This skill should be used when drafting or filing documents in the Denver District Court (2nd Judicial District) or Denver County Court. Triggers include "Denver District Court", "Denver County Court", "2nd JD", "Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse", "Colorado civil division Denver", or any case with a case number in the format "2025CV031234" or "2025C0##### " filed in Denver. Covers the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse civil divisions, the 2nd JD's local rules and case-management practices, the Denver District Court's use of Colorado Courts E-Filing System (CCEFS), the Civil Division motion-practice norms (chambers / division assignments, judge's preferences), and 2nd JD Administrative Orders. Layer on top of `co-statewide-format`.
This skill should be used when drafting or filing documents in the Denver District Court (2nd Judicial District) or Denver County Court. Triggers include "Denver District Court", "Denver County Court", "2nd JD", "Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse", "Colorado civil division Denver", or any case with a case number in the format "2025CV031234" or "2025C0##### " filed in Denver. Covers the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse civil divisions, the 2nd JD's local rules and case-management practices, the Denver District Court's use of Colorado Courts E-Filing System (CCEFS), the Civil Division motion-practice norms (chambers / division assignments, judge's preferences), and 2nd JD Administrative Orders. Layer on top of `co-statewide-format`.
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
Court
Format
Example
District Court — civil
YYYYCV0#####
2025CV031234
District Court — domestic relations
YYYYDR0#####
2025DR031234
District Court — probate
YYYYPR0#####
2025PR031234
County Court — civil
YYYYC0######
2025C0123456
County Court — eviction (FED)
YYYYC0###### (subset)
2025C0123457
County Court — small claims
YYYYS0######
2025S0123456
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:
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):
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:
Motion (with title in ALL CAPS, citing the rule invoked)
Supporting Affidavit / Declaration(s) with exhibits
Certificate of Conferral (C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-15(8)) — included
in the motion or as the last page
Proposed Order granting the relief (separate document)
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:
