How do I cite a Colorado Supreme Court Decision?

Use the official reporter citation followed by the slip opinion citation if available; include case name, docket number, and decision date to ensure accuracy in filings and research.

Can I cite an unpublished or nonprecedential opinion?

Check Colorado local rules and the opinion’s publication status; unpublished opinions may be nonprecedential and limited in authority for courts and practitioners.

What if a decision is later overruled or superseded?

Verify subsequent history before relying on a case; if overruled or limited by later holdings, update arguments and internal guidance accordingly to avoid reliance on outdated precedent.

Are electronic copies of opinions acceptable in filings?

Most courts accept electronic copies but require conformity with filing rules and format requirements; confirm whether certified or official copies are necessary for the specific submission.

How should teams track decision changes?

Maintain a versioned research log noting decision date, subsequent history, and any rehearing activity to ensure counsel uses current authority.

Who verifies compliance for e-submissions and signatures?

Clerks and court rule administrators enforce technical and procedural requirements; use authenticated workflows and confirm the court’s acceptable formats before filing.

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Colorado Supreme Court Decisions

Colorado Supreme Court Decisions

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NOTICE OF ADOPTION PROCEEDING AND SUMMONS TO RESPOND PURSUANT TO §19-5-105(5), C.R.S.

District Court Denver Juvenile Court

Court Address:

, Colorado

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of: Child

Date of Birth

UPON THE PETITION OF:

Petitioner(s)

AND CONCERNING:

Respondent(s)

COURT USE ONLY

Attorney or Party Without Attorney (Name and Address):

Case Number:

Phone Number:

FAX Number:

E-mail:

Atty. Reg.#:

Division

Courtroom

To the above named Respondent(s):

You are hereby notified that a Petition for Adoption has been filed and if you wish to respond to the Petition, you must file your Response with the clerk of this Court within 35 days after this Notice is served on you.

Your response must be accompanied by the applicable filing fee of $158.00.

Your failure to file a Response, or to appear, within 35 days after service, and, in the case of an alleged father, your failure to file a claim of paternity under Article 4 of Title 19, C.R.S., within 35 days after service, if a claim has not previously been filed, may likely result in termination of your parental or your alleged parental rights to the minor child.

The following documents are also served herewith: (check as appropriate)

Petition for (Stepparent, Kinship, Custodial) Adoption

Petition to Terminate the Parent-Child Legal Relationship (JDF 520).

Affidavit of Abandonment (JDF 525)

Other:

Date:

Clerk of Court/Deputy Clerk

(This form is not to be used where service by publication is desired.)

JDF 506 R8/14 NOTICE OF ADOPTION PROCEEDING AND SUMMONS PURSUANT TO §19-5-105(5), C.R.S.

What Colorado Supreme Court Decisions Are and why they matter

Colorado Supreme Court Decisions are official appellate opinions issued by the state's highest court resolving legal disputes, interpreting statutes, and establishing binding precedent for Colorado courts. Each decision contains a caption, procedural history, factual summary, legal issues presented, the court’s holding and reasoning, and the final disposition. Published decisions guide lower courts and practitioners, inform statutory interpretation, and shape practice areas such as criminal law, civil procedure, administrative law, and constitutional questions. Lawyers, judges, agencies, and the public rely on these opinions for authoritative statements of Colorado law.

Why tracking Colorado Supreme Court Decisions is essential

Decisions set binding precedent in Colorado and frequently resolve conflicts among lower courts; understanding them preserves compliance, supports persuasive advocacy, and reduces litigation risk by aligning filings with current law.

Who relies on Colorado Supreme Court Decisions

Primary users consult decisions to apply precedent, prepare filings, or update internal policies.

Private attorneys and firms using opinions to craft briefs and cite binding authority in Colorado courts.
Government attorneys, agencies, and prosecutors relying on holdings to guide enforcement and rulemaking.
Judges, clerks, and academics using decisions for opinion drafting, research, and doctrinal analysis.

Secondary users include compliance officers, risk managers, and paralegals who extract operative points for internal guidance.

Core components to read in every decision

A professional reading highlights structured elements so you can quickly identify precedent and practical effect.

Case caption

Lists parties, docket number, and court — essential for accurate citation and locating the full opinion in reports and databases.

Procedural history

Describes how the case reached the Supreme Court, lower-court rulings, and preserved issues for review that affect scope of precedent.

Statement of facts

Concise factual background that frames the legal question; pay attention to facts courts treat as dispositive for holding applicability.

Issues presented

Identifies the specific legal questions the court resolves; use these to determine whether the decision controls your matter.

Holding and reasoning

The court’s legal conclusion and rationale; the holding binds lower courts and supports legal argumentation and compliance updates.

Disposition and citations

Final order (affirmed, reversed, remanded) plus statutory and precedent citations needed to track related authorities and subsequent history.

