13-16-103. Costs of poor person

13-16-103. Costs of poor person. (1) If the judge or justice of any court, including the supreme court, is at any time satisfied that any person is unable to prosecute or defend any civil action or special proceeding because he is a poor person and unable to pay the costs and expenses thereof, the judge or justice, in his discretion, may permit such person to commence and prosecute or defend an action or proceeding without the payment of costs; but, in the event such person prosecutes or defends an action or proceeding successfully, there shall be a judgment entered in his favor for the amount of court costs which he would have incurred except for the provision of this section, and this judgment shall be first satisfied out of any money paid into court, and such costs shall be paid to the court before any such judgment is satisfied of record.

(2) In determining whether a plaintiff in an action brought pursuant to article 4 of title 14, C.R.S., may be permitted to proceed without the payment of costs, the court shall take into account only those assets to which the plaintiff has direct access. The court shall not consider assets which the plaintiff is unable to directly access even though the plaintiff may have an ownership interest in those assets.