CO · rules
C.R.C.P. 501 (Small Claims)
Scope and Purpose
(a) How Known and Cited. These rules for the small claims division for the county
court are additions to C.R.C.P. and shall be known and cited as the Colorado Rules of Civil
Procedure, or C.R.C.P. These rules are promulgated pursuant to section 13-6-413, C.R.S.
(b) Procedure Governed. These rules govern the procedure in all small claims courts.
They shall be liberally construed to secure the just, speedy, informal, and inexpensive
determination of every small claims action.
(c) Purpose. Each small claims court shall provide for the expeditious resolution of all
cases before it. Where practicable, at least one weekend session and at least one evening
session shall be scheduled or available to be scheduled for trial in each small claims court
each month.
(d) Record of Proceedings. A record shall be made of all small claims court proceedings.
History
Source: Entire chapter repealed and readopted February 24, 1994, effective July 1, 1994; entire rule amended and effective September 6, 2001. ANNOTATION Law reviews. For article, ‘‘Changes to the Statutes and Rules Governing Procedures in Colorado Small Claims Courts’’, see 31 Colo. Law. 29 (Feb. 2002). The strict technical application of proce- dural filing deadlines is to be avoided in cases where it would result in a punitive disposi- tion of litigation and an arbitrary denial of substantial justice contrary to the spirit of the rules of civil procedure. The district court’s order emphasized the importance of the timely and inexpensive resolution of small claims at the expense of an equally important concern: The tenet that requires courts to con- strue procedural rules in a manner that ensures the just determination of every action. Semental v. Denver County Court, 978 P.2d 668 (Colo. 1999).
Provenance
- Source
- content.leg.colorado.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-15
- Edition
- 2026-09-15
- Content hash
e0c0f184bfd72cadd5d2f53a7d63307f1d054e32e31007e594b50e589d73fc58
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