Civil judgment and liens.
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 37-82
in effectSec. 37-82. - Civil judgment and liens.
(a) Judgment for costs. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, in any case in which a public nuisance is established by clear and convincing evidence, in addition to the remedies provided above, the court shall impose a separate civil judgment on every person who committed, conducted, promoted, facilitated, or aided the commission of any public nuisance or who held any legal or equitable interest or right of possession in any real property or motor vehicle on or in which any public nuisance occurred, or any real property, motor vehicle, or personal property used to commit, conduct, promote, facilitate or aid the commission of any public nuisance. This civil judgment shall be for the purpose of compensating the city for the costs of pursuing the remedies under this article.
(b) The civil judgment shall be in the liquidated sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) and shall be imposed as a judgment against each defendant independently, separately and severally.
(c) In the event that the owners and lienors of a subject motor vehicle, or any of them, fail to file timely responsive pleadings and set the matter for hearing or trial on the merits, the court shall enter a default judgment and an order deeming the vehicle abandoned. In the event a default judgment and order of abandonment are entered, the civil judgment provided in subsection (b) of this section shall not be imposed and the vehicle shall be disposed of pursuant to the provisions of section 54-816(b).
(d) Liens for civil judgments. In addition to the remedies provided in this article III of chapter 37, the city shall have a lien against the real property and motor vehicle, when applicable, on or in which any public nuisance occurred or which was used to commit, conduct, promote, facilitate, or aid in the commission of any public nuisance for the total of all civil judgments imposed under this section. The city may record a statement of lien affecting real property with the clerk and recorder. The city may record a lien with the Denver Vehicle Impound Facility for a motor vehicle that has been closed and impounded following a public nuisance abatement action. Such vehicle may not be released to the owner until a release of lien is secured from the office of the city attorney.
(Ord. No. 481-98, § 1, 7-13-98; Ord. No. 671-04, § 2, 9-20-04; Ord. No. 307-19, § 15, 4-22-19)
Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH37NU_ARTIIICIABPUNU_S37-82CIJULIFetched: 10/27/2026