Opinion ID: 2544375
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: District Court Authority to Order Complaint Amended

Text: As our holding on the merits implies, we reject the district court's decision that it could not cure the procedural defects in Trans Shuttle's filings by court order. After identifying the error, the district court should have given Trans Shuttle the opportunity to amend its request for review and formally comply with section 40-6-115 procedures. See, e.g., Archibold v. PUC, 933 P.2d 1323, 1325-26 (Colo.1997) (during the course of proceedings, finding it lacked jurisdiction over claims requesting declaratory or injunctive relief in PUC cases, district court gave plaintiffs leave to amend their complaint). A primary purpose of courts is to provide a forum for litigating disputes. Therefore, [u]nless enforcement of procedural requirements is essential to shield substantive rights, litigation should be determined on the merits and not on the basis of technical rules. People v. Dickinson, 197 Colo. 338, 339, 592 P.2d 807, 808 (Colo.1979). Because Trans Shuttle met the jurisdictional requirements for review of a PUC decision, the district court should have permitted Trans Shuttle to cure the technical deficiencies in its complaint.