Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 4
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 4-3-308 (2026)

Proof of signatures and status as holder in due course

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) In an action with respect to an instrument, the authenticity of, and authority to make, each signature on the instrument is admitted unless specifically denied in the pleadings. If the validity of a signature is denied in the pleadings, the burden of establishing validity is on the person claiming validity, but the signature is presumed to be authentic and authorized unless the action is to enforce the liability of the purported signer and the signer is dead or incompetent at the time of trial of the issue of validity of the signature. If an action to enforce the instrument is brought against a person as the undisclosed principal of a person who signed the instrument as a party to the instrument, the plaintiff has the burden of establishing that the defendant is liable on the instrument as a represented person under section 4-3-402 (a).

(b) If the validity of signatures is admitted or proved and there is compliance with subsection (a) of this section, a plaintiff producing the instrument is entitled to payment if the plaintiff proves entitlement to enforce the instrument under section 4-3-301, unless the defendant proves a defense or claim in recoupment. If a defense or claim in recoupment is proved, the right to payment of the plaintiff is subject to the defense or claim, except to the extent the plaintiff proves that the plaintiff has rights of a holder in due course which are not subject to the defense or claim.

Source: L. 94: Entire article R&RE, p. 858, § 1, effective January 1, 1995.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 4-3-307 as it existed prior to 1994.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 2016–2018 · leading case: Liberty Mortg. Corp. v. Fiscus, 2016 CO 31 (Colo. 2016).
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Liberty Mortg. Corp. v. Fiscus, 2016 CO 31 (Colo. 2016). · cites it 8× “§ 4-3-308(b); see also § 4-3-308 cmt. 2 (“Once signatures are proved or admitted a holder, by mere production of the instrument, proves ‘entitlement to enforce the instrument’ .”
Kim v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (In re Kim), 585 B.R. 881 (D. Colo. 2018). · cites it 2× “If that proof is made, section 4-3-308 applies to the case as if the person seeking enforcement had produced the instrument.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 4-3-308(a) — 1 case
Liberty Mortg. Corp. v. Fiscus, 2016 CO 31 (Colo. 2016). “§ 4-3-308(b); see also § 4-3-308 cmt. 2 (“Once signatures are proved or admitted a holder, by mere production of the instrument, proves ‘entitlement to enforce the instrument’ .”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 4-3-308(b) — 1 case
Liberty Mortg. Corp. v. Fiscus, 2016 CO 31 (Colo. 2016). “§ 4-3-308(b); see also § 4-3-308 cmt. 2 (“Once signatures are proved or admitted a holder, by mere production of the instrument, proves ‘entitlement to enforce the instrument’ .”
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