(1) The general assembly declares that the purposes
of this title are:
(a) To secure for each child subject to these provisions such care and guidance,
preferably in his own home, as will best serve his welfare and the interests of society;
(b) To preserve and strengthen family ties whenever possible, including improvement of
home environment;
(c) To remove a child from the custody of his parents only when his welfare and safety
or the protection of the public would otherwise be endangered and, in either instance, for the
courts to proceed with all possible speed to a legal determination that will serve the best interests
of the child; and
(d) To secure for any child removed from the custody of his parents the necessary care,
guidance, and discipline to assist him in becoming a responsible and productive member of
society.
(1.5) (a) The general assembly declares that it is in the best interests of the child who has
been removed from his own home to have the following guarantees:
(I) To be placed in a secure and stable environment;
(II) To not be indiscriminately moved from foster home to foster home; and
(III) To have assurance of long-term permanency planning.
(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 92, p. 220, § 1, effective July 1, 1992.)
(1.6) The general assembly recognizes the numerous studies establishing that children
undergo a critical bonding and attachment process prior to the time they reach six years of age.
Such studies further disclose that a child who has not bonded with a primary adult during this
critical stage will suffer significant emotional damage which frequently leads to chronic
psychological problems and antisocial behavior when the child reaches adolescence and
adulthood. Accordingly, the general assembly finds and declares that it is appropriate to provide
for an expedited placement procedure to ensure that children under the age of six years who have
been removed from their homes are placed in permanent homes as expeditiously as possible.
(1.7) The general assembly further declares that it is the intent of the general assembly to
have the media and the courts refrain from causing undue hardship, discomfort, and distress to
any juvenile victims of sexual assault, child abuse, incest, or any offenses listed in wrongs to
children pursuant to part 4 of article 6 of title 18, C.R.S., by not disseminating or publishing the
names of such victims.
(1.9) The federal "Family First Prevention Services Act" was enacted on February 9,
2018. In order to comply with the provisions of the federal "Family First Prevention Services
Act", the general assembly finds that it is necessary to update current statutes to enable Colorado
to provide enhanced support to children, juveniles, or youth, and their families in order to
prevent foster care placements. The state department of human services shall implement the
updated provisions in this title 19 utilizing prevention services and qualified residential treatment
programs when the federal government approves Colorado's five-year Title IV-E prevention
plan, and subject to available general fund appropriations or federal funding.
(2) To carry out these purposes, the provisions of this title shall be liberally construed to
serve the welfare of children and the best interests of society.
Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 695, § 1, effective October 1. L. 88: (1.5) added, p.
755, § 1, effective May 31. L. 90: (1.7) added, p. 1007, § 1, effective July 1. L. 92: (1.5)
amended, p. 220, § 1, effective July 1. L. 94: (1.6) added, p. 2051, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2019:
(1.9) added, (HB 19-1308), ch. 256, p. 2458, § 2, effective August 2. L. 2020: (1.9) amended,
(SB 20-162), ch. 221, p. 1087, § 1, effective July 2; (1.9) amended, (HB 20-1402), ch. 216, p.
1047, § 32, effective June 30.
Editor's note: (1) This section was contained in a title that was repealed and reenacted
in 1987. This section, as it existed in 1987, is the same as 19-1-102 as said section existed in
1986, the year prior to the repeal and reenactment of this title.
(2) Amendments to subsection (1.9) by SB 20-162 and HB 20-1402 were harmonized.
Cross references: For the "Family First Prevention Services Act", see Pub.L. 115-123.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
352
cases (
160 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case:
People in Interest of SB, 742 P.2d 935 (Colo. Ct. App. 1987).
People in Interest of SB, 742 P.2d 935 (Colo. Ct. App. 1987).
· cites it 14× “See § 19-1-102, C.R.S. (1986 Repl.Vol. 8B); § 14-13-102, C.”
K.D. v. People, 139 P.3d 695 (Colo. 2006).
· cites it 4× “§ 19-1-102(1.6), C.R.S. (2005) (emphasis added).”
People in Interest of L.M, 2018 CO 34 (Colo. 2018).
· cites it 4× “” § 19-1-102(1), C.R.S. (2017). The Code thus “strives to preserve the family while simultaneously ensuring the child’s best interest and welfare.”
Peo in the Interest of NGG, 2020 COA 6 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020).
