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Home » US Law » 2022 Colorado Code » Title 36 - Natural Resources - General » Article 2 - Rights of Occupants

§ 36-2-101. Right of Citizens Claiming

Conceding to the United States the primary and paramount right to dispose of the soil of this state, according to the laws existing or to be enacted by congress, and full and complete exemption from every form of taxation of their property, it is hereby declared that as between all the good citizens residing in […]

§ 36-2-102. Declaration of Occupation

All rights of occupancy, possession, and enjoyment of any tract or portion of the public domain, except mining claims, acquired after January 10, 1868, shall be expressed and described in a declaration, in cases of original occupation, and by a deed in cases of purchase, duly acknowledged by some officer authorized to take acknowledgments of […]

§ 36-2-103. Interest Transferable

The owner of every claim or improvement, on every tract or parcel of land, has a transferable interest therein, which may be sold in execution or otherwise. Any sale of such improvement is a sufficient consideration to sustain a promise. Source: R.S. p. 531, § 3. G.L. § 2126. G.S. § 2676. R.S. 08: § […]

§ 36-2-104. Rights Acquired Before and After November 7, 1861

All rights of occupancy, possession, and enjoyment of any tract or portion of the public domain, acquired before November 7, 1861, shall be ascertained, adjudged, and determined by the local law of the district or precinct in which the tract is situated, as it existed on the day when such rights were acquired, or as […]

§ 36-2-105. Form of Declaration of Occupant

The declaration by an occupant of a tract or portion of the public domain, required by section 36-2-102, shall be substantially in the following form: To all whom these presents may concern: Know ye, That I, A.B., of …………, in the county of …………, in the state of Colorado, do hereby declare and publish as […]

§ 36-2-106. Effect of Declaration or Deed

In all proceedings in any court of this state, the record of any declaration, deed, or mortgage, or other muniments of right, referred to in sections 36-2-103 and 36-2-105, shall be received, except as against the United States, and all persons claiming under the United States, as presumptive evidence of the regularity of the paper […]

§ 36-2-107. Declaration Not to Include Mines

The declaration of every occupant of any tract or portion of the public domain, mentioned in section 36-2-105, shall not be construed to include any gold-bearing quartz lodes, silver lode, or gold diggings; but said lodes and diggings shall be excepted from the tract of said occupant and shall be subject to be occupied, possessed, […]

§ 36-2-108. Settler May Maintain Trespass

Any person settled upon any of the public lands belonging to the United States may maintain trespass, ejectment, forcible entry and detainer, unlawful detainer, and forcible detainer for injuries done to the possession thereof. Source: R.S. p. 532, § 8. G.L. § 2131. G.S. § 2681. R.S. 08: § 5127. C.L. § 1110. CSA: C. […]

§ 36-2-109. Inclosure Not Necessary in Suit

On the trial of any such cause the possession or possessory right of the plaintiff shall be considered as extending to the boundaries embraced by the claim of such plaintiff, so as to enable him to have and maintain any of the actions provided in section 36-2-108, without being compelled to prove an actual inclosure; […]

§ 36-2-110. Claim Must Be Marked

Every claim, to entitle the holder to maintain any of the actions stated in section 36-2-108, shall be marked out so that the boundaries may be readily traced and the extent of such claim easily known. No person shall be entitled to maintain any of the actions for possession of, or injury done to, any […]

§ 36-2-111. Neglect to Occupy – Fence – Plow

A neglect to occupy the claim, or to inclose at least five acres with a reasonable fence, or to plow at least five acres of the same for the period of six months shall be considered such an abandonment as to preclude the claimant from maintaining any of the actions stated in section 36-2-108. Source: […]

§ 36-2-112. Town Lots – Abandonment – Mining Districts

Any person who has a title to occupy any lot within any city or village plot, or any lots or mining claim within any mining district in this state by virtue of a certificate, deed of gift or purchase from the original claimant, or his assigns, as well as all purchasers, under any decree or […]

§ 36-2-113. Right of United States Not Denied

Nothing in this article shall be construed to deny the right of the United States to dispose of any lands in this state; nor shall the fact that the title to any lots, lands, lodes, or mining claims has not passed from the United States be any bar to the recovery of the plaintiff in […]

§ 36-2-114. Mining Claims Not Affected

Sections 36-2-110 and 36-2-111 are not intended and shall not be construed to affect or apply to mining claims but shall affect and be applicable to claims held or used for arable or pastoral agriculture only. Source: R.S. p. 534, § 14. G.L. § 2137. G.S. § 2687. R.S. 08: § 5133. C.L. § 1116. […]

§ 36-2-115. Mining Under Claim – Bond – Damages

When any improvements are made upon any claim held or used for arable or pastoral agriculture or upon any building lot, mill site, or other lot or premises and any person demands of the claimant to mine any portion of the claim upon which such improvements have been made, it is lawful for the occupant […]

§ 36-2-116. Assessment of Damage to Improvements

It is the duty of the county judge, by whom the bond is required to be approved in case the value of the improvements cannot be agreed upon by the claimant and the party seeking to mine, to appoint a day and hour to hear testimony respecting the value of the improvements which may be […]

§ 36-2-117. Justification of Sureties

It is the duty of the county judge to require the sureties entering into such bond to justify before him, each in the sum stated in the bond. If the claimant excepts to the sureties, or either of them, it is lawful for the judge, and he is required, to examine the sureties excepted to […]

§ 36-2-118. Weekly Demand of Damages

It shall be competent for the claimant to demand from the obligees in the bond, at any time after one week after mining is commenced on the claim, such sum as may be equal to the damage done to the improvements thereon, and after every week it shall be competent for the claimant to make […]