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An Initial Status Conference is a meeting of the judge and the lawyers (or unrepresented parties) to determine how the case is progressing. At the status conference, the judge may ask whether and how the parties have tried to settle the case. Often, court rules require the parties to file paperwork before the conference to answer questions about the issues to be discussed at the conference.

For more information, view About Family Cases Forms.

Unless the Court specifically places an individual on unsupervised probation, you should immediately report to the Probation Office. At that time, you will be given instructions about who your Probation Officer is and when to return. If a Presentence Report was not completed as part of your sentencing process, you will be required to fill out a number of forms so that your Probation Officer has complete information about you. During the time you are on probation you will work with your Probation Officer to complete the terms and conditions of probation set by the Court. If you are a juvenile, your probation may be supervised by an agency other than the Probation Department if so ordered by the Court. Restorative Justice practices should be victim focused. Victim participation is voluntary.

A person with a psychiatric disability is someone with a mental illness which significantly interferes with that person’s performance of major life activities, such as learning, thinking, communicating, and sleeping, among others. The most common forms of mental illnesses resulting in psychiatric disabilities are anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and schizophrenia. Anxiety disorders are the most common group of mental illnesses and include panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder characterized by severe fear or anxiety associated with   particular objects and situations. Depressive Disorders would include major depression, manic-depressive illness and seasonal affective disorder characterized by disturbances or changes in moods. Schizophrenia is a highly complex illness characterized by thoughts that seem fragmented and difficulty processing information.

Depending on the needs of the individual and the nature of the disability, accommodation may include: scheduling court proceedings at certain time to coincide with medication requirements or effects; presenting information in a different manner to be better processed by the individual such as providing instructions in a written or recorded format; changing procedures as they relate to the interaction with witnesses and court staff in the courtroom; eliminating distractions; speaking slowly and distinctly; or allowing videotaped testimony or the use of video conferencing technology in lieu of a personal appearance.

Victims may choose to take on the responsibility of collecting restitution on their own. Nothing in this process requires filing a new or separate civil case in the State of Colorado.

Victims who chooses to pursue collection on their own must first file notice with the sentencing court by submitting form JDF 229.

Once the notice has been filed, the following efforts by the court to collect restitution stop:

• collections staff will not actively pursue,
• intercepted funds will not apply, and
• interest will no longer be calculated by the court.

The victim will become responsible for:

• calculating interest,
• identifying the offender’s income and assets,
• issuing garnishments and liens through the court and notifying the court of any direct payments by submitting form JDF 242.

Victims may decide to withdraw from pursuing collections on their own by filing form JDF 230 with the court. Form JDF 242 must accompanying that notice, detailing the payment dates and amounts of restitution the victim collected.

For more information and to access JDF forms, please visit www.coloradojudicial.gov. Collections Investigators and the Office of Restitution Services are available to answer questions.

For further collection remedies that the victim may pursue, please refer to Section 16-18.5-107, C.R.S. 

Depending on the needs of the individual and the nature of the disability, accommodation may involve: providing forms and instructions in Braille, large print or on audio tape; providing assistance at the counter in filling out necessary paperwork; having written materials read out loud in the courtroom; allowing the person to sit closer than usual if of limited vision, or to provide additional lighting if the lighting is a problem. People who are blind or visually disabled often can be assisted by increasing the size of an object, by changing viewing distance, by improving illumination, and by improving contrast. Changing size and distance go hand in hand. Size can be changed in several different ways: an object can be made larger (such as a big-button telephone), materials can be reproduced larger (such as large print), a nearby object can be enlarged (using a magnifier), or a far-away object can be enlarged (using a telescope). Devices can be set into glass frames, some of which are bioptic.

The most critical consideration for a low-vision individual is lighting. The midday offers the best light. Halogen bulbs and lamps that place direct light on a subject are highly recommended. When considering which bulbs to use, incandescent bulbs with a high wattage are preferred over florescent. Florescent bulbs throw off a glaring blue light. If the person with a visual disability is referring to notes, additional light (such as a gooseneck lamp) may be necessary.

Contrast in written materials also can be important. The more the words crowded onto a page and the more similar the ink and paper colors, the less one can discriminate. Using 14-point or larger black type on yellow paper will greatly increase the readability of materials.