C.R.S. Section 14-10-116.5
Appointment in domestic relations cases

  • child and family investigator
  • disclosure
  • background check

(1)

The court may, upon the motion of either party or upon its own motion, appoint a neutral third person to serve the court as a child and family investigator pursuant to subsection (2) of this section in a domestic relations proceeding that involves allocation of parental responsibilities. The court shall set forth the specific duties of the child and family investigator in a written order of appointment. The same person may not serve as both the legal representative of the child pursuant to section 14-10-116 and as the child and family investigator for the court pursuant to this section. Within seven days after the appointment, the appointed person shall comply with the disclosure provisions of subsection (2.5) of this section.

(2)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

A child and family investigator appointed by the court from an eligibility roster established pursuant to chief justice directive may be an attorney, a mental health professional, or any other individual with appropriate training and qualifications, as set forth in subsection (2)(f) of this section, and an independent perspective acceptable to the court. The child and family investigator for the court shall investigate and report as specifically directed by the court in the appointment order, taking into consideration the relevant factors for determining the best interests of the child, as described in section 14-10-124. The purpose of the investigation is to assist in determining the best interests of the child, with the child’s safety always paramount.

(b)

The child and family investigator shall make independent and informed recommendations to the court, in the form of a written report with the court, unless otherwise ordered by the court. While the child and family investigator shall consider the wishes of the child, the child and family investigator need not adopt such wishes in making his or her recommendations to the court, unless they serve the best interests of the child, as described in section 14-10-124. The child’s wishes, if expressed, must be disclosed in the child and family investigator’s written report. The court shall consider the entirety of the report, as well as any testimony by the child and family investigator, the parties, and any other professionals, before adopting any recommendations made by the child and family investigator.

(c)

The child and family investigator may be called to testify as a court-appointed expert witness regarding the child and family investigator’s reports, but only if the court finds that the child and family investigator has the appropriate training and qualifications set forth in subsection (2)(f) of this section. Recommendations should be considered in full context of the report.

(d)

In addition to the training requirements and qualifications set forth in subsection (2)(f) of this section, the child and family investigator shall comply with applicable provisions set forth in chief justice directives, and any other practice or ethical standards established by rule, statute, or any licensing board that regulates the child and family investigator. A child and family investigator shall strive to engage in culturally informed and nondiscriminatory practices.

(e)

A party wishing to file a complaint related to a person’s duties as a child and family investigator shall file such complaint in accordance with the applicable provisions in chief justice directives.

(f)

The court shall not appoint a person from the eligibility registry to be a child and family investigator for a case pursuant to this section unless the court finds that the person is qualified as competent by training and experience in, at a minimum, domestic violence and its effects on children, adults, and families, child abuse, and child sexual abuse in accordance with section 14-10-127.5. The person’s training and experience must be provided by recognized sources with expertise in domestic violence and the traumatic effects of domestic violence in accordance with section 14-10-127.5. As of January 1, 2024, initial and ongoing training must include, at a minimum:

(I)

Ten initial hours of training on domestic violence, including coercive control, and its traumatic effects on children, adults, and families;

(II)

Ten initial hours of training on child abuse and child sexual abuse and its traumatic effects; and

(III)

Fifteen subsequent hours of training every five years on domestic violence, including coercive control, child abuse, and child sexual abuse, and the traumatic effects on children, adults, and families.

(2.5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Within seven days after his or her appointment, the appointed person shall disclose to each party, attorneys of record, and the court any familial, financial, or social relationship that the appointed person has or has had with the child, either party, the attorneys of record, or the judicial officer and, if a relationship exists, the nature of the relationship.

(b)

Based on the disclosure required pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2.5), the court may, in its discretion, terminate the appointment and appoint a different person in the proceedings. A party has seven days from the date of the disclosure to object to the appointment based upon information contained in the disclosure. If a party objects to the appointment, the court shall appoint a different person or confirm the appointment within seven days after the date of the party’s objection. If no party timely objects to the appointment, then the appointment is deemed confirmed.

(3)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

The court shall enter an order for costs, fees, and disbursements in favor of the child and family investigator appointed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. The order must be made against any or all of the parties; except that, if the responsible parties are determined to be indigent, the costs, fees, and disbursements are borne by the state.

(b)

In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation, prior to the entry of a decree of dissolution or legal separation, the court shall not enter an order requiring the state to bear the costs, fees, or disbursements related to the appointment of a child and family investigator unless both parties are determined to be indigent after considering the combined income and assets of the parties.

(c)

If the appointment of a child and family investigator occurs in a case involving unmarried parties, including those proceedings that occur after the entry of a decree for dissolution of marriage or of legal separation, the court shall make every reasonable effort to apportion costs between the parties in a manner that will minimize the costs, fees, and disbursements that shall be borne by the state.

