Colorado
Summary
The following summarizes statewide court ADR rules and policies. For ADR in a local jurisdiction, see the local court’s website.
Note: This is a summary of state court ADR in Colorado. Authority for federal court ADR is found in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 1998. Information on federal court ADR rules and procedures can be found on each court’s website. Any studies or evaluations involving federal court ADR in Colorado can be found in RSI’s Research Library and in Reports below.
State Legislation
- Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 13, Article 22, Part 3: Dispute Resolution Act
- Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-128.1: Appointment of parenting coordinator - disclosure
- Colorado Revised Statutes 19-2-211: Local juvenile services planning committee
- Colorado Revised Statutes 19-2-213: Restorative justice coordinating council
- Colorado House Joint Resolution 19 -1020
Statewide Court ADR Rules and Policies
State Office of Court ADR:
Statutes
Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990
U.S. Congress. Dec. 1, 1990; amended Dec. 9, 2001Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: With this bill, each United States district court is required to develop a civil justice expense and delay reduction plan. As part of this plan, the act authorizes district courts to refer appropriate cases to designated ADR programs. The act also re...
Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 1998
U.S. House of Representatives Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code, Oct. 1, 1998Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This act authorizes each United States District Court to require litigants in all civil cases to consider the use of ADR process. It provides the framework by which each district court should promulgate procedures and rules regarding the ADR process ...
Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 13, Article 22, Part 3: Dispute Resolution Act
Colorado Legislature. Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This statute describes Colorado's dispute resolution program, which was established by the Colorado Supreme Court. It includes sections on the establishment of the office of dispute resolution, mediation services, mediators of the office of dispute r...
Colorado Revised Statutes 19-2-211: Local juvenile services planning committee
Colorado General Assembly. Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This statute (19-2-211) authorizes the chief judge of a judicial district, upon agreement of every city and county in the district, to appoint a local juvenile services planning committee. The committee must include a representative from "the county ...
Colorado Revised Statute, Title 19, Article 2, Part 3: Juvenile Diversion Program
Colorado General Assembly. Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: Title 19-2-303 authorizes the use of restorative justice in the court system's juvenile diversion program. Judges are allowed to offer juvenile offenders the option of voluntarily participating in restorative justice programs, such as victim-offender...
Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-128.1: Appointment of parenting coordinator
Colorado General Assembly. Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This statute (14-10-128.1) states that the court may appoint a parenting coordinator to a parental responsibility dispute at a party motion or agreement or by its own motion. The court may appoint the coordinator if the parents have failed to impleme...
Colorado Revised Statutes 19-2-213: Restorative justice coordinating council
Colorado General Assembly. Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This statute (19-2-213) authorizes the creation of a council to coordinate the development of restorative justice programs in the state. The council is responsible for providing a repository of information about restorative justice and assisting loca...
Colorado House Joint Resolution 19-1020
Colorado House of Representatives . Jan. 1, 1997Resource Type: Legislation
Abstract: This joint resolution from the House of Representatives encourages the Judicial Department and the courts in each judicial district to find ways and procedures to expand the use of the Dispute Resolution Act and encourage the use of alternative dispu...
Rules
Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 2.1 Advisor
Colorado Supreme Court. Mar. 15, 2018Resource Type: Standards - Court, Rules - Court
Abstract: This rule of professional conduct requires lawyers to advise their clients of alternative forms of dispute resolution that may be pursued to resolve their legal dispute or reach their legal objective. ...
Reports
Evaluation of the University of Denver's Center for Separating and Divorcing Families: The First Out-of-Court Option
Klien Pruett, Marsha; Cornett, Logan. Aug. 17, 2017Resource Type: Evaluation
Abstract: This is an evaluation of the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families, the first U.S. alternative dispute resolution model to provide legal dispute resolution, therapeutic, education, and financial services to separating and divorcing fa...
ADR in the Federal District Courts: An Initial Report
Stienstra, Donna. Nov. 1, 2011Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This report describes the use of ADR in the federal courts. Twelve years after the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act required federal courts to provide ADR services for all civil cases, every federal district court has authorized at least one form o...
Foreclosure Mediation Programs Funding: A Review of 24 Currently Operating Foreclosure Mediation Programs
Kulp, Heather Scheiwe. Jan. 26, 2011Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This report describes the structure and funding of foreclosure mediation programs in 24 states. It also reviews how compensation is provided, if at all, for program staff, mediators and attorneys for borrowers. An executive summary of this report is...
Jefferson County Mediation Services Program Report 2008-2009
Jefferson County Mediation Services.Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This report provides an overview of Jefferson County Mediation Services' conflict resolution program in 2008-2009. JCMS provided services for small claims, protection orders, employment disputes, family cases, neighbor disputes and more. The report i...
