HOW TO DOMESTICATE A FOREIGN SUBPOENA IN colorado

This article will provide guidance on How To Domesticate a Foreign Subpoena in Colorado. In Colorado, to request the issuance of a subpoenaing party must submit a foreign subpoena to the district court for the county in which discovery is sought to be conducted. A request to issue a subpoena under this section does not constitute an appearance in the Colorado Courts.  When a party submits a foreign subpoena to a clerk of court in Colorado, the primary duty of the clerk is to comply with that Colorado UIDDA Service procedure. Once verified, the clerk can only issue a subpoena for Colorado UIDDA Service upon the person to whom the foreign subpoena is directed.

Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (uidda)-Colorado

A subpoena in Colorado must: [A.] incorporate the terms used in the foreign subpoena; and [B.] contain or be accompanied by the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all counsel of record in the proceeding to which the subpoena relates and of any party not represented by counsel 

There are two components to this issuance of a subpoena; form and content. Suppose a person is ordered to produce records, books, papers, or tangible things. In that case, the subpoena must state the name of the court from which it was issued, the name of the action, the court in which it is currently pending, and the case number as per Colorado UIDDA Service requirements. The subpoena effectively will command each person to attend and testify at a deposition or hearing (or both) at a specified time or place; or produce designated records or tangible things in that person's possession.

The parties and their lawyers, if any, who deliver the subpoena must also be identified.  It must be ensured that the Colorado UIDDA Service copy of the subpoena should be written verbatim on or attached to the subpoena if it requires a deposition attendance. 

When a directive to create is combined or separated, a subpoena requiring presence at a deposition, hearing, or trial may include a Colorado UIDDA Service request for documents or physical items. Alternatively, a separate subpoena without attendance requirements may include such a request. Subpoenas for depositions must adhere to the norms of discovery. 

SERVICE OF A SUBPOENA IN COLORADO

Unless the court determines differently for a good cause, a subpoena issued cannot be used to acquire discovery from the listed parties to the case. A subpoena, signed but otherwise blank, must be issued by the court clerk where the matter is docketed to a party who asks it. Before Colorado UIDDA Service may be served, that party must finish it. A subpoena may be issued, completed, and signed by an attorney who has appeared in the matter as an officer of the court.

First and foremost, one must identify the right time to enact Colorado UIDDA Service. A subpoena is a summons to appear in court or to provide testimony. No later than forty-eight hours before the attendance time specified in the subpoena, the service of a subpoena for testimony solely in a trial or hearing should be made.

 Within seven days after the deposition, a subpoena for testimony must be served. When there is a Colorado UIDDA Service request for papers to be produced by subpoena fourteen days before the compliance deadline, any subpoena directing a person to provide documents or physical items in that person's possession, custody, or control must be served. Prior to compliance, Colorado UIDDA Service must be provided in the instance of an accelerated hearing under these rules or any applicable legislation.

Secondly, it is also important to comprehend who serves the subpoena and how Colorado UIDDA Service is done. A subpoena may be served by anybody over eighteen who is not a party to the case. Delivering a copy of Colorado UIDDA Service to the individual listed in the subpoena is required under due process, and a Colorado UIDDA Service copy must be sent to that person. An acknowledgment or waiver of service signed by the individual whose name is on the subpoena is also acceptable proof of service of process. Anywhere in Colorado is acceptable as a location for providing Colorado UIDDA Service.

Colorado UIDDA Service on the parties is the first step in the process. The party or attorney who issued the subpoena must immediately serve a copy of the subpoena to all parties. Subpoenaed parties must be given sufficient notice of any changes to the subpoena, such as new dates and times for depositions or the production of documents and physical objects that have been made.

 There must be prompt access to Colorado UIDDA Service documents and tangible items produced by the responding party for review and copying by the party that issued the subpoena for producing records or tangible things.

WHAT IF THE RECORDS ARE PRIVILEGED?

In order to obtain records pertaining to services performed by or at the direction of a person who is protected by C.R.S. 13-90-107 ("privileged records"), a subpoena must be accompanied by an authorization signed by the person or persons who are entitled to the privilege or by a court order authorizing the production of those records. Prior to entering an order for a subpoena to obtain privileged records, the court should consider the rights of the holder or holders of such privileges in such privileged records, including an appropriate means of notice to the holder or holders of the privileges or whether any objection to production can be solved by redaction.

Subpoenas for protected documents that do not contain written permission or court order to deliver the records by subpoena do not require the summoned person to testify or divulge any privileged records unless the subpoenaed person is compelled to do so as per Colorado UIDDA Service.

After receiving a timely motion, the court can quash or alter the subpoena to safeguard a person being subpoenaed or impacted by it. Instead of quashing or modifying a subpoena, the court can order attendance or production under specific conditions if the issuing party [A.] shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be met without undue hardship; and [B.] ensures that the subpoenaed person will be reasonably compensated.

OUT-OF-STATE SUBPOENA

Subpoenas may only be used to compel a resident of Colorado to appear for a deposition examination in the county where the witness lives, works, or does business in person or at any other convenient location as determined by a court order of jurisdiction.

Suppose a nonresident of this state is served with a subpoena. In that case, they may only be summoned to appear within forty miles of where they live, work, or do business in Colorado or at a convenient location as the court deems appropriate.

Subpoenas may be issued only if a party submits the required documents to a Superior or Probate Court clerk in the court or probate district where discovery is sought, as the case may be. A foreign subpoena in original or true copy, the form prescribed, and the fee prescribed for issuance of a foreign subpoena are necessary for any action in the Superior Court.

