Colorado § 13-20-207 - Correspondent not to be disclosed - cross-examination - effect.

§ 13-20-207. Correspondent not to be disclosed - cross-examination - effect.

(1) No attorney appearing in any of the proceedings mentioned in section 13-20-206 on behalf of a party thereto asserting misconduct by the adverse party shall ask of any witness any question intended or calculated to disclose the name or identity of any third person charged as correspondent or participant in any such misconduct, nor shall any party or witness testifying on behalf of a party asserting misconduct by the adverse party name or identify any third person charged as a correspondent or participant in any such misconduct; except that, if the court in the exercise of sound discretion so orders, counsel for any party charged with any act of misconduct with a third person may be permitted to cross-examine a witness who has testified to any such act of misconduct concerning the identity of any such third person and, within such limits as the court may prescribe, such witness may make answer to questions so asked.

(2) In all testimony in such actions, proceedings, and citations, designation of such correspondent or other alleged participant in misconduct by general language not sufficient for identification operates with the same legal effect as complete identification. The discretion vested in the court by this section shall be exercised in such manner as to avoid injustice to litigants, while at the same time avoiding so far as possible the public revelation of the name or identity of such third person, and to this end the court, in all such cases, may impound pleadings or other documents in the case and hear such testimony in chambers. This section shall not be construed to change the grounds for dissolution of marriage or impair the substantive rights of parties in those cases, but to regulate pleading, practice, and testimony therein so as to eliminate criminal intimidation and public scandal. The provisions of this section apply as well to the taking of testimony by deposition as to proceedings before the court. The deposition of any correspondent or participant in misconduct shall be taken behind closed doors and, when filed in court, shall be sealed, not to be opened without the order of the court. Any willful violation of any provision of this section by any attorney, party, or witness constitutes a direct contempt of the court having jurisdiction of the proceedings in which the same occurs and may be punished by the court with a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars as the court deems proper.

Source: L. 37: p. 407, § 8. CSA: C. 24A, § 8. CRS 53: § 41-3-7. C.R.S. 1963: § 41-3-7. L. 72: p. 558, § 13.