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Colorado Revised Statutes Title 13. Courts and Court Procedure § 13-1-133. Use of recycled paper

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(1) The general assembly finds and declares that there is a need to expand upon existing laws which foster the effective and efficient management of solid waste by requiring that certain documents submitted by attorneys-at-law to state courts of record be submitted on recycled paper. The general assembly further finds that such expansion will protect and enhance the environment and the health and safety of the citizens of Colorado.

(2)(a)(I) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2), no document shall be submitted by an attorney to a court of record after January 1, 1994, unless such document is submitted on recycled paper. The provisions of this section shall apply to all papers appended to each such document.

(II)(A) Procedures adopted to implement the provisions of this section shall not impede the conduct of court business nor create grounds for an additional cause of action or sanction.

(B) No document shall be refused by a court of record solely because it was not submitted on recycled paper.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to:

(I) Photographs;

(II) An original document that was prepared or printed prior to January 1, 1994;

(III) A document that was not created at the direction or under the control of the submitting attorney;

(IV) Facsimile copies otherwise permitted to be filed with a court of record in lieu of the original document; however, if the original is also required to be filed, such original shall be submitted in compliance with this section;

(V) Existing stocks of nonrecycled paper and preprinted forms acquired or printed prior to January 1, 1994.

(3) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable if recycled paper is not readily available.

(4) For purposes of this section, unless the context requires otherwise:

(a) “Attorney” means an attorney-at-law admitted to practice law before any court of record in this state.

(b) “Courts of record” shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 13-1-111.

(c) “Document” means any pleading or any other paper submitted as an appendix to such pleading by an attorney, which document is required or permitted to be filed with a clerk of court concerning any action to be commenced or which is pending before a court of record.

(d) “Recycled paper” means paper with not less than fifty percent of its total weight consisting of secondary and postconsumer waste and with not less than ten percent of such total weight consisting of postconsumer waste.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Colorado Revised Statutes Title 13. Courts and Court Procedure § 13-1-133. Use of recycled paper - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-1-133/

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