Opinion ID: 2600132
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: C.A.R. 21 Jurisdiction

Text: We have original jurisdiction under C.A.R. 21 to review whether a trial court abused its discretion in circumstances where a remedy on appeal would prove inadequate. Silva v. Basin W., Inc., 47 P.3d 1184, 1187 (Colo.2002); Leaffer v. Zarlengo, 44 P.3d 1072, 1077 (Colo.2002); Todd v. Bear Valley Vill. Apartments, 980 P.2d 973, 975 (Colo.1999). Ultimately, the exercise of original jurisdiction is governed by the particular circumstances of the case. Hamon Contractors, Inc. v. Dist. Court, 877 P.2d 884, 887 (Colo.1994). Accordingly, given the unique circumstances of the present case and procedural context in which it arose, we exercise original jurisdiction to determine whether the trial court erred in granting judgment against Genesee Company and Horseshoe Lake Investors for the damages contained within Morgan's initial disclosure statement. Generally, orders relating to discovery are interlocutory in nature and not reviewable in an original proceeding. Silva, 47 P.3d at 1187; Bond v. Dist. Court, 682 P.2d 33, 36 (Colo.1984). However: we have not been reluctant to exercise that original jurisdiction when an order, otherwise interlocutory in character, will place a party at a significant disadvantage in litigating the merits of the controversy. Although matters of pretrial discovery are ordinarily within the discretion of the trial court, they are not exempted from extraordinary relief under appropriate circumstances. Sanchez v. Dist. Court, 624 P.2d 1314, 1316-17 (Colo.1981). In the present case, the trial court exceeded its authority to regulate the pretrial discovery process by granting the defendants' joint motion for judgment for the amount of damages specified in Morgan's initial disclosure statement and effectively imposing settlement on Morgan. Thus, we exercise original jurisdiction, make the rule absolute, and direct the trial court to deny the joint motion for judgment that it previously granted.