The Chief Court Administrator's Office and the Probate Court Administrator's Office prescribe the Colorado UIDDA Service form necessary to be filed for any action before the Superior Court and the Probate Court. Colorado UIDDA Service requires that a clerk of the Superior Court or the Probate Court promptly issue an order for service on a person named in the foreign subpoena when presented to the clerk by a party. 

The terms used in the foreign subpoena must be incorporated into the subpoena. An affidavit from the party must list all counsel's names, addresses, telephone numbers, and any other party not represented by counsel in the proceeding to which the subpoena pertains. It is required that every subpoena issued by a Superior Court clerk use a Colorado UIDDA Service form provided by that office's office.

As of July 1, 2023, every request for discovery in an active ongoing or filed on or after that date will be subject to the abovementioned rule.  Colorado requires that all depositions occur before a judge or clerk from any court, justice of the peace, notary public, or Superior Court Commissioner. The depositions for use in a civil action or probate proceeding within Colorado must be taken before a notary public, a commissioner appointed by the Governor of this state, any magistrate with the power to administer oaths, or a person commissary. 

Any individual thus appointed has the authority to administer oaths and take evidence on behalf of the government. The Secretary of State of the United States may issue a certificate certifying the official character of a foreign minister, secretary of a legation, consul or vice-consul, appointed by the United States or any person by him appointed for the purpose and having authority under the laws of the county where deposition is to be taken; and the Secretary of State of the United States may issue a certificate verifying the official character of a foreign official.

Non-residents are only covered if they are either parties or witnesses to the action. In order to be subject to the court's jurisdiction, non-residents must first be properly served in the case or have waived or agreed to the jurisdiction of a Colorado court. 

Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act Adopted - 2008
Bill Number: HB 1174 - Sponsor McGihon
COLO. REV. STAT. ANN §13-90.5-103 (2016)
Instructions For Issuing a Subpoena Click Here
Request To Issue Subpoena Click Here
Subpoena To Appear/Produce Click Here
Sample Subpoena forms Click Here
Colorado Courts Click Here

(1) To request the issuance of a subpoena, a party must submit a foreign subpoena to the district court for the county in which discovery is sought to be conducted in this state. A request to issue a subpoena under this section does not constitute an appearance in the courts of this state.

(2) When a party submits a foreign subpoena to a clerk of court in this state, the clerk, in accordance with that court's procedure, shall promptly issue a subpoena for service upon the person to which the foreign subpoena is directed.

(3) A subpoena under subsection (2) of this section must:

(a) Incorporate the terms used in the foreign subpoena; and
(b) Contain or be accompanied by the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all counsel of record in the proceeding to which the subpoena relates and of any party not represented by counsel.

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1. If documents or a physical object are requested, lay out the language according to Colorado UIDDA Service laws.

2. C.R.C.P. 16.1, 16.2, or 26 prohibits using subpoenas to circumvent the restrictions on discovery set out in those statutes.

3. C.R.C.P. 26 permits a deposition subpoena to demand the production of documents or physical objects that are within the scope of discovery

4. There must be paid for one day's mileage allowed by law made available to anyone required to appear under oath, whether that payment is given to the person summoned when the summons is served or as soon as possible afterward. This payment must be made available before the person's appearance date. It is unnecessary to provide proof of mileage reimbursement when a subpoena is issued in the name of the state of Colorado or any of its officials or agencies.

5. Sections 4(i), 26(b), 26(c), and 30(b and 31) all deal with the way in which the service of process may be proven, as well as the breadth of the discovery that can be made, and the protections that can be granted to those involved in the process of discovery. 

6. In accordance with C.R.C.P. 4, proof of service is required. Subpoenas and returns of service are not required to be submitted to the court in the event of a subpoena-related lawsuit.

7. According to C.R.C.P. 5, provided that such service is not necessary for a subpoena issued pursuant to C.R.C.P. 69, which does not require such service.

8. Stubblefield v. District Court (1979) and Black ex rel. Bayless (2006; 665 P.2d 1029). (Colo. App. 1983). Witnesses' Presence II. A subpoena can't be quashed because of legal protections. Because of the attorney-client privilege and attorney work product doctrine, the trial court was wrong to quash a witness's subpoena. These rights may be used at trial as a bar to particular inquiries, but they are not grounds for quashing a duly issued subpoena.

9. A trade secret or other sensitive research, development, or commercial data may be disclosed in one of two ways: (1) by disclosing it to a third party; or (2) by disclosing it to a third party without their express permission and without describing the precise issues in dispute.

10. As described in Rule 45(c)(3)(B).

11. Rule 30(b) provisions apply to a subpoena directing the attendance and testimony of a public or private business, partnership, organization, government agency, or other body during a deposition (6). Rule 30(b) also applies to responses to such subpoenas

12. under section 52-259 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or the fee prescribed in section 45a-106a of the general statutes, as amended by this act,

13. It is unnecessary to appear in any court in this state when a subpoena is requested according to this section or sections 47 to 49 of the act. 

14. A clerk of the Probate Court must issue a subpoena on a form authorized by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator. Section 47

15.  As defined in section 45 of this act, which has enacted laws substantially similar to sections 44 File No. 508 / File No. 508

16. When there is no evidence that a subpoena was issued in accordance with section (e) of this rule, it is not an error to refuse to reopen a compensation case to get testimony from a witness: 111 Colo. 470, 143 P.2d 267, Pacific Employers Insurance Co. v. Kirkpatrick (1943).

17. The case of Solliday v. District Court, 135 Colo. 489, 313 P.2d 1000 (1957); the case of Minnesota ex rel. Minnesota Att'y Gen. (1964). 

There are implicit restrictions to this rule that apply to non-residents who are not parties to an action in Colorado or have not been served in Colorado because of a mutual agreement or uniform legislation.  Applicable in the case of CeBuzz, Inc. v. Sniderman, 171 Colorado 246 (1970).