· cites it 3× “When determining custody or allocating parental responsibilities, the court must consider the legislative purposes of the Children’s Code under section 19-1-102, C.R.S. 2019. People in Interest of C.”
R.Mcg. v. J.W., 615 P.2d 666 (Colo. 1980).
· cites it 12× “[T]he unquestioned right of the State to further these desirable ends by legislation is not in itself sufficient to justify the gender-based distinction .”
in Interest of C.W.B., Jr, 2018 CO 8 (Colo. 2018).
· cites it 8× “¶36 Additionally, we need not confer standing to foster parents here to assert the rights of the child due to some existing barrier or difficulty in asserting the child’s rights.”
A.S. v. People, 312 P.3d 168 (Colo. 2013).
· cites it 4× “(2013)); see also § 19-1-102(1)(a), C.R.S. (2018). The juvenile justice system aims to provide guidance, rehabilitation, and restoration for the juvenile and to protect society, rather than focusing principally on eriminal conduct and assigning criminal responsibility, guilt,…”
A.M. v. A.C., 296 P.3d 1026 (Colo. 2013).
· cites it 3× “See § 19-1-102, C.R.S. (2012); L.G., 890 P.2d at 654 .”
People ex rel. C.M., 116 P.3d 1278 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005).
· cites it 6× “Relying on §§ 19-1-102, 19-1-104, 19-1-115, and 19-3-508, C.”
People ex rel. C.L.S., 313 P.3d 662 (Colo. Ct. App. 2011).
· cites it 3× “" § 19-1-102(2), C.R.S. 2011; People in Interest of SX.”
A.L.L. v. People, 226 P.3d 1054 (Colo. 2010).
· cites it 6× “See § 19-1-102(1)(b) (directing the preservation of family ties wherever possible); People ex rel.”
in Interest of S.K, 2019 COA 36 (Colo. Ct. App. 2019).
“§§ 19-1-102(1.6), 19-1-123, 19-3-703, C.R.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(1) — 34 cases
People in Interest of L.M, 2018 CO 34 (Colo. 2018).
“” § 19-1-102(1), C.R.S. (2017). The Code thus “strives to preserve the family while simultaneously ensuring the child’s best interest and welfare.”
K.D. v. People, 139 P.3d 695 (Colo. 2006).
“§ 19-1-102(1.6), C.R.S. (2005) (emphasis added).”
People in Interest of SB, 742 P.2d 935 (Colo. Ct. App. 1987).
“See § 19-1-102, C.R.S. (1986 Repl.Vol. 8B); § 14-13-102, C.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(1)(a) — 24 cases
Peo in the Interest of NGG, 2020 COA 6 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020).
“When determining custody or allocating parental responsibilities, the court must consider the legislative purposes of the Children’s Code under section 19-1-102, C.R.S. 2019. People in Interest of C.”
A.S. v. People, 312 P.3d 168 (Colo. 2013).
“(2013)); see also § 19-1-102(1)(a), C.R.S. (2018). The juvenile justice system aims to provide guidance, rehabilitation, and restoration for the juvenile and to protect society, rather than focusing principally on eriminal conduct and assigning criminal responsibility, guilt,…”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(1)(b) — 22 cases
A.L.L. v. People, 226 P.3d 1054 (Colo. 2010).
“See § 19-1-102(1)(b) (directing the preservation of family ties wherever possible); People ex rel.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(1)(c) — 41 cases
A.L.L. v. People, 226 P.3d 1054 (Colo. 2010).
“See § 19-1-102(1)(b) (directing the preservation of family ties wherever possible); People ex rel.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(1)(d) — 3 cases
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(2) — 38 cases
People in Interest of SB, 742 P.2d 935 (Colo. Ct. App. 1987).
“See § 19-1-102, C.R.S. (1986 Repl.Vol. 8B); § 14-13-102, C.”
People ex rel. C.L.S., 313 P.3d 662 (Colo. Ct. App. 2011).
“" § 19-1-102(2), C.R.S. 2011; People in Interest of SX.”
A.S. v. People, 312 P.3d 168 (Colo. 2013).
“(2013)); see also § 19-1-102(1)(a), C.R.S. (2018). The juvenile justice system aims to provide guidance, rehabilitation, and restoration for the juvenile and to protect society, rather than focusing principally on eriminal conduct and assigning criminal responsibility, guilt,…”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(20)(d) — 1 case
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(a) — 1 case
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(c) — 2 cases
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(d) — 2 cases
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-102(l)(a) — 3 cases
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.