(a) Obligations of Parties and Attorneys. Every pleading of a party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one attorney of record in his individual name. The initial pleading shall state the current number of his registration issued to him by the Supreme Court. The attorney's address and that of the party shall also be stated. A party who is not represented by an attorney shall sign his pleadings and state his address. Except when otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute, pleadings need not be verified or accompanied by affidavit. The signature of an attorney constitutes a certificate by him that he has read the pleading; that to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief formed after reasonable inquiry, it is well grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law, and that it is not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation. If a pleading is not signed it shall be stricken unless it is signed promptly after the omission is called to the attention of the pleader. If the current registration number of the attorney is not included with his signature, the clerk of the court shall request from the attorney the registration number. If the attorney is unable to furnish the court with a registration number, that fact shall be reported to the clerk of the Supreme Court, but the clerk shall nevertheless accept the filing. If a pleading is signed in violation of this Rule, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative, shall impose upon the person who signed it, a represented party, or both, an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay to the other party or parties the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred because of the filing of the pleading, including a reasonable attorney's fee, provided, however, that failing to be registered shall be governed by Rule 227. Reasonable expenses, including a reasonable attorney's fee, shall not be assessed if, after filing, a voluntary dismissal or withdrawal is filed as to any claim, action or defense, within a reasonable time after the attorney or party filing the pleading knew, or reasonably should have known, that he would not prevail on said claim, action, or defense.
Rule 11.Signing of Pleadings
Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified July 10, 2026
In one sentenceRule 11 requires every pleading to be signed by an attorney or the unrepresented party, makes that signature a certification that the filing is well-grounded and not for an improper purpose, and lets attorneys give Colorado litigants limited, disclosed legal help without entering a full appearance.
Full Text of Rule 11
(b) Limited Legal Services. An attorney may provide limited legal services to a self-represented party involved in a civil proceeding in accordance with Colo. R.P.C. 1.2(c) and the following provisions.
(1) Limited Legal Services Requiring Entry of Appearance and Withdrawal. An attorney may make a limited appearance for a self-represented party in a civil proceeding if the attorney files and serves with the court and the other parties and attorneys (if any) a notice of the limited appearance prior to or simultaneous with the part(s) of the proceeding for which the attorney appears. At the conclusion of such part(s) of the proceeding, the attorney's appearance terminates without the necessity of leave of court, upon the attorney filing a notice of completion of limited appearance. Service on an attorney who makes a limited appearance for a party will be valid only in connection with the specific part(s) of the proceeding for which the attorney appears.
(2) Limited Legal Services Requiring Disclosure of Attorney Assistance without Entry of Appearance. An attorney may provide drafting assistance to a self-represented party involved in a civil proceeding without filing a notice of limited appearance. Documents filed by the self-represented party that were prepared with the drafting assistance of the attorney must include the attorney's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and Colorado Bar registration number. The attorney must provide a signed attorney disclosure certification to the self-represented party for the self-represented party to file with the court as an attachment to the document(s). The certification must indicate whether the attorney provided drafting assistance for the entire document or for specific sections only, and if for specific sections, indicate which sections. The certification also must contain the following statement: “In helping to draft the document filed by the self-represented party, the attorney certifies that, to the best of the attorney's knowledge, information, and belief, this document, or specified section(s), is (A) well-grounded in fact based upon a reasonable inquiry of the self-represented party by the attorney, (B) warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law, and (C) not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation.” The attorney in providing such drafting assistance may rely on the self-represented party's representation of facts, unless the attorney has reason to believe that such representations are false or materially insufficient, in which instance the attorney must make an independent reasonable inquiry into the facts. The attorney's violation of this subsection (b)(2) may subject the attorney to the sanctions provided for in C.R.C.P. 11(a). Providing limited legal services to a self-represented party under this subsection (b)(2) does not constitute an entry of appearance by the attorney for purposes of this rule and does not authorize or require the service of papers upon the attorney.
(3) Limited Legal Services Not Requiring Entry of Appearance or Disclosure of Attorney Assistance. An attorney may provide the following forms of assistance to a self- represented party in a civil proceeding without satisfying the requirements of subsections (b)(1) and (2) of this rule: (A) assistance in filling out pre-printed or electronically published forms that are issued by the judicial branch; (B) oral assistance or advice given to the self-represented party regarding the self-represented party’s case; and (C) short-term legal assistance offered to a self-represented party on a pro bono basis, including but not limited to assistance through a nonprofit or court-sponsored program, that does not create an expectation by either the client or the lawyer that legal assistance will continue. Providing limited legal services to a self-represented party under this subsection (b)(3) does not authorize or require the service of papers upon the attorney.
Amendment History
Amended effective January 1, 1987; July 1, 1999; December 19, 2024; January 16, 2025.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 11 makes signing a pleading more than a formality. An attorney of record must sign in an individual capacity and include a registration number and address; a party without a lawyer signs personally and lists an address. That signature certifies the attorney read the pleading and, after reasonable inquiry, believes it is grounded in fact and warranted by existing law or a good-faith argument to change it, and that it was not filed to harass or run up costs. An unsigned pleading gets struck unless it is signed promptly once the omission is flagged, and a court can sanction whoever signed a pleading that violates the rule, including ordering payment of the other side's reasonable expenses and attorney's fees — though that sanction does not apply if the case or claim is voluntarily dismissed within a reasonable time after the party or lawyer learns it will not prevail.
Section (b) gives attorneys a framework for helping self-represented litigants without taking on full representation. A lawyer can enter a limited appearance for a defined part of a case and exit automatically once that part concludes, can provide drafting help behind the scenes as long as the litigant discloses the assistance and files a signed certification from the attorney, or can give more informal help — filling out standard forms, oral advice, or short-term pro bono assistance — without any notice or disclosure at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to sign a pleading in Colorado?
Rule 11(a) requires an attorney of record to sign pleadings for a represented party, including a registration number and address, while a self-represented party signs personally.
What does signing a pleading certify?
The signature certifies the signer read the pleading and, after reasonable inquiry, believes it is grounded in fact, warranted by existing law or a good-faith argument to change it, and not filed to harass or delay.
Can a lawyer help me with my case without formally representing me?
Yes — Rule 11(b) lets an attorney give limited, disclosed help such as drafting documents or making a limited court appearance for part of a case, or give informal assistance like form help or short-term pro bono advice, without taking on full representation.
What happens if I sign a pleading that turns out to be groundless?
The court can sanction the signer, which may include ordering payment of the other side's reasonable expenses and attorney's fees, though that penalty does not apply if the claim is voluntarily dismissed within a reasonable time after the problem becomes apparent.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (Colo. R. Civ. P. 11). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-2-108; Colo. Const. art. VI). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 10, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: attorney signature requirement ColoradoRule 11 sanctions Coloradolimited scope representation Coloradoghostwriting pleadings disclosureunbundled legal services attorney certificationsigning a pleading pro se