Measuring Rule 16.1: Colorado’s Simplified Civil Procedure Experiment

This report is a follow-up to IAALS’ 2010 publication of Surveys of the Colorado Bench & Bar on Colorado’s Simplified Pretrial Procedure for Civil Actions, focused on C.R.C.P. 16.1, a voluntary pretrial process for state court actions seeking $100,000 or less. The original survey effort provided the basis for a more objective study to verify and quantify the role of this rule in practice.

This report, containing a docket analysis complemented by in-depth interviews, examines the Colorado experience to provide insight to jurisdictions around the country interested in streamlined pretrial procedures, case differentiation, and voluntary processes.