Public comment sought on proposed changes to Chief Justice Directive 04-08 on child and family investigators

Friday, February 3, 2023
DENVER – The Colorado State Court Administrator’s Office has opened a 30-day public comment period for proposed changes to Chief Justice Directive 04-08, which sets the Colorado Judicial Department’s policy regarding child and family investigators (CFIs).

CFIs are appointed by a court to investigate, report and make independent and informed recommendations to the court regarding the best interests of the children in cases involving parental responsibilities including parenting time and decision making.

In February 2022, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright formed a work group of judges, court executives and administrative staff to review CJD 04-08 and make recommendations for changes. The last comprehensive review of CJD 04-08 was conducted in 2012. The work group is proposing amendments in several areas:

• Changing the complaint process to mirror the requirements regarding complaints against parental responsibility evaluators as detailed in CJD 21-02.  The new process would require findings in the trial court before a formal complaint can be filed. The work group believes this new procedure will make the complaint process less subjective.
• Increasing the payment cap for privately paid CFIs;
• Providing clarification for mixed pay cases; and
• Modifying several of the standards guiding CFIs and their conduct.

Interested parties may review the proposed revisions on the CFI web page at https://www.courts.state.co.us/Administration/Section.cfm?Section=jp3domprog, and may comment on the proposals on or before March 5, 2023, via a survey link on that page.

After the comment period has closed, the work group will finalize its proposed revisions and send them to Chief Justice Boatright for his consideration.