2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 15 - PROBATE, TRUSTS, AND FIDUCIARIES (§§ 15-1-101 — 15-24-403) › COLORADO PROBATE CODE (§§ 15-10-101 — 15-17-103) › Article 14 - PERSONS UNDER DISABILITY - PROTECTION (§§ 15-14-101 — 15-14-806) › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 15-14-101 — 15-14-122) › Section 15-14-110 - Letters of office

(1)
A nominee for guardian, emergency guardian, conservator, or special conservator shall file an acceptance of office with the court. The acceptance of office shall be signed by the nominee and, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall include a statement by the nominee informing the court of the following:
(a)
Whether the nominee has been convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or received a deferred sentence for a felony or misdemeanor, and, if so, the name of the state and court issuing the order;
(b)
Whether a temporary civil protection or restraining order or a permanent civil protection or restraining order has been issued against the nominee in the state of Colorado or another state at any time;
(c)
Whether a civil judgment has been entered against the nominee, and, if so, the name of the state and court granting the judgment;
(d)
Whether the nominee has been relieved of any court-appointed responsibilities, and, if so, the name of the court relieving the nominee; and
(e)
That the nominee acknowledges and understands that if the nominee fails to file required reports with the court or fails to respond to an order of the court to show cause why the nominee should not be held in contempt of court, Colorado law authorizes the court to access data and records of state agencies in order to obtain contact information, as defined in sections
15-14-317 (4)(c)
and
15-14-420 (6)(c)
.
(2)
(a)
In support of the statement set forth in the acceptance of office pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the nominee for guardian, conservator, emergency guardian, or special conservator shall:
(I)
Obtain and attach to the acceptance of office a name-based criminal history record check through the Colorado bureau of investigation. The nominee shall be responsible for the cost of the name-based criminal history record checks.
(II)
Obtain and attach to the acceptance of office a current credit report of the nominee paid for by the nominee; and
(III)
Verify the acceptance of office under penalty of perjury, stating that, to the best of his or her knowledge or belief, the statements in the acceptance of office and attached documentation are accurate and complete.
(b)
The court may, in its discretion, waive any or all of the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) for good cause shown when making an emergency appointment of a guardian pursuant to section
15-14-204
or
15-14-312
, or when making an appointment of a special conservator pursuant to sections
15-14-405
,
15-14-406
, and
15-14-412
.
(3)
After a hearing, the court shall issue appropriate letters of guardianship or emergency guardianship if it finds, upon review of the acceptance of office, that the nominee is appropriate for the office. Letters of guardianship shall indicate whether the guardian was appointed by the court or a parent. After a hearing and the filing of any required bond, the court shall issue appropriate letters of conservatorship or special conservatorship if it finds, upon review of the acceptance of office, that the nominee is appropriate for the office. Any limitation on the powers of a guardian, emergency guardian, conservator, or special conservator or of the assets subject to a conservatorship shall be endorsed on the guardian's or conservator's letters.
(4)
The specifications required pursuant to paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (1) of this section and the requirements of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to the following nominees:
(a)
A public administrator nominated as a guardian or conservator;
(b)
A trust company nominated as a guardian or conservator;
(c)
A bank nominated as a guardian or conservator;
(d)
A credit union, savings and loan, or other financial institution nominated as a guardian or conservator pursuant to state law;
(e)
A state or county agency nominated as a guardian or conservator pursuant to state law;
(f)
A parent residing with his or her child who is nominated as a guardian or conservator of his or her child; and
(g)
Any other person or entity for whom the court, for good cause shown, determines that the requirements shall not apply.
(5)
(a)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the court from requiring a nominee to obtain additional background information as the court deems necessary to assist the court in determining the fitness of the nominee for the appointment sought by the nominee, including requiring a nominee to obtain fingerprint-based criminal history record checks through the Colorado bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation. If the court requires a nominee to submit fingerprint-based criminal history record checks, the nominee shall be responsible for providing a complete set of fingerprints to the Colorado bureau of investigation and for obtaining the fingerprint-based criminal history record checks and presenting them with the acceptance of office. The nominee shall also be responsible for the cost of the fingerprint-based criminal history record checks.
(b)
When the results of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check of an applicant performed pursuant to this subsection (5) reveal a record of arrest without a disposition, the court shall require that nominee to submit to a name-based judicial record check, as defined in section
22-2-119.3 (6)(d)
. The applicant is responsible for the cost of the name-based judicial record check.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 114, § 20, eff. 4/21/2022.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 125, § 19, eff. 4/18/2019.
L. 2000: Entire part R & RE, p. 1782, § 1, effective 1/1/2001 (see §
15-17-103
). L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 1046, § 1, effective June 3. L. 2012: (1) amended, (HB 12 -1074), ch. 169, p. 169, § 3, effective March 22. L. 2019: (5) amended, (HB 19-1166), ch. 544, p. 544, § 19, effective April 18.