Denver District Court (2nd Judicial District)

Denver District Court (2nd Judicial District)

NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Drafting and filing guidance only. Verify every step against the current 2nd JD local rules and chambers preferences before filing.

Use this skill in addition to co-statewide-format when the case is in the Denver District Court or Denver County Court (the 2nd Judicial District). Denver is unique among Colorado JDs in that the City and County of Denver is coextensive with one judicial district, so the 2nd JD covers only Denver County.

• District Court — handles civil claims over $25,000, all domestic relations, probate, mental health, juvenile, and criminal felony matters. C.R.S. § 13-5-126.
• County Court — limited jurisdiction up to $25,000, eviction (FED), small claims (up to $7,500 under C.R.S. § 13-6-403), traffic, and misdemeanors. C.R.C.P. 312.1.

Both courts sit primarily at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse, 520 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80204, though specialty divisions (probate, juvenile) sit at separate facilities.

Caption — Denver District Court variant

DISTRICT COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO
Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse
520 W. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80204

Plaintiff(s): MIDLAND CREDIT MANAGEMENT, INC.,    ▲ COURT USE ONLY ▲
                                                  ┌───────────────────┐
v.                                                │ Case Number:      │
                                                  │  2025CV031234     │
Defendant(s): JANE DOE.                           │                   │
                                                  │ Division: 209     │
                                                  │ Courtroom: 209    │
                                                  └───────────────────┘

                  ANSWER AND COUNTERCLAIM

For Denver County Court (limited jurisdiction), the heading substitutes "COUNTY COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO" and the case-number format becomes 2025C0###### (a "C0" prefix).

Case-number formats

The case number is assigned at filing by CCEFS; do not invent or guess. The "Division" number identifies the chambers (a single judge); the "Courtroom" number identifies the physical room. Division ≠ Courtroom in Denver (unlike many smaller JDs where they often match).

Division and judge assignment

The Denver District Court has 23 active civil divisions. Civil cases are assigned randomly by CCEFS at filing; complex commercial matters may be assigned to a designated commercial calendar under the 2nd JD's Business Court program.

The clerk's office publishes a current judge-and-division roster:

https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/judicial-districts/2nd-judicial-district

Agent behavior: when drafting a notice, scheduling a hearing, or preparing for an appearance, fetch the current division-judge mapping and the assigned judge's chambers-specific practice standards. Many Denver judges publish practice standards that supplement the C.R.C.P. and 2nd JD local rules — these change at judicial rotation and after any new judicial appointment.

Motion practice — C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15 + judge's practice standards

Motions in Denver follow the statewide C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15 timing:

• Motion: filed any time (no advance leave required for most motions)
• Response: due 21 days after service of the motion (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(1)(b))
• Reply: due 7 days after service of the response (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(1)(d))
• Hearings: decided on the briefs unless the court orders oral argument. The court will issue a Notice of Setting when it sets a hearing — the parties do not self-schedule.

Page limits under C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(1)(a):

• Motion / response: 15 pages
• Reply: 10 pages
• Excess pages require leave of court via a separate motion.

Many Denver judges' practice standards modify these defaults — e.g., requiring a chambers copy (a paper "judge's copy") for motions exceeding 25 pages, requiring certificates of conferral under C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8), or imposing bench-book deadlines for expert disclosures. Always check the assigned judge's practice standards before filing.

Certificate of conferral / duty to confer (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8))

For non-dispositive motions, the moving party must, before filing, confer with all opposing parties to attempt to resolve the dispute and must include a statement at the foot of the motion certifying:

• Whether the moving party has conferred
• Whether the other parties agree or disagree (or non-response)

Example certificate language:

                CERTIFICATE OF CONFERRAL
                (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8))

Pursuant to C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8), the undersigned conferred with
[opposing counsel / opposing party] on [date] regarding the relief
requested in this Motion. [Opposing counsel] [opposes / does not
oppose / takes no position on] the Motion.

Failure to confer is a frequent ground for summary denial in Denver; the certificate is mandatory for non-dispositive motions, and dispositive motions (Rule 12(b), Rule 56) are excused but should still document any attempts to resolve.

Case management — C.R.C.P. 16 + Denver practice

Within ~28 days after the case is at issue, the parties must file a Proposed Case Management Order under C.R.C.P. 16(b). The Denver District Court's practice is:

• The court issues a Delay Reduction Order at filing that sets initial deadlines (typically the C.R.C.P. 16(b) defaults)
• The parties confer under C.R.C.P. 16(b)(2) and file a joint proposed CMO 7 days before the initial CMC
• The court holds an initial Case Management Conference ~ 49 days after the case is at issue (C.R.C.P. 16(b)) — by phone or in-person at the judge's discretion

Failure to comply with C.R.C.P. 16 can result in striking pleadings or sanctions; Denver is known for active case management.

Filing — CCEFS (Colorado Courts E-Filing)

Attorneys must e-file through Colorado Courts E-Filing (CCEFS):

https://www.jbits.courts.state.co.us/efiling/

Pro se filers may either:

• Use CCEFS Pro Se (free account; requires verification) — only active in some county courts but expanding to district court
• File paper at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse clerk's window (basement level)
• Use email filing when the clerk has authorized it for a specific case

The Denver Clerk's Office: (720) 865-8301. Civil division clerk: (720) 865-8410.

Filing fees (district court civil):

• New complaint: $235 (standard) or higher per damages tier under C.R.S. § 13-32-101
• Answer/response: $192
• Most motions: no separate filing fee
• Fee waiver: file JDF 205 (Motion to File without Payment) + JDF 206 (Affidavit) — see C.R.S. § 13-16-103

Service of process and service of pleadings

• Initial service of process must be by a sheriff, private process server, or otherwise per C.R.C.P. 4 within 63 days of filing the complaint
• Subsequent papers are served per C.R.C.P. 5 — CCEFS e-service is automatic for represented parties; pro se opposing parties may require service by mail, hand delivery, or email under C.R.C.P. 5(b)(2)(E)
• Certificate of service required on every filed paper

Document set for a filed motion

A Denver motion packet should travel as:

1. Motion (with title in ALL CAPS, citing the rule invoked)
2. Supporting Affidavit / Declaration(s) with exhibits
3. Certificate of Conferral (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8)) — included in the motion or as the last page
4. Proposed Order granting the relief (separate document)
5. Certificate of Service

CCEFS requires each component to be uploaded as a separate PDF with the matching document code.

Self-help / pro se resources

The 2nd JD operates a Self-Help Center at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse and online: courts staff cannot give legal advice but can help with form selection and procedure. The Colorado Judicial Branch publishes JDF (Judicial Department Forms) for most pro se uses:

https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help

Common JDF forms for civil cases:

• JDF 76 — Answer (county court civil)
• JDF 80 — Civil Cover Sheet (district court)
• JDF 205 / 206 — Motion / Affidavit to File without Payment
• JDF 1402 — Pro Se Notice of Appeal (limited jurisdiction)

Composition

• For statewide format: co-statewide-format
• For drafting the motion itself: co-draft-motion
• For setting hearings: co-schedule-hearing
• For filing mechanics: co-file-packet
• For pro se conventions: co-pro-se

References

• references/lindsey-flanigan-courthouse.md — facility info, divisions, parking
• references/civil-divisions.md — division-to-judge mapping and judge's practice standards index
• references/filing-procedures.md — CCEFS workflows, document codes, service mechanics
• references/business-court.md — Denver's commercial-case program