Statutes: Colorado

(1)(a) On the return date of the citation, or on the day to which the hearing has been continued, the judge or magistrate shall examine the record and the evidence. If upon such examination the judge or magistrate finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the respondent has committed acts constituting grounds for issuance of a civil protection order and that unless restrained will continue to commit such acts or acts designed to intimidate or retaliate against the protected person, the judge or magistrate shall order the temporary civil protection order to be made permanent or enter a permanent civil protection order with provisions different from the temporary civil protection order. A finding of imminent danger to the protected person is not a necessary prerequisite to the issuance of a permanent civil protection order. The court shall not deny a petitioner the relief requested because a protection order has been issued pursuant to section 18-1-1001 or 18-1-1001.5. The judge or magistrate shall inform the respondent that a violation of the civil protection order constitutes a criminal offense pursuant to section 18-6-803.5 or constitutes contempt of court and subjects the respondent to such punishment as may be provided by law. If the respondent fails to appear before the court for the show cause hearing at the time and on the date identified in the citation issued by the court and the court finds that the respondent was properly served with the temporary protection order and such citation, it is not necessary to re-serve the respondent to make the protection order permanent. However, if the court modifies the protection order on the motion of the protected party, the modified protection order must be served upon the respondent.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), the judge or magistrate, after examining the record and the evidence, for good cause shown, may continue the temporary protection order and the show cause hearing to a date certain not to exceed one year after the date of the hearing if he or she determines such continuance would be in the best interests of the parties and if both parties are present at the hearing and agree to the continuance. In addition, each party may request one continuance for a period not to exceed fourteen days, which the judge or magistrate, after examining the record and the evidence, may grant upon a finding of good cause. The judge or magistrate shall inform the respondent that a violation of the temporary civil protection order constitutes a criminal offense pursuant to section 18-6-803.5, C.R.S., or constitutes contempt of court and subjects the respondent to such punishment as may be provided by law.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) of this subsection (1), for a protection order filed in a proceeding commenced under the “Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act”, article 10 of title 14, C.R.S., the court may, on the motion of either party if both parties agree to the continuance, continue the temporary protection order until the time of the final decree or final disposition of the action.

(2) The court shall electronically transfer into the central registry of protection orders established pursuant to section 18-6-803.7, C.R.S., a copy of any order issued pursuant to this section and shall deliver a copy of such order to the protected party.

(3) A court shall not grant a mutual protection order to prevent domestic abuse for the protection of opposing parties unless each party has met his or her burden of proof as described in section 13-14-104.5(7) and the court makes separate and sufficient findings of fact to support the issuance of the mutual protection order to prevent domestic abuse for the protection of opposing parties. A party may not waive the requirements set forth in this subsection (3).