Goebel v. Colorado Department of Institutions

We granted certiorari prior to judgment by the court of appeals pursuant to C.A.R. 50 to consider whether the trial court erred in defining the class of plaintiffs entitled to relief on the claims asserted under the Colorado Act for the Care and Treatment of the Mentally Ill (the Act). See §§ 27-10-101 to -129, 11B C.R.S. (1989 & 1991 Supp.). This is only one of several issues raised on appeal after the trial court entered final judgment as to part of the case pursuant to C.R.C.P. 54(b). The trial court concluded that, to be a member of the class, a person must be so mentally ill as to be…