(1) Before a claim may be presented, the decedent's estate must first have been commenced in a court of appropriate jurisdiction by the filing of an application or petition pursuant to part 3 or 4 of this article. A claimant may thereafter present a claim only by:
Filing a written statement of the claim with the clerk of the court, in the form approved by the supreme court, whether or not a personal representative has been appointed;
Delivering or mailing a written statement of the claim to the court-appointed personal representative; or
In the case of a claimant who has a claim described in section 15-12-803 (1), presenting a claim by commencing a proceeding against the personal representative in the court where the personal representative was appointed to obtain payment of the claim. A claimant having a claim described in section 15-12-803 (2) may present a claim by commencing a proceeding against the personal representative in any court where the personal representative may be subjected to jurisdiction under the rules of civil procedure or statutes of this state to obtain payment of his or her claim against the estate. In order to constitute a timely presentation of a claim, the commencement of any proceeding under this paragraph (c) must occur within the time limited for presenting the claim. Time limits on proceedings to enforce timely presented claims are determined by section 15-12-806 (1) and not by this paragraph (c).
Unless presentation is made pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section, a claim against a decedent's estate is not validly presented by delivering or mailing a claim to any person unless that person has been appointed by the court or registrar of the court as the personal representative of the decedent's estate prior to the time the presentation is attempted.
A personal representative's knowledge that a creditor could bring a claim against anestate shall not be treated as a valid substitute for the proper presentation of a written claim authorized by subsection (1) of this section.
Each written statement of a claim shall include:
A request or demand for payment from the decedent or the estate; and
Sufficient information to allow the personal representative to investigate and respondto the claim, including the basis of the claim, the name and address of the claimant, and the amount claimed.
Except in the situation where a special administrator has been formally appointedwith specific powers to deal with the specific claim being presented or has been formally appointed to deal with claims generally under this part 8, a special administrator appointed in informal proceedings, or a special administrator who lacks the powers and authority of a general personal representative, is not a personal representative to whom presentation of a claim may properly be made.
A claim shall be deemed presented on the date that the court-appointed personalrepresentative receives the written statement of claim or the date the claim is filed with the court, whichever is earlier. If a claim is not yet due, the claim shall state the date when it will become due. If the claim is contingent or unliquidated, the claim shall state the nature of the uncertainty. If the claim is secured, the claim shall describe the security. Failure to describe correctly the security, the nature of any uncertainty, or the due date of a claim not yet due does not invalidate the presentation made.
The personal representative shall inform any interested person, upon request, as tothe existence, amounts, and nature of all claims against the estate that are known to him or her, but the personal representative shall not be required to express any opinion as to the probable outcome of any claim.
If a claim is presented under subsection (1) of this section, a proceeding thereon maynot be commenced more than sixty-three days after the personal representative has mailed a notice of disallowance; except that, in the case of a claim that is not presently due or that is contingent or unliquidated, the personal representative may consent to an extension of the sixtythree-day period, or, to avoid injustice, the court, on petition, may order an extension of the sixty-three-day period, but in no event shall the extension run beyond the applicable statute of limitations.
Source: L. 73: R&RE, p. 1593, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 153-3-804. L. 75: (2) amended, p. 598, § 35, effective July 1. L. 96: Entire section amended, p. 660, § 12, effective July 1. L. 2006: Entire section amended, p. 374, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2012: (8) amended, (SB 12-175), ch. 208, p. 838, § 44, effective July 1.