§ 19-1-109 — Appeals - child welfare appeals workgroup - created - reports

(1)
An appeal as provided in the introductory portion to section 13-4-102 (1), C.R.S., may
be taken from any order, decree, or judgment. Appellate procedure shall be as
provided by the Colorado appellate rules. Initials shall appear on the record on
appeal in place of the name of the child and respondents. Appeals shall be
advanced on the calendar of the appellate court and shall be decided at the earliest
practical time.

(2) (a) The people of the state of Colorado shall have the same right to
appeal questions of law in delinquency cases as exists in criminal cases.

(b) An order terminating or refusing to terminate the legal relationship
between a parent or parents and one or more of the children of such parent or
parents on a petition, or between a child and one or both parents of the child, shall
be a final and appealable order.

(c) An order decreeing a child to be neglected or dependent shall be a final
and appealable order after the entry of the disposition pursuant to section 19-3-508. Any appeal shall not affect the jurisdiction of the trial court to enter such
further dispositional orders as the court believes to be in the best interests of the
child.

(3) (a) The child welfare appeals workgroup is established in the state
judicial department and referred to in this subsection (3) as the workgroup. The
purpose of the workgroup is to consider necessary changes to practices, rules, and
statutes to ensure that appeals in cases concerning relinquishment, adoption, and
dependency and neglect are resolved within six months after being filed.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2022, the workgroup shall monitor, for two years,
the implementation of the recommendations of the workgroup's 2021 final report,
determine if other issues are contributing to appellate delay, study opportunities to
reduce delay in child welfare appeals, and provide training. No later than January 1,
2023, the judicial department shall report to the health and human services
committee of the senate and the public and behavioral health and human services
committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committees, on the
status of the workgroup's data collection; identified necessary resources; progress
made on implementation of the recommendations; outstanding recommendations;
additional changes to practices, rules, and statutes necessary to ensure that
appeals are resolved within six months of filing; and the impact those
recommendations are having on appellate delay. No later than July 1, 2024, the
workgroup shall also issue a final report.

Legislative History

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 702, � 1, effective October 1. L. 97: (2) amended and (3) added, p. 1433, � 7, effective July 1. L. 2000: (3) amended, p. 1546, � 3, effective August 2. L. 2022: (3) amended, (HB 22-1113), ch. 56, p. 261, � 2, effective August 10.