Civil Unions and Court Forms

By Laurie A. Hunter, Esq.

The Colorado Supreme Court has released updated court JDF forms for dissolution of marriage, child custody and support actions, and other forms involved in family law, to add partners in a civil union, pursuant to the Colorado Civil Union Act that took effect May 1, 2013. The Rules and Forms Committee of the Trust and Estate Section of the CBA is working on suggested changes to the probate JDF forms to add partners in a civil union; Laurie Hunter is the new chair of that committee. In addition, a subcommittee of the Orange Book Committee of the Trust and Estate Section of the CBA is working on a review of all of the Orange Book estate planning forms, for the addition of partners in a civil union. Laurie Hunter is a member of that subcommittee.

Changes in Non-Appearance Hearing Time Periods

Effective January 1, 2012, and as part of the changes to the state court procedural rules to adopt the "Rule of Seven," the deadlines in Probate Rule 8.8 were revised from 10 days’ notice of a non-appearance hearing to 14 days. That also means 14 days (two weeks) and no additional days for mailing, weekends, etc. The Rule of Seven is designed to simplify determination of time deadlines, and is discussed in more detail in The Colorado Lawyer article by Richard P. Holme, January 2012 issue at pages 33 - 40. JDF Forms 712, 722 and 963 have been revised to note the new 14-day deadlines.