Frequently Asked Questions
Question: “How do I know which Judicial District I belong to?”
Answer: “The Roaring Fork Valley is diverse not only in landscapes but in political and judicial districts as well. Residents of Garfield, Pitkin, and Rio Blanco counties are included in the 9th Judicial District. Residents of Eagle county belong to the 5th Judicial District and our friends way up the Crystal Valley in Gunnison county belong to the 7th Judicial District.”
Question: “I have been or am planning on suing in small claims court. Where do I begin?”
Answer: “First, make sure your potential suit qualifies. A small claims suit involves $7,500 or less. If this is the case, then proceed to the Small Claims Cases page. Please note, this link will take you to the Colorado Revised Statutes which is the specific law governing small claims. Finally, follow this link to read and review the Small Claims Rules from the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. These rules basically tell a person how to prosecute a case via the law as written in the Colorado Revised Statutes.”
Question: “I want to represent myself, where might I find the necessary forms and instructions on how to proceed with my case?”
Answer: At the top of every Colorado Judicial Branch page are a set of headers with pull down menus. Perhaps the most useful is the ‘Self Help/Forms’ tab. If you already know what area of the law you need additional information for, then simply scroll down and click the appropriate heading. If you need more general assistance, click on the ‘Self Help’ tab to bring up the page. On the left, under General Information header, are various links to other pages.
We highly recommend you take the time to familiarize yourself with the information contained within these pages. For instance, the Self Help Information tab brings you to information about Self-Represented Litigant Coordinators. The Self Help Resources page has helpful links and How-to instructional videos. There is also a Self-Represented Resources page buried within the Colorado Judicial Branch page. This is another great resource with links to pro bono services throughout Colorado.
Lastly, we find that this brochure is a helpful primer for anyone with questions about going “pro se” or representing themselves in a court of law.