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Sunset laws allow the General Assembly to periodically review the need for state regulations, advisory committees, or state agencies and to update the law creating the agency or function.  To accomplish this review, committees of reference hold public sunset hearings on sunset reports issued by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems.

Summary report for the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. 

During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly examined a number of measures related to civil law and the courts.

An overview of the rules and procedures to be followed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons, and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak.  This memorandum provides an overview of how prisons in Colorado are reacting to this public health emergency.

During the 2020 legislative session, the General Assembly introduced several bills concerning the Judicial Department, civil and criminal courts, and the Department of Corrections (DOC).  Following is a recap of the major legislation considered in these subject areas.

Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Prison Population Management Interim Study Committee.

Individuals convicted of criminal offenses are typically required by the court to pay associated fines, fees, and surcharges.  This memorandum provides an overview of the fines and fees that are imposed upon a criminal conviction in Colorado, including those financial obligations that support supervision and incarceration.  The collection and distribution of funds is also covered.  

During the 2020 legislative session, the General Assembly introduced several bills concerning crimes, criminal penalties, and law enforcement.  

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak. This memorandum provides an overview of how Community Corrections is handling this public health emergency.  Please note that the COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing, and staff will be monitoring changes and making updates.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak.  This memorandum provides an overview of how the juvenile justice system in Colorado is handling this public health emergency.  Please note that the COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing, and staff will be monitoring changes and making updates.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak. This memorandum provides an overview of how courts in Colorado are handling this public health emergency.  Please note that the COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing, and staff will be monitoring changes and making updates.

This memorandum addresses abuse of corpse laws in the 50 states.  While the vast majority of states have enacted abuse of corpse or other related laws, they differ in definition and crime classification.  For example, some states outline penalties for mutilating or defacing a corpse, while others more broadly define it as “outraging family sensibilities.”  Over half of the states (27) have classified this crime as a felony instead of a misdemeanor. 

This memorandum provides an overview of statutes of limitations, including factors that impact length, such as statutes of repose and tolling.  The memorandum also includes tables listing the various criminal and civil statutes of limitations and statutes of repose in the state. 

Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Treatment of Persons With Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Committee.

In place of property taxes, Colorado citizens pay the specific ownership tax (SOT) on their vehicles.  This issue brief provides an overview of the SOT, describes how the SOT is calculated, lists the SOT exemptions, and describes its collection and distribution.
 

Summary report for the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System.

During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly considered a number of measures related to estate documents, public guardians, and trusts.  

During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly examined a number of measures related to civil law.  Specifically, the legislature considered bills regarding consumer fraud, internet privacy, free-speech lawsuits, damages, child hearsay exceptions, and equal pay. 

This issue brief provides an overview of extreme risk protection orders, including what they are, how they are used, and how Colorado's proposed law compares to other states.  It also addresses other types of protection orders authorized in Colorado law.

This document provides a summary of the most frequently used court filing fees, surcharges, and costs.  
 

This memorandum provides an overview of jury duty for criminal trials in Colorado, including how jurors are summoned, excused, selected, paid, and impaneled.  Jury deliberations, instructions, and verdicts are also covered.

A statute of limitations is a law that specifies the maximum length of time allowed for a victim or prosecutor to initiate legal proceedings.  Such a statute may apply in either criminal or civil cases. This issue brief provides an overview of criminal statutes of limitations, including exceptions, recent changes to sex crime prosecution time frames, and laws specific to Colorado. 

This memorandum provides an overview of how post-conviction sex offender polygraph testing (PCSOT) is used for adult sex offenders in Colorado, as well as in other states.  It also includes a summary of current research on its effectiveness.