2007 Snapshot of ADR in Colorado Courts - Family Cases
Colorado Office of Dispute Resolution. Aug. 29, 2007Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This snapshot documents alternative dispute resolution services and practices of family cases as of May 2007 in Colorado. The information provided is organized by district and indicates whether the program is mandatory or voluntary, frequency and cas...
2007 Snapshot of ADR in Colorado Courts - Overview
Colorado Office of Dispute Resolution. Aug. 1, 2007Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This snapshot documents alternative dispute resolution services and practices as of May 2007 in Colorado. Information provided is organized by district and indicates whether the program is mandatory or voluntary, frequency and case characteristics....
Exemplary Family Court Programs and Practices: Profiles of Innovative and Accountable Court-Connected Programs
AFCC Court Services Task Force Exemplary Practices Sub-Committee. May. 1, 2005Resource Type: Report
Abstract: This report provides information on court programs found to represent the best practices of the courts. Programs in the report include collaborative divorce, child protection mediation, permanency planning mediation, and mediation for cases involving...
Mediating Disputes Involving Parenting Time & Responsibilities in Colorado's 10th Judicial District: Assessing the Benefits to the Courts
Thoennes, Nancy. Aug. 2, 2001Resource Type: Study
Abstract: This study examines the effect of the mediation of pre-decree disputes involving parenting time and responsibilities on the amount of time spent by the court. Specifically, the study asks the questions: How effective is mediation at resolving these d...
Family Court Pilot in Colorado's 17th District
Thoennes, Nancy. Oct. 1, 2001Resource Type: Evaluation
Abstract: In Family Court, all new dependency or neglect filings are bundled with any other filings pertaining to the same family and overseen by the same judge. To study the effectiveness of the court, eligible cases were randomly assigned to Family Court or ...
Dependency Mediation: Help for Families and Courts
Thoennes, Nancy. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, Jan. 1, 2000Resource Type: Study
Resource Type: Mediation Efficacy Study
Abstract: This study of a mandatory, court-annexed child protection mediation program in Colorado's Fourth Judicial District looked at court records, data provided by mediators, and interviews with professionals who participated in mediation to determine that ...
Divorce Mediation: Reflections on a Decade of Research
Pearson, Jessica; Thoennes, Nancy. Mediation Research: The Process and Effectiveness of Third-Party Intervention, Jan. 1, 1989Resource Type: Study
Abstract: This resource describes three studies that were conducted to test whether the mediation of child custody and visitation cases is a less adversarial approach than the conventional litigation system. The studies were the Denver Custody Mediation Projec...
Comparative Costs and Benefits of Divorce Adjudication and Mediation
Evarts, W. Richard. Mediation Quarterly, Jan. 1, 1988Resource Type: Study
Abstract: This article uses the Coase theorem to demonstrate the economic costs and benefits of mediation in divorce cases. The Coase theorem holds that "when the numbers of individual transactions are small enough, incentives exist to bargain in such a way a...
Mediating and Litigating Custody Disputes: A Longitudinal Evaluation
Pearson, Jessica; Thoennes, Nancy. Family Law Quarterly, Jan. 1, 1984Resource Type: Evaluation
Resource Type: Mediation Efficacy Study
Abstract: In this evaluation, the authors set out to discover the short- and long-term effects of mediating contested custody and visitation cases. The project called for cases to be randomly assigned to mediation or a control group for which mediation was not...
Contacts
Colorado Restorative Justice Council
Jan. 1, 2007Resource Type: Organization
Abstract: The Colorado Restorative Justice Council was created by statute in 2007. It is responsible for providing training and technical support to restorative justice programs for juvenile cases, and to encourage and support the development of new programs i...
Fort Collins, Colorado, Restorative Justice Services
Restorative Justice Services. Nov. 1, 2000Resource Type: Program
Abstract: The Restorative Justice Services program in Fort Collins, Colorado, provides victim-offender restorative conferencing services for cases involving juveniles. Cases can be referred by the local municipal court, district attorney's office, law enforcem...
Jefferson County Mediation Services
Jefferson County Mediation Services. Jan. 1, 1994Resource Type: Organization
Abstract: Jefferson County Mediation Services provides free dispute resolution services for cases referred by agencies, municipalities and the local courts in Jefferson County, Colorado. County residents may also request mediation. The court-related issues tha...
Colorado Office of Dispute Resolution
Resource Type: Organization
Abstract: The Office of Dispute Resolution oversees court-related ADR in Colorado. Its site contains a history of ADR in the state, an inventory of ADR resources and the Colorado ADR Act....
The Mediation Association of Colorado
The Mediation Association of Colorado . Jan. 1, 2019Resource Type: Organization
Abstract: The Mediation Association of Colorado's works to connect the public and the courts to qualified professionals who address the mediation needs for individuals in Colorado. The website contains links to resources such as the Colorado Dispute Resolution...