Essential decision metadata to record

Case name: Full style of case

Docket number: Court-assigned identifier

Decision date: MM/DD/YYYY

Participating justices: Authoring and concurring

Opinion type: Majority, concurring, dissenting

Official citation: Reporter and parallel cite

Quick steps to locate and apply a Colorado Supreme Court Decision

Follow a concise workflow to verify authority before relying on a decision in filings or internal policies.

01

Find the opinion: Search by docket, party, or citation in the court’s published opinions database.
02

Confirm precedential status: Check whether the opinion is published and binding under Colorado rules.
03

Extract the holding: Summarize the legal rule and limiting facts precisely for use in briefs.
04

Cite correctly: Use the official citation and follow Bluebook or local style in filings.

Where decisions are filed, published, and shared

Decisions and related documents move between court systems, counsel, and public repositories using established channels.

Clerk’s office: Official filings and case records are maintained by the Colorado Supreme Court Clerk.
Court opinion repository: Published opinions are posted to the court’s official database and reporters.
Counsel of record: Parties and their attorneys receive filings, orders, and opinion notices.
Public access portals: Legal research services and state archives provide public access to decisions.

Configuring an online workflow for decision research and filing

Set standardized options so teams find, cite, and deliver decision-based documents consistently and auditablely.

Field	Configuration
Document source	PDF or DOCX upload from court site
Signer roles	Attorney, paralegal, or clerk assignment
Authentication	Email or multi-factor signer verification
Delivery method	E-file system or certified mail

Technical requirements for eSubmission and secure sharing

Use compatible file formats and verified authentication when transmitting decision-related filings.

File formats: PDF, PDF/A, DOCX
Integrations: Supports systems like Salesforce, NetSuite
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or stronger methods

Confirm the receiving court or repository’s technical requirements before submission to avoid rejection or processing delays.

Typical timing and processing expectations for post-decision filings

Common deadlines govern rehearing petitions, rehearing en banc, and certain procedural follow-ups after an opinion issues.

Petition for rehearing:

Often due within 14 or 21 days after decision — check Colorado rules.

Filing of mandate:

Mandate issues after disposition and any rehearing period expires.

Request for clarification:

File promptly to preserve issues, typically within weeks of opinion.

Publication status check:

Confirm whether the opinion is published or unpublished before citing as precedent.

Record and briefing deadlines:

Briefing schedules and record transmission follow court-prescribed timelines.

Key milestones in the case lifecycle

A sequential view helps teams track required actions from notice of appeal through final mandate.

01

Notice of appeal filed

Initiates appellate jurisdiction and triggers docketing procedures.

02

Record transmitted

Clerk forwards the trial record to the appellate court for review.

03

Briefing completed

Parties file opening, response, and reply briefs per schedule.

04

Opinion and mandate

Court issues decision; mandate follows after rehearing window closes.

Consequences of incorrect citation or misuse

Citation rejection: Court may reject improperly formatted citations

Waived issues: Failure to preserve objections can forfeit appellate arguments

Sanctions risk: Misleading citations or filings can trigger professional sanctions

Misapplied precedent: Overbroad reliance may lead to adverse rulings

Delayed processing: Technical noncompliance can cause procedural delays

Ethics exposure: False statements about authority can raise disciplinary issues

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

Citing unpublished or superseded opinions as binding authority without verifying current status creates risk.
Quoting holdings without matching the case’s material facts leads to overbroad analogies and weak advocacy.
Failing to include the correct docket number or decision date impedes record retrieval and may confuse opposing counsel.
Relying on secondary summaries instead of reading the full opinion can miss limiting language and concurrences.

eSignature vendor pricing and compliance snapshot (signNow listed first)

Basic pricing and compliance characteristics for common eSignature vendors. Verify vendor terms and plan features directly with each provider.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently asked questions about using and citing Colorado Supreme Court Decisions

Answers to common practical questions about locating, citing, and submitting materials that rely on Colorado Supreme Court precedent.

Need help? Contact support

How do I cite a Colorado Supreme Court Decision?
Use the official reporter citation followed by the slip opinion citation if available; include case name, docket number, and decision date to ensure accuracy in filings and research.
Can I cite an unpublished or nonprecedential opinion?
Check Colorado local rules and the opinion’s publication status; unpublished opinions may be nonprecedential and limited in authority for courts and practitioners.
What if a decision is later overruled or superseded?
Verify subsequent history before relying on a case; if overruled or limited by later holdings, update arguments and internal guidance accordingly to avoid reliance on outdated precedent.
Are electronic copies of opinions acceptable in filings?
Most courts accept electronic copies but require conformity with filing rules and format requirements; confirm whether certified or official copies are necessary for the specific submission.
How should teams track decision changes?
Maintain a versioned research log noting decision date, subsequent history, and any rehearing activity to ensure counsel uses current authority.
Who verifies compliance for e-submissions and signatures?
Clerks and court rule administrators enforce technical and procedural requirements; use authenticated workflows and confirm the court’s acceptable formats before filing.

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