entities and employees are generally immune from liability in all claims except those specifically provided for in state law. In 2020, national and local public demonstrations against excessive use of force by law enforcement prompted the passage of Senate Bill 20-217 which limits qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. This issue brief provides an overview of law enforcement officer actions that are subject to civil or criminal liability.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Civil Law
  • Courts & Judicial
  • State Government

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of 2023 Civil Law Legislation

During the 2023 legislative session, the General Assembly examined a number of measures related to civil law. Specifically, the legislature passed bills that made changes to consumer protections, asset forfeiture, and reproductive and civil rights.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Civil Law
  • Courts & Judicial
  • General Assembly


Final/Annual Reports

2022 Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Final Report

This committee was created pursuant to Article 1.9 of Title 18, Colorado Revised Statutes.  The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning the treatment of persons with mental health disorders who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems in Colorado.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement
  • General Assembly
  • Human Services

Final/Annual Reports

2022 Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline Final Report

Senate Bill 22-201 created the 8-member Legislative Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline and directed the committee to work with judges, lawyers, members of the public, and other interested parties, to:

  • review and examine Colorado's system of judicial discipline;
  • evaluate other states' models; and,

make recommendations to the General Assembly for statutory or constitutional reforms during the 2023 session.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Courts & Judicial
  • General Assembly

Summary of Major Legislation

Summary of Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Legislation

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered an array of measures concerning criminal investigations, crime, community safety and crime prevention, victim services, juveniles, and behavioral health.

Release date:
Publishing Agency:
Legislative Council Staff
Subjects:
  • Children & Domestic Matters
  • Courts & Judicial
  • Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement