Colorado Code § 13-14-105.5

Civil protection orders - prohibition on possessing or purchasing a firearm
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(1) Order requirements. If the court subjects a respondent to a temporary or
permanent civil protection order and the court determines on the record after reviewing the
petition for the protection order that the protection order includes an act of domestic violence, as
defined in section 18-6-800.3 (1), and the act of domestic violence involved the threat of use, use
of, or attempted use of physical force, the court, as part of such order:
(a) Shall order the respondent to:
(I) Refrain from possessing or purchasing any firearm or ammunition for the duration of
the order; and
(II) Relinquish, for the duration of the order, any firearm or ammunition in the
respondent's immediate possession or control or subject to the respondent's immediate
possession or control; and
(b) May require that before the respondent is released from custody on bond, the
respondent relinquish, for the duration of the order, any firearm or ammunition in the
respondent's immediate possession or control or subject to the respondent's immediate
possession or control; and
(c) Shall schedule a compliance hearing pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section and
notify the respondent of the hearing date and that the respondent shall appear at the hearing in
person unless the hearing is vacated pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section.
(2) Time period to relinquish. (a) Except as described in subsection (2)(b) of this
section, upon issuance of an order pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the respondent shall
relinquish, in accordance with subsection (4) of this section, any firearm or ammunition:
(I) Not more than twenty-four hours, excluding legal holidays and weekends, after being
served with the order in open court; or
(II) Not more than forty-eight hours, excluding legal holidays and weekends, after being
served with the order outside of the court.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (2)(a) of this section, a court may allow a respondent up
to an additional twenty-four hours to relinquish a firearm if the respondent demonstrates to the
satisfaction of the court that the respondent is unable to comply within the time frame set forth in
subsection (2)(a) of this section.
(3) Additional time to comply if respondent in custody. If a respondent is unable to
satisfy the provisions of this section because the respondent is incarcerated or otherwise held in
the custody of a law enforcement agency, the court shall require the respondent to satisfy the
provisions of this section not more than twenty-four hours, excluding legal holidays and
weekends, after the respondent's release from incarceration or custody, or be held in contempt of
court. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection (3), the court may, in its discretion,
require the respondent to relinquish any firearm or ammunition in the respondent's immediate
possession or control or subject to the respondent's immediate possession or control before the
end of the respondent's incarceration. In such a case, a respondent's failure to relinquish a
firearm or ammunition as required constitutes contempt of court.
(4) Relinquishment options. To satisfy the requirement in subsection (2) of this section,
the respondent shall either:
(a) Sell or transfer possession of the firearm or ammunition to a federally licensed
firearms dealer described in 18 U.S.C. sec. 923, as amended; except that this provision must not
be interpreted to require any federally licensed firearms dealer to purchase or accept possession
of any firearm or ammunition; or
(b) Arrange for the storage of the firearm or ammunition by a law enforcement agency
or by a storage facility with which the sheriff has contracted for the storage of transferred
firearms or ammunition, pursuant to subsection (7)(a) of this section; except that this provision
must not be interpreted to require any law enforcement agency to provide storage of firearms or
ammunition for any person; or
(c) Sell or otherwise transfer the firearm or ammunition to a private party who may
legally possess the firearm or ammunition; except that a respondent who sells or transfers a
firearm pursuant to this subsection (4)(c) shall satisfy all of the provisions of section 18-12-112
concerning private firearms transfers, including but not limited to the performance of a criminal
background check of the transferee.
(5) Compliance hearing and affidavit. (a) The court shall conduct a compliance
hearing not less than eight but not more than twelve business days after the order is issued to
ensure the respondent has complied with subsection (5)(b) of this section. The court may vacate
the hearing if the court determines the respondent has completed the affidavit described in
subsection (5)(b) of this section. Failure to appear at a hearing described in this subsection (5)(a)
constitutes contempt of court.
(b) The respondent shall complete an affidavit, which must be filed in the court record
within seven business days after the order is issued, stating the number of firearms in the
respondent's immediate possession or control or subject to the respondent's immediate
possession or control, the make and model of each firearm, any reason the respondent is still in
immediate possession or control of such firearm, and the location of each firearm. If the
respondent does not possess a firearm at the time the order is issued pursuant to subsection (1) of
this section, the respondent shall indicate such nonpossession in the affidavit.
(c) If the respondent possessed a firearm at the time of the qualifying incident giving rise
to the duty to relinquish the firearm pursuant to this section but transferred or sold the firearm to
a private party prior to the court's issuance of the order, the respondent shall disclose the sale or
transfer of the firearm to the private party in the affidavit described in subsection (5)(b) of this
section. The respondent, within seven business days after the order is issued, shall acquire a
written receipt and signed declaration that complies with subsection (8)(a)(I) of this section, and
the respondent shall file the signed declaration at the same time the respondent files the affidavit
pursuant to subsection (5)(b) of this section.
(d) The state court administrator shall develop the affidavit described in subsection
(5)(b) of this section and all other forms necessary to implement this section no later than
January 1, 2022. State courts may use the forms developed by the state court administrator
pursuant to this subsection (5)(d) or another form of the court's choosing, so long as the forms
comply with the requirements of this subsection (5).
(e) Upon the sworn statement or testimony of the petitioner or of any law enforcement
officer alleging there is probable cause to believe the respondent has failed to comply with the
provisions of this section, the court shall determine whether probable cause exists to believe that
the respondent has failed to relinquish all firearms or a concealed carry permit in the
respondent's custody, control, or possession. If probable cause exists, the court shall issue a
search warrant that states with particularity the places to be searched and the items to be taken
into custody.
(6) Relinquishment to a federally licensed firearms dealer. A federally licensed
firearms dealer who takes possession of a firearm or ammunition pursuant to this section shall
issue a written receipt and signed declaration to the respondent at the time of relinquishment.
The declaration must memorialize the sale or transfer of the firearm. The federally licensed
firearms dealer shall not return the firearm or ammunition to the respondent unless the dealer:
(a) Contacts the Colorado bureau of investigation, referred to in this section as the
"bureau", to request that a criminal background check of the respondent be performed; and
(b) Obtains approval of the transfer from the bureau after the performance of the
criminal background check.
(7) Storage by a law enforcement agency or storage facility. (a) A local law
enforcement agency may elect to store firearms or ammunition for a respondent pursuant to this
section. The law enforcement agency may enter into an agreement with any other law
enforcement agency or storage facility for the storage of transferred firearms or ammunition. If a
law enforcement agency elects to store firearms or ammunition for a respondent:
(I) The law enforcement agency may charge a fee for the storage, the amount of which
must not exceed the direct and indirect costs incurred by the law enforcement agency in
providing the storage;
(II) The law enforcement agency shall establish policies for disposal of abandoned or
stolen firearms or ammunition; and
(III) The law enforcement agency shall issue a written receipt and signed declaration to
the respondent at the time of relinquishment. The declaration must memorialize the transfer of
the firearm.
(b) If a local law enforcement agency elects to store firearms or ammunition for a
respondent pursuant to this subsection (7), the law enforcement agency shall not return the
firearm or ammunition to the respondent unless the law enforcement agency:
(I) Contacts the bureau to request that a criminal background check of the respondent be
performed; and
(II) Obtains approval of the transfer from the bureau after the performance of the
criminal background check.
(c) (I) A law enforcement agency that elects to store a firearm or ammunition for a
respondent pursuant to this section may elect to cease storing the firearm or ammunition. A law
enforcement agency that elects to cease storing a firearm or ammunition for a respondent shall
notify the respondent of the decision and request that the respondent immediately make
arrangements for the transfer of the possession of the firearm or ammunition to the respondent
or, if the respondent is prohibited from possessing a firearm, to another person who is legally
permitted to possess a firearm.
(II) If a law enforcement agency elects to cease storing a firearm or ammunition for a
respondent and notifies the respondent as described in subsection (7)(c)(I) of this section, the law
enforcement agency may dispose of the firearm or ammunition if the respondent fails to make
arrangements for the transfer of the firearm or ammunition and complete the transfer within
ninety days after receiving the notification.
(d) A law enforcement agency that elects to store a firearm or ammunition shall obtain a
search warrant to examine or test the firearm or ammunition or facilitate a criminal investigation
if a law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe the firearm or ammunition has been
used in the commission of a crime, is stolen, or is contraband. This subsection (7)(d) does not
preclude a law enforcement agency from conducting a routine inspection of the firearm or
ammunition prior to accepting the firearm for storage.
(8) Relinquishment to a private party. (a) If a respondent sells or otherwise transfers a
firearm or ammunition to a private party who may legally possess the firearm or ammunition, as
described in subsection (4)(c) of this section, the respondent shall acquire:
(I) From the federally licensed firearms dealer, a written receipt and signed declaration
memorializing the transfer, which receipt must be dated and signed by the respondent, the
transferee, and the federally licensed firearms dealer; and
(II) From the federally licensed firearms dealer who requests from the bureau a criminal
background check of the transferee, as described in section 18-12-112, a written statement of the
results of the criminal background check.
(b) The respondent shall not transfer the firearm to a private party living in the same
residence as the defendant at the time of the transfer.
(c) Notwithstanding section 18-12-112, if a private party elects to store a firearm for a
respondent pursuant to this section, the private party shall not return the firearm to the
respondent unless the private party acquires from the federally licensed firearms dealer who
requests from the bureau a background check of the respondent, a written statement of the results
of the background check authorizing the return of the firearm to the respondent.
(9) Requirement to file signed declaration. (a) The respondent shall file a copy of the
signed declaration issued pursuant to subsection (6), (7)(a)(III), or (8)(a)(I) of this section, and, if
applicable, the written statement of the results of a criminal background check performed on the
respondent, as described in subsection (8)(a)(II) of this section, with the court as proof of the
relinquishment at the same time the respondent files the signed affidavit pursuant to subsection
(5)(b) of this section. The signed declaration and written statement filed pursuant to this
subsection (9) are only available for inspection by the court and the parties to the proceeding. If
a respondent fails to timely transfer or sell a firearm or file the signed declaration or written
statement as described in this subsection (9):
(I) The failure constitutes a violation of the protection order pursuant to section 18-6-
803.5 (1)(c); and
(II) The court shall issue a warrant for the respondent's arrest.
(b) In any subsequent prosecution for a violation of a protection order described in this
subsection (9), the court shall take judicial notice of the respondent's failure to transfer or sell a
firearm, or file the signed declaration or written statement, which constitutes prima facie
evidence of a violation of the protection order pursuant to section 18-6-803.5 (1)(c), and
testimony of the clerk of the court or the clerk of the court's deputy is not required.
(10) Nothing in this section limits a respondent's right to petition the court for dismissal
of a protection order.
(11) A respondent subject to a civil protection order issued pursuant to section 13-14-
104.5 (1)(a) who possesses or attempts to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition while the
protection order is in effect violates the order pursuant to section 18-6-803.5 (1)(c).
(12) (a) A law enforcement agency that elects in good faith to not store a firearm or
ammunition for a respondent pursuant to subsection (7)(a) of this section is not criminally or
civilly liable for such inaction.
(b) A law enforcement agency that returns possession of a firearm or ammunition to a
respondent in good faith as permitted by subsection (7) of this section is not criminally or civilly
liable for such action.
(13) Immunity. A federally licensed firearms dealer, law enforcement agency, storage
facility, or private party that elects to store a firearm pursuant to this section is not civilly liable
for any resulting damages to the firearm, as long as such damage did not result from the willful
and wrongful act or gross negligence of the federally licensed firearms dealer, law enforcement
agency, storage facility, or private party.

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