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.
