Colorado Family Law Acronyms and Abbreviations

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Blog posts, statutes, and orders in Colorado family law proceedings can be chock-full of acronyms and abbreviations.  Combine all the confusing acronyms with the fact that the process can be convoluted and misunderstood to begin with and it’s a recipe for disaster for anyone without years of experience in the industry.  In the interest of making things a bit more transparent here is a simple list of common Colorado family law acronyms and abbreviations.

The List:

  • CFI – Child and Family Investigator.  A Child and Family Investigator is an impartial professional that the court can appoint to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case and compile a report recommending a parenting plan for the court to review and consider when determining parenting time, decision-making rights, requests to relocate, etc.
  • CPO or CRO – Civil Protection Order or Civil Restraining Order.  A protection/restraining order issued by the civil court at the request of one party.  Unlike a mandatory or criminal protection order, a civil protection order is specifically sought and is not issued as part of an ongoing criminal case.
  • C.R.C.P. – Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure.  The statutory rules that establish the procedures, rules, and timelines that must be followed in family law cases.
  • C.R.S. – Colorado Revised Statutes.  Family law proceedings in Colorado are governed by the laws within Title 14, Article 10 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.  These laws are the legal basis for family law proceedings and establish everything from the factors the court must consider in their rulings on parenting time to how child support and maintenance are calculated, and when each can be modified. 
  • ISC – Initial Status Conference.  The court will schedule an Initial Status Conference as the first court date after a family law case is filed.  The Initial Status Conference is not a substantive hearing, meaning that issues like parenting time, maintenance/child support, etc. will not be settled. An ISC is more of an opportunity for the court and the parties to discuss what needs to be done to move the case forward and what next procedural steps are necessary.
  • MPO or MRO – Mandatory Protection Order or Mandatory Restraining Order.  Some criminal charges require the court to put in place a protection order while the criminal case is being addressed.  These protection orders that must accompany certain criminal charges are known as mandatory protection orders.
  • Pet – Petitioner.  The party who filed the case.
  • PO or POH – Permanent Orders or Permanent Orders Hearing.  If the parties are unable to reach an agreement on all open issues the court will set a permanent orders hearing to address any unresolved issue.  This permanent orders hearing is where each party will be able to make an argument for, and admit evidence to support, their position/request on the open issue.  After the permanent orders hearing the court will issue orders concerning the issues addressed at the hearing.
  • PRE – Parental Responsibilities Evaluator.  A Parental Responsibilities Evaluator is a mental health professional that will investigate the circumstances surrounding a case and compile a report similar, but more in depth, to that of a CFI.  One of the big differences between a PRE and a CFI is that a PRE, unlike a CFI, can delve into and test for issues like addictions or mental health diagnoses which could impact the recommendation provided to the court.
  • PTC – Pre-Trial Conference.  Some judges will set a pre-trial conference in the weeks leading up to a contested hearing.  The purpose of a pre-trial conference is typically to make sure all parties are aware of the procedures during the hearing, to determine if both parties will be prepared to proceed to the hearing as scheduled, and if there are any issues that need the court’s attention before the hearing itself.
  • Resp – Respondent.  The party to the case that did not file the case.
  • SFS – Sworn Financial Statement.  If child support, maintenance, and/or division of assets and debts need to be addressed each party will need to complete and file a Sworn Financial Statement which details their income, expenses, assets, and debts.
  • TO or TOH – Temporary Orders or Temporary Orders Hearing.  Family law cases in Colorado can be a slow process.  Complicated and heavily contested hearings can easily stretch out to a year or more between when the case is filed and when the permanent orders hearing takes place.  There are circumstances where a parenting time schedule or orders regarding child support or maintenance cannot wait until the permanent orders hearing.  In those instances a temporary orders hearing can be requested to establish temporary orders in those areas while the case is pending.

It’s no simple task learning the ins and outs of family law proceedings in Colorado, and of course knowing these acronyms and terms won’t make you an expert in the area but hopefully it can help make a bit more sense out of what can be a perplexing and overwhelming process.

Where to Find More Information


For more information on how the family law process works in Colorado see my brief articles on the basic procedure here: https://www.dillielaw.com/blog/colorado-family-law-procedure-part-1/ and here: https://www.dillielaw.com/blog/colorado-family-law-procedure-part-2/. 

Also, check out the resources that the Colorado Courts publish for pro se parties here: https://www.courts.state.co.us/Self_Help/Index.cfm.

Lastly, don’t forget to keep an eye on my blog here: https://www.dillielaw.com/blog/ for approachable information and insights into all things family law in Colorado and feel free to contact me directly at DillieLawOffice@gmail.com or (720) 507-3105 if you need more guidance with a family law case in Colorado.