Opinion ID: 2509476
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statutory Limitations on Postconviction Relief

Text: In construing a statute, it is our primary purpose to ascertain and give effect to the intent of the legislature. Charnes v. Boom, 766 P.2d 665, 667 (Colo.1988). To that end, we look first to the language of the statute itself. People v. Dist. Court, 713 P.2d 918 (Colo.1986). Words and phrases are given effect according to their plain and ordinary meaning. Id. This plain meaning rule informs our principle that a statute may not be construed to abrogate the common law unless such abrogation was clearly the intent of the general assembly. Preston v. Dupont, 35 P.3d 433, 440 (Colo.2001), Robinson v. Kerr, 144 Colo. 48, 52, 355 P.2d 117, 119-20 (1960). Absent such clear intent, statutes must be deemed subject to the common law. Bradley v. People, 8 Colo. 599, 604, 9 P. 783, 786 (1886). Finally, statutes in derogation of the common law must be strictly construed in favor of the person against whom the provisions are intended to apply. Preston, 35 P.3d at 440. As relevant in this case, the statute of limitations for collateral attack upon convictions provides: Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, no person who has been convicted as an adult or who has been adjudicated as a juvenile under a criminal statute of this or any other state of the United States shall collaterally attack the validity of that conviction or adjudication unless such attack is commenced within the applicable time period, as provided in subsection (1), following the date of said conviction ...: All class 1 felonies: No limit All other felonies: Three years § 16-5-402(1). This statute was adopted in 1981 to address the inherent difficulties of defending against stale claims. See ch. 190, sec. 3, § 16-5-402, 1981 Colo. Sess. Laws 926-27. The objective of the general assembly in enacting section 16-5-402 was to reduce the availability of postconviction review to the extent constitutionally permissible. People v. Fagerholm, 768 P.2d 689, 692 (Colo.1989). The goals of section 16-5-402 are two-fold. First, the statute seeks to alleviate the difficulties attending the litigation of stale claims. § 16-5-402(2). Second, section 16-5-402 gives finality to judgments of conviction so that other provisions directed at repeat offenders, former offenders and habitual offenders will not be undermined. Wiedemer, 852 P.2d at 429. Within the reach of these two principles we must decided whether the common law defense of laches survives the enactment of section 16-5-402. Presumably because of the severity of sentences imposed for class one felonies, the legislature determined that attacks on judgment of convictions for such offenses should not be subject to absolute statutory limits. Id. at 428. However, the statute is silent as to whether laches may still bar such an attack. First, we consider the nature and application of the doctrine of laches.