3. Contact of interested amici.

a. Leave of court required. Briefs by amicus curiae (friends of the court) may be file only with leave of the appellate court. C.A.R. 29. The standard procedure is for the amicus to tender the proposed brief along with the motion for leave to appear as amicus curiae.

b. Interest of Amicus. A motion for leave must identify the interest of the amicus and state why an amicus brief is desirable.

c. Briefs of amicus curiae must be filed within the time for filing briefs allowed the party with the position the amicus will support, unless the court grants leave for later filing. C.A.R. 29.

Amicus curiae are generally restricted to the issues raised by the appealing parties, and any additional questions presented in a brief filed by an amicus curiae will not be considered by the appellate court. United States Nat'l Bank v. People ex rel Dunbar, 29 Colo. App. 93, 480 P.2d 849 (1970).

d. Oral Argument. "A motion of an amicus curiae to participate in the oral argument will be granted only for extraordinary reasons." C.A.R. 29.

e. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press often files amicus briefs in cases involving significant media law issues before a state's highest court.