Colorado Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Colorado that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Colorado court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Colorado court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Colorado court ordered it?
Colorado has a statewide statute. Under C.R.S. § 18-6-801, a person convicted of any crime that the court finds included an act of domestic violence must be ordered to complete a treatment evaluation and a treatment program that conform to standards set by the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) under § 16-11.8-103(4). The offender pays for the evaluation and treatment on a sliding scale under § 18-6-802.5.
Civil protection orders fall under C.R.S. title 13, article 14. A temporary order requires a finding of imminent danger, while a permanent order requires a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the conduct would continue unless restrained. Violating a protection order is a crime under § 18-6-803.5. Because each order is specific, confirm exactly what any court order requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Colorado included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Colorado court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Colorado-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Colorado civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Parenting time and decision-making: best interestsC.R.S. § 14-10-124
Courts decide based on the child's best interests, putting safety first. Restricting parenting time requires a hearing and a finding of endangerment, with specific findings that include domestic violence. A parent's protective actions to shield the child from abuse cannot be counted against that parent.
Civil protection orders: temporary ordersC.R.S. § 13-14-104.5
A person can seek protection for themselves or others against an adult or a juvenile aged ten or older. A temporary order requires a finding of imminent danger, and the person does not need to have reported the conduct to police. A show-cause hearing is set within 14 days.
Civil protection orders: permanent ordersC.R.S. § 13-14-106
After a hearing, the court can make an order permanent if it finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the respondent committed the acts and would continue them unless restrained. Imminent danger is not required, and the judge must warn that violating the order is a crime or contempt.
Criminal law
Domestic violence designation and sentencingC.R.S. §§ 18-6-800.3, 18-6-801
Domestic violence is an act or threatened act of violence against someone with whom the actor is or was in an intimate relationship, including parents of the same child. It is a designation added to other crimes, which triggers the court-ordered evaluation and treatment.
Assault in the third degreeC.R.S. §§ 18-3-204, 18-1.3-501
Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to another is a class 1 misdemeanor, which for offenses on or after March 1, 2022 carries up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
StalkingC.R.S. § 18-3-602
Repeatedly following, approaching, contacting or surveilling someone in connection with a credible threat, or in a way that causes serious emotional distress. A first offense is a class 5 felony; it is a class 4 felony if a protection order or similar court condition was in effect.
Violation of a protection orderC.R.S. § 18-6-803.5
Knowingly violating a served protection order is a class 2 misdemeanor, or a class 1 misdemeanor in cases such as a prior conviction, a stalking basis or an intimate relationship. Officers must arrest on probable cause of a violation.