Colorado Code
Part 3 - Enforcement
§ 14-13-312. Costs, Fees, and Expenses

Source: L. 2000: Entire article R&RE, p. 1536, § 1, effective July 1.
This section is derived from the International Child Abduction Remedies Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11607(b)(3). Normally the court will award fees and costs against the non-prevailing party. Included as expenses are the amount of investigation fees incurred by private persons or by public officials as well as the cost of child placement during the proceedings.
The non-prevailing party has the burden of showing that such an award would be clearly inappropriate. Fees and costs may be inappropriate if their payment would cause the parent and child to seek public assistance.
This section implements the policies of Section 8(c) of Pub.L. 96-611 (part of the PKPA) which provides that:
In furtherance of the purposes of section 1738A of title 28, United States Code [this section], as added by subsection (1) of this section, State courts are encouraged to --
(2) award to the person entitled to custody or visitation pursuant to a custody determination which is consistent with the provisions of such section 1738A [this section], necessary travel expenses, attorneys' fees, costs of private investigations, witness fees or expenses, and other expenses incurred in connection with such custody determination ... .
The term "prevailing party" is not given a special definition for this Act. Each State will apply its own standard.
Subsection (2) was added to ensure that this section would not apply to the State unless otherwise authorized. The language is taken from UIFSA § 313 (court may assess costs against obligee or support enforcement agency only if allowed by local law).

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