HB 24-1437

HB 24-1437, which has been approved by the governor and will take effect on July 1, 2025, stops cities from paying defense lawyers a fixed fee for representing people who can't afford their own attorneys in cases of domestic violence. Instead, these cities must pay the same rates as the state of Colorado does when it contracts with defense attorneys for indigent defendants. This change affects municipalities that handle prosecutions and contract directly with defense attorneys for such cases. Once signed into law, this bill will ensure fairer compensation for lawyers defending indigent clients in domestic violence cases starting next year.

Official Summary

Beginning July 1, 2025, the act requires a municipality that prosecutes an act of domestic violence and that contracts directly with one or more defense attorneys to provide counsel to indigent defendants to ensure that the municipality's contract does not use a fixed or flat-fee payment structure for indigent defense services. The act requires the municipal court to instead use the same payment structure and rates that are paid by the state of Colorado to attorneys or other interdisciplinary team members under contract with the office of alternate defense counsel and consistent with chief justice directive 04-04. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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