SB 18-222

Senate Bill 18-222, which has been signed into law, requires the judicial department to reimburse district attorneys for costs incurred when defending against postconviction Rule 35 motions. This includes expenses like hiring witnesses, travel, and attorney fees, all of which must be paid at rates similar to those used by defense counsel. The law will take effect on July 1, 2019, helping to ensure that district attorneys are fairly compensated for these legal proceedings.

Official Summary

The bill requires the judicial department to reimburse a district attorney for costs associated with litigating postconviction rule 35 of the Colorado criminal procedure motions. Costs include lay and expert witness expenses, travel expenses, subpoena expenses, required transcript costs, and attorney time billed at the same rate as the alternate defense counsel rate. The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2019. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

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