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Colorado State Courts

Courts – State Courts – Colorado

Highest Court

The highest court in Colorado is the Supreme Court of Colorado.  The Supreme Court consists of 7 justices. It has jurisdiction over (1) Certiorari review of appeals to the Court of Appeals and District Court.(2) Initial appellate jurisdiction in cases involving constitutionality of statue, municipal charter provision, or ordinance; actions of Public Utilities Commission; water cases; and Election Code. (3) Executive and administrative head of the state court system.

Intermediate Courts

Court Of Appeals
The Court of Appeals consists of 16 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appeals from lower courts, Industrial Commission, and state boards and agencies.

General Courts

District Court
The District Court consists of 132 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Domestic relations,civil, probate, and mental health except in Denver. (2) Criminal. (3) Juvenile except in Denver.
Appeals on record or de novo.
Jury Trials

Denver Probate Court
The Denver Probate Court consists of 1 judge. It has jurisdiction over (1) Exclusive jurisdiction over all probate matters and in the adjudication of the mental health hearings.
Jury Trial

Denver Juvenile Court
The Denver Juvenile Court consists of 3 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Exclusive jurisdiction in adoption, parentage, and support. (2) Exclusive jurisdiction in juvenile matters.
Jury Trials

Water Court
The Water Court consists of 11 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Determination of water rights uses, administration of water, and all other water matters.

Limited Courts

County Court
The County Court consists of 114 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Civil cases not over $10,000 except titles to or boundary real property. (2) Misdemeanor and felony preliminaries. (3) Small Claims.
Appeals de novo.
No jury trials are overseen by this court.

Additional Information

Process from the Supreme Court
All process issued out of the supreme court shall  (1) bear teste in the name of the chief justice, (2) be signed by the clerk of the court, (3) sealed with its seal, and  (4) made returnable according to law or the rules and orders of the court and shall be executed by the officer to whom the same is directed.
(CO Revised Statute 13-2-106)

Disposition of Law Books
In accordance to Colorado Revised Statute 13-2-116, the state librarian and all other officers shall submit one copy of any book of law, judicial reports, or public statutes received for public use from any state, territory, or officer and add such to the Library of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Librarian shall provide a copy of a report of the of materials that may be removed from the library and disposed. The Supreme Court shall determine the manner in which these material should be disposed.

Records of trust departments or companies not excepted (Colorado Revised Statute 13-26-103)
The phrase “held in a custodial or fiduciary capacity” in section 13-26-102 does not apply to the records of the trust department of a bank or trust company.  The original documents of a trust company or bank may be reproduced or destroyed at any time, if done in good faith and without wrongful intent.  The admissibility of a reproduction is not affected by the manner of how or why the original was destroyed.

Clerks Record
The clerks of the courts of record of Colorado shall have in there respective offices suitable books for indexing the records of their appropriate office.  One of the books shall be known as the direct index and one as the inverse index. (Colorado Revised Statute 13-1-101)

Selection of Jury Panel
Statue 13-72-103 of the Colorado Revised Statues, outlines the procedures of selecting a jury panel.  The court shall select from no less than 75 names when drawing a list of jurors.  The name of 12 or 23 individuals shall make a grand jury with four alternate grand jurors.  The county grand jury shall be selected by the chief judge with the advice of the district attorney.  The court has the right to keep the selection process confidential for the security reasons and preserve any identifying information pertaining to the grand jurors.  The court holds the right to strike the name of any juror who appears to be incompetent or unqualified to serve.

Application for New Order or Record
Colorado Revised Statute 13-1-104 outlines the requirements of obtaining an order or record due to loss or destruction.

Legislative Declaration for Children Advocacy
Colorado Revised Statute 13-91-102 is a legislative declaration providing the children of Colorado an office of representative to be established in the state judicial department.


Inside Colorado State Courts