(1) Any interested person may petition the court to impose a legal disability on or to remove a legal right from a person with an intellectual and developmental disability as defined in section 25.5-10-202. The petition must set forth the disability to be imposed or the legal right to be removed and the reasons therefor. The petition may affect the right to contract, the right to determine place of abode or provisions of services and supports, the right to operate a motor vehicle, and other similar rights.
(2) (a) Prior to granting the petition, the court must find:
That the person subject to the petition has been determined to be a person with anintellectual and developmental disability pursuant to the provisions of this article; and
That the requested disability or removal is both necessary and desirable to implement the individualized plan developed for the person receiving services or supports under the supervision of an intellectual and developmental disabilities professional and the interdisciplinary team. Such professional must have an understanding of the rights of persons receiving services as set forth in sections 25.5-10-218 to 25.5-10-229. Such plan must be submitted to the court and must be signed by the intellectual and developmental disabilities professional.
(b) When a petition filed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section seeks to impose a disability or to remove a legal right, related to the selection of place of abode by the person with an intellectual and developmental disability, the court must also find:
That, based on the recent overt actions or omissions of the person subject to thepetition, and because of the presence of an intellectual and developmental disability, without the relief requested in the petition such person poses a probable threat of serious physical harm to such person or others or is unable to care for such person's own needs to the extent that such person's own life or safety is seriously threatened; and
That the place of abode requested in the petition is the least restrictive residentialsetting that is appropriate for the individual needs of the person with an intellectual and developmental disability.
Within six months after a legal disability has been imposed or a legal right has beenremoved, the court shall hold a hearing to review its order and either reaffirm the findings made pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and continue the legal disability or removal or remove the legal disability or restore the legal rights to the person subject to the petition. The court may remove a legal disability from or restore a legal right to a person without a hearing upon the filing of a motion requesting such relief containing affidavits in support of the motion signed by all of the parties.
Any interested person may move that the court remove a legal disability or restore alegal right. If such motion is contested, it must be served on the person whose rights are affected and upon the party who filed the original petition if the person is not the moving party.
The following procedures must apply to any proceedings instituted pursuant to thissection:
When a petition is filed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the person subjectto the petition shall be advised by the court of such person's right to retain and consult with an attorney at any time, and that if such person cannot afford to pay an attorney, one will be appointed by the court without cost. Attorney fees for court-appointed counsel shall be paid by the court.
Upon the request of an indigent respondent or such respondent's attorney, the courtshall appoint one or more intellectual and developmental disabilities professionals of the respondent's choice to assist the respondent in the preparation of the respondent's case. The court shall pay the fees for such intellectual and developmental disabilities professionals.
The court may issue a temporary order imposing a legal disability or removing alegal right, pending a hearing, for a period not to exceed ten days, based upon the standards required for issuance of a temporary restraining order. No individualized plan shall be required by the court to support the issuance of such order.
The burden of proof is at all times upon the party seeking imposition of a disabilityor removal of a legal right or opposing removal of a disability or restoration of a legal right, and the standard of proof is by clear and convincing evidence.
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (5), all proceedings must be held inconformance with the Colorado rules of civil procedure, but no costs must be assessed against the respondent.
In order to provide representation to eligible persons as provided in this section, thejudicial department may pay moneys, out of appropriations made therefor by the general assembly, directly to appointed counsel or intellectual and developmental disabilities professionals on a case-by-case basis or, on behalf of the state, to contract with individual attorneys, legal partnerships, legal professional corporations, public interest law firms, or nonprofit legal services corporations to provide legal representation for an agreed-upon lump sum.
A person shall not be admitted to a regional center, as defined in section 27-10.5102, C.R.S., without a court order issued pursuant to this section except in an emergency or for the purpose of temporary respite care.
Source: L. 2013: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 13-1314), ch. 323, p. 1767, § 1, effective March 1, 2014.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 27-10.5-110 as it existed prior to 2013.