Appeals court cites week-old Colorado law to reinstate child neglect case at child, father's request

Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday reinstated a child neglect case after invoking a new state law for the first time, in a dispute involving a girl identified as M.G.W. and her father, K.W. House Bill 1227 took effect Aug. 12 and reversed a 2025 Colorado Supreme Court decision in People in the Interest of R.M.P. that limited who could litigate child welfare cases and warned against a “weaponized family court system.” In the underlying matter, El Paso County moved to dismiss the case in early 2025, arguing K.W. complied with an agreement and there were no active safety concerns. A judge granted dismissal, but M.G.W. and K.W. appealed. A three-judge panel concluded Aug. 20 that HB 1227 made the appeal moot because it granted the requested hearing, remanding for a new hearing to assess whether the county has a reasonable basis to dismiss.