(4)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Prior to being appointed as a child and family investigator, the person shall submit a complete set of his or her fingerprints to the judicial department for the purposes of a background check, and the judicial department shall determine based on the background check whether the person is suitable to act as a child and family investigator. The department shall forward such fingerprints to the Colorado bureau of investigation for the purpose of conducting a state and national fingerprint-based criminal history record check utilizing the records of the Colorado bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation. The department is the authorized agency to receive information regarding the result of a national fingerprint-based criminal history record check.

(b)

When the results of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check of a person performed pursuant to this section reveal a record of arrest without a disposition, the department shall require that applicant to submit to a name-based judicial record check, as defined in section 22-2-119.3 (6)(d). Upon request of the department pursuant to this section, the applicant shall provide a name-based judicial record check.

(c)

The applicant shall pay the cost associated with the background check.

Source: Section 14-10-116.5 — Appointment in domestic relations cases - child and family investigator - disclosure - background check, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-14.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

14‑10‑101
Short title 14‑10‑102
Purposes - rules of construction 14‑10‑103
Definitions and interpretation of terms 14‑10‑104
Uniformity of application and construction 14‑10‑104.5
Legislative declaration 14‑10‑105
Application of Colorado rules of civil procedure 14‑10‑106
Dissolution of marriage - legal separation 14‑10‑106.5
Dissolution of civil unions - legal separation - jurisdiction - applicability of article and case law 14‑10‑107
Commencement - pleadings - abolition of existing defenses - automatic, temporary injunction - enforcement 14‑10‑107.5
Entry of appearance and notice of withdrawal by delegate child support enforcement unit 14‑10‑107.7
Required notice of involvement with state department of human services 14‑10‑107.8
Required notice of prior restraining, civil protection, or emergency protection orders to prevent domestic abuse - petitions for dissolution of marriage or legal separation 14‑10‑108
Temporary orders in a dissolution case 14‑10‑109
Enforcement of protection orders 14‑10‑110
Irretrievable breakdown 14‑10‑111
Declaration of invalidity 14‑10‑112
Separation agreement 14‑10‑113
Disposition of property - definitions 14‑10‑114
Spousal maintenance - advisory guidelines - legislative declaration - definitions 14‑10‑115
Child support guidelines - purpose - determination of income - schedule of basic child support obligations - adjustments to basic child support - additional guidelines - child support commission - definitions 14‑10‑116
Appointment in domestic relations cases - representation of the best interests of the child - legal representative of the child - disclosure - short title 14‑10‑116.5
Appointment in domestic relations cases - child and family investigator - disclosure - background check 14‑10‑117
Payment of maintenance or child support 14‑10‑118
Enforcement of orders 14‑10‑119
Attorney’s fees 14‑10‑120
Decree 14‑10‑120.2
Ex-parte request for restoration of prior name of party 14‑10‑120.3
Dissolution of marriage or legal separation upon affidavit - requirements 14‑10‑120.5
Petition - fee - assessment - displaced homemakers fund 14‑10‑121
Independence of provisions of decree or temporary order 14‑10‑122
Modification and termination of provisions for maintenance, support, and property disposition - automatic lien - definitions 14‑10‑123
Commencement of proceedings concerning allocation of parental responsibilities - jurisdiction - automatic temporary injunction - enforcement - definitions 14‑10‑123.3
Requests for parental responsibility for a child by grandparents 14‑10‑123.4
Rights of children in matters relating to parental responsibilities 14‑10‑123.6
Required notice of prior restraining orders to prevent domestic abuse - proceedings concerning parental responsibilities relating to a child - resources for family services 14‑10‑123.7
Parental education - legislative declaration 14‑10‑123.8
Access to records 14‑10‑124
Best interests of the child 14‑10‑124.4
Family time for grandparents or great-grandparents - legislative declaration - definitions 14‑10‑124.5
Disputes concerning grandparent or great-grandparent family time 14‑10‑125
Temporary orders 14‑10‑126
Interviews 14‑10‑127
Evaluation and reports - training and qualifications of evaluators - disclosure 14‑10‑127.5
Domestic violence training for court personnel - expert testimony - child placement decisions - legislative declaration - definitions 14‑10‑128
Hearings 14‑10‑128.1
Appointment of parenting coordinator - disclosure 14‑10‑128.3
Appointment of decision-maker - disclosure 14‑10‑128.5
Appointment of arbitrator - de novo hearing of award 14‑10‑129
Modification of parenting time 14‑10‑129.5
Disputes concerning parenting time 14‑10‑130
Judicial supervision 14‑10‑131
Modification of custody or decision-making responsibility 14‑10‑131.7
Designation of custody for the purpose of other state and federal statutes 14‑10‑131.8
Construction of 1999 revisions 14‑10‑132
Affidavit practice 14‑10‑133
Effective date - applicability
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 14-10-116.5’s source at colorado​.gov