Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-3-601 (2026)

Short title

✓ current as of July 2026

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This part 6 shall be known and may be cited as the "Parent-Child Legal Relationship Termination Act of 1987".

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 787, § 1, effective October 1.

Editor's note: This section was contained in a title that was repealed and reenacted in 1987. Provisions of this section, as it existed in 1987, are similar to those contained in 19-11-101 as said section existed in 1986, the year prior to the repeal and reenactment of this title.

19-3-602. Motion for termination - separate hearing - right to counsel - no jury trial. (1) Termination of a parent-child legal relationship shall be considered only after the filing of a written motion alleging the factual grounds for termination, and termination of a parent- child legal relationship shall be considered at a separate hearing following an adjudication of a child as dependent or neglected. Such motion shall be filed at least thirty days before such hearing. In a county designated pursuant to section 19-1-123, if the child is under six years of age at the time a petition is filed in accordance with section 19-3-501 (2), the court shall hear the motion for termination within one hundred twenty days after such motion is filed, and shall not grant a delay unless good cause is shown and unless the court finds that the best interests of the child will be served by granting a delay in accordance with the requirements of section 19-3-104.

(1.5) (a) Pursuant to the provisions of section 19-1-126, the motion for termination must:

(I) Include a statement indicating what continuing inquiries the county department of human or social services has made in determining whether the child who is the subject of the termination proceeding is an Indian child; (I.5) Include a statement indicating that a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, or sister of the child must file a request for guardianship and legal custody of the child within twenty days of the filing of the motion;

(II) Identify whether the child is an Indian child; and

(III) Include the identity of the Indian child's tribe, if the child is identified as an Indian child.

(b) If notices were sent to the parent or Indian custodian of the child and to the Indian child's tribe, pursuant to section 19-1-126, the postal receipts, or copies thereof, shall be attached to the motion for termination and filed with the court or filed within ten days after the filing of the motion for termination, as specified in section 19-1-126 (1)(c).

(2) After a motion for termination of a parent-child legal relationship is filed pursuant to this part 6, the parent or parents shall be advised of the right to counsel if not already represented by counsel of record; and counsel shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of section 19-1-105. The parent or parents shall also be advised that a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, or sister of the child must file a request for guardianship and legal custody of the child within twenty days of the filing of the motion. Advisement of right to counsel and the time for a relative to file a request may be done in open court or in a writing served as provided by law for motions and notices in a proceeding under section 19-1-104 (1)(b).

(3) Repealed.

(4) There shall be no right to a jury trial at proceedings held to consider the termination of a parent-child legal relationship.

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 788, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2002: (1.5) added, p. 787, § 7, effective May 30. L. 2003: (1) amended, p. 1226, § 2, effective August 6. L. 2005: (1.5)(a)(I.5) added and (2) amended pp. 94, 93, §§ 3, 2, effective March 31. L. 2022: (3)(b) added by revision, (HB 22-1038), ch. 92, pp. 437, 446, §§ 11, 37. L. 2024: IP(1.5)(a) and

(1.5)(a)(I) amended, (HB 24-1222), ch. 155, p. 689, § 9, effective August 7.

Editor's note: (1) This section was contained in a title that was repealed and reenacted in 1987. Provisions of this section, as it existed in 1987, are similar to those contained in 19-11- 103 as said section existed in 1986, the year prior to the repeal and reenactment of this title.

(2) Subsection (3)(b) provided for the repeal of subsection (3), effective January 9, 2023. (See L. 2022, pp. 437, 446.)

Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act enacting subsection (1.5), see section 1 of chapter 217, Session Laws of Colorado 2002. For the legislative declaration in HB 22-1038, see section 1 of chapter 92, Session Laws of Colorado 2022.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 24 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1993–2026 · leading case: D.A.S. v. People, 863 P.2d 291 (Colo. 1993).

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D.A.S. v. People, 863 P.2d 291 (Colo. 1993). · cites it 2× “In order to provide such procedures, and in recognition of the severity of the consequence of termination of parental rights, the General Assembly adopted the Parent-Child Legal Relationship Termination Act of 1987 (the Act), §§ 19-3-601 to -610, 8B C.R.S. (1993 Supp.”

People ex rel. J.L.M., 143 P.3d 1125 (Colo. Ct. App. 2006). “See § 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.S.2005. Therefore, in deciding whether to terminate or whether less drastic alternatives exist, a trial court may recognize differences between the parents, as well as differences between the children, and base its decision upon the best interests of…”

C.S. v. People, 83 P.3d 627 (Colo. 2004). “The Pareni^Child Legal Relationship Termination Act‘of 1987 (the “Termination Act”), §§ 19-3-601' -703, 6 C.R.S. (2003), serves as the touchstone for evaluating the adequacy of the proceedings below.”

People In the Interest of K.B. & M.B., Child., & Concerning A.B. & J.B, 2016 COA 21 (Colo. Ct. App. 2016). “XIV, and Colorado’s Parent-Child Legal Relationship Termination Act of 1987, §§ 19-3-601 to -612, C.R.S. 2015 — require that the trial court determine whether the petitioner established “by clear and convincing evidence that an appropriate treatment plan approved by the court…”

People ex rel. C.M., 116 P.3d 1278 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005). “Short of termination of the parent-child legal relationship, see § 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.S.2004, the only Code provisions that address long-term permanency for children placed out of the home during the pen-dency of a dependency or neglect proceeding are §§ 19-3-702 and…”

People ex rel. M.B., 70 P.3d 618 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “2002; to terminate parental rights at § 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.9.2002; and to review a child's placement needs at § 19-3-701, et seq.”

People v., 417 P.3d 843 (Colo. Ct. App. 2016). “n Act of 1987 ¶ 25 Having established that the dependency and neglect court, through the dependency and neglect case, maintains continuing exclusive jurisdiction over the child, we now turn to the third reason supporting our holding: under article three, a parent's parental…”

People ex rel. D.R.W., 91 P.3d 453 (Colo. Ct. App. 2004). “On this record, we agree that the trial court did not substantially comply with the procedural requirements of the Parent-Child Legal Relationship Termination Act of 1987, § 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.S.2003. We therefore reverse the judgment terminating father’s parental rights and…”

IN RE: The PEOPLE of the State of Colorado, IN the INTEREST OF L.S., Child, & Concerning: G.L.A. & D.S., 524 P.3d 847 (Colo. 2023). “See §§ 19-3-601 to - 612, C.R.S. ( 2022 ) ( "termination statutes " ) ; see also § 19-3-508 (1) , (3) ( excluding termination from those provisions ) .”

People ex rel. A.M., 310 P.3d 89 (Colo. Ct. App. 2010). “" Alternatively, the General Assembly could have inserted the language of subsection (5) in those portions of the Children's Code, such as sections 19-3-601 to ~611, which concern the termination of parental rights The General Assembly did not do so.”

People in Interest of CE, 923 P.2d 383 (Colo. Ct. App. 1996). “She argues that the trial court failed to construe the Colorado Children’s Code, §§ 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.S. (1995 Cum.Supp.”

People ex rel. J.W.W., 936 P.2d 599 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997). “See § 19-3-601, et seq., C.R.S. (1996 Cum.Supp.”

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