2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 24 - GOVERNMENT - STATE (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-116-102) › PUBLIC (OPEN) RECORDS (§§ 24-72-100.1 — 24-72.4-106) › Article 72 - PUBLIC RECORDS (§§ 24-72-100.1 — 24-72-711) › Part 1 - RESTORATION AND EVIDENCE (§§ 24-72-100.1 — 24-72-113) › Section 24-72-102 - District court to restore destroyed records

(1)
Whenever the public records of any plat or map or any tax list, assessment roll, or any public record or writing connected with the assessment and collection of the revenues of such county and of the state which is required to be kept by the county clerk and recorder of such county in his office is lost or destroyed by fire or otherwise, it is the duty of the county attorney of the county in which such loss or destruction occurs to file in the district court of such county an information in the name of the people of the state of Colorado, setting forth substantially the fact of such loss or destruction of such public records, or so much thereof as may be desired to be reproduced and reestablished or restored, with the circumstances attending the loss or destruction of the same, as nearly as may be, and thereupon the clerk of such court shall cause such information to be published in full in one or more newspapers published in such county for the period of four weeks, together with the notice addressed, "To all whom it may concern", that the court, at a term therein designated to be held not less than four weeks from the first publication of such information and notice, will proceed to hear and determine the matters in said information set forth and will take testimony for the purpose of reproducing, reestablishing, or restoring such records as the court finds to be lost or destroyed. Upon such publication being made, all persons interested shall be deemed defendants and may appear in person or by counsel and be heard touching such proceedings.
(2)
If the court is satisfied that any public record has been lost or destroyed, an order to that effect shall be entered of record, and thereupon the court shall proceed to take testimony for the purpose of reproducing, reestablishing, or restoring the records so lost or destroyed. The proceedings may be continued from time to time and orders and decrees shall be made as to each record, map, plat, tax list, and assessment roll separately. The clerk shall cause all maps, plats, tax lists, assessment rolls, or other records adjudged by the court to be correct copies of the records lost or destroyed, as often and as soon as they are so adjudged, to be filed in the office of the county recorder, with a certified copy of the order or judgment of the court in the premises attached thereto and recorded in a book to be provided for that purpose, and the said record shall be deemed and taken in all courts and places as a public record and as a true and correct reproduction of the original record so lost or destroyed; but any tax list or assessment roll so reproduced and restored, or so much thereof as may be reproduced and restored under the provisions of this section, shall be sufficient authority for the treasurer of such county to collect all taxes contained therein, the same in all respects as if it were the original tax list or assessment roll and were made out, certified, and delivered to him within the time required by law.
L. 1889: p. 303, § 2. R.S. 08: § 5270. C.L. § 5027. CSA: C. 135, § 2. CRS 53: § 113-1-2. C.R.S. 1963: § 113-1-2.