El Paso County District Court Overview
Colorado district courts are the workhorse trial courts in the state system. They handle felony criminal cases, civil cases without an upper dollar cap, domestic relations matters, juvenile delinquency and dependency cases, probate and protective proceedings, and mental health commitments. They also hear appeals from county court and from some agencies. In El Paso County, the district court shares the El Paso County Judicial Building with the county court.
El Paso County sits in the 4th Judicial District. The 4th District includes El Paso County and Teller County. The Judicial Branch posts the district map and judge assignments on its El Paso County landing page. The 4th Judicial District Attorney also covers both counties through the DA4 office.
The court sits at 270 S Tejon St in downtown Colorado Springs. The main number is 719-452-5000. The records counter sits in Room S101. Probate Division walk-up hours are every Wednesday, with protective proceedings from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and estate cases from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
List of El Paso County District Court Offices
The El Paso County Combined Court combines the district court and the county court at one address. Several supporting offices are inside the same building. The table below pulls the full list from the Judicial Branch directory.
| Court / Office | Address | Phone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso County District Court | 270 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 | 719-452-5000 | Combined Court for felony, civil, family, probate, juvenile. |
| El Paso County Court | 270 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 | 719-452-5000 | Misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, civil under cap, protection orders. |
| Probate Division | 270 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 | 719-452-5000 | Wednesday walk-up: protective proceedings AM, estates PM. |
| Self-Help Center | Room S116, 270 S Tejon St | 719-452-5100 | Email 04SelfHelp@judicial.state.co.us; M-F 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
| Collections | Room S120, 270 S Tejon St | 719-452-5303 | Email 04collections@judicial.state.co.us; pay fees, fines, restitution. |
| Court Care | Room S140, 270 S Tejon St | 719-452-5499 | Free childcare for parents handling court business. |
| 4th Judicial District Attorney | El Paso County, Colorado Springs | See DA4 site | Covers El Paso and Teller; da4colorado.gov. |
| Colorado Springs Public Defender | Colorado Springs regional office | 303-764-1400 main | State Public Defender office; coloradodefenders.us. |
The judges and staff page lists current division assignments. The Judicial Branch refreshes that list as judges rotate or as new divisions open.
The image shows the El Paso County judges and staff page from the Colorado Judicial Branch site. Use that page to confirm a division before filing.
District Court vs County Court vs Municipal Court
Three trial courts meet inside El Paso County. The district court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. The county court has limited jurisdiction. Municipal courts in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, and other home rule cities handle city ordinance violations. The differences are real and they control where a case is filed.
| District Court | County Court | Municipal Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil dollar limit | No upper cap | Up to $25,000 | City ordinance fines only |
| Criminal jurisdiction | Felonies and some misdemeanors | Misdemeanors, traffic, petty offenses | City ordinance violations |
| Family cases | Yes (divorce, parenting, support) | No | No |
| Probate cases | Yes (Probate Division) | No | No |
| Juvenile delinquency | Yes | No | Limited juvenile ordinance |
| Small claims | No | Yes (up to $7,500) | No |
| Appeals to | Colorado Court of Appeals | District Court | District Court |
| Located at 270 S Tejon | Yes | Yes | No (city courthouses) |
Municipal courts are run by the city and are separate from the state Judicial Branch. A speeding ticket inside Colorado Springs city limits often lands in the Colorado Springs Municipal Court. A speeding ticket on the county highway lands in El Paso County Court. A felony anywhere in the county lands in the district court.
Note: A county court conviction can be appealed to the district court, while a district court conviction goes up to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
How an El Paso County Case Moves Through the System
The path of a case depends on the court of first filing. The state path runs from the trial court up to the appellate court, and then to the supreme court if review is granted. The federal path runs from the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado up to the Tenth Circuit. Knowing the path helps with deadlines and with where to look up the record.
State path: County Court › District Court (appeal) › Colorado Court of Appeals › Colorado Supreme Court (discretionary).
State path from District Court: District Court › Colorado Court of Appeals › Colorado Supreme Court.
Federal path: U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado › U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit › U.S. Supreme Court (discretionary).
Criminal flow inside district court: Arrest › First Appearance / Advisement › Filing of Information or Indictment › Arraignment › Pretrial Motions › Trial › Sentencing › Appeal.
Civil flow inside district court: Complaint Filed › Answer › Discovery › Mediation › Trial › Judgment › Appeal.
Note: A handful of cases skip the Court of Appeals and go straight to the Colorado Supreme Court on direct review under specific statutes.
Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, and Juvenile Divisions
The El Paso County District Court is divided by case type. Civil divisions hear contract disputes, personal injury, foreclosure, and other money or rights claims with no upper cap. Criminal divisions hear felonies and serious misdemeanors. Family divisions hear divorce, parenting, child support, and adoption. Probate handles wills, trusts, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. Juvenile divisions hear delinquency and dependency cases.
Effective July 1, 2025, Rule 120 public trustee foreclosure matters moved to Division 25, with questions to D04_Courts_Div25@judicial.state.co.us. That change matters for any lender or homeowner with a foreclosure on the docket. Filing in the wrong division will slow the case.
The Probate Division uses Wednesday walk-up hours at the Judicial Building. Protective proceedings, such as guardianships and conservatorships, are heard in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Estate cases are heard in the afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Filings can be made any business day at the Clerk of Court counter.
Specialty Courts in El Paso County District Court
The 4th Judicial District runs at least two specialty courts that focus on the root cause of repeat offenses. The original Drug Court in the 4th Judicial District started in 1999 and was one of the first drug courts in Colorado. The program was redesigned and renamed Recovery Court. The DUI Court in El Paso County started in June 2008. Teller County added a DUI Court in 2010.
- Recovery Court: two track design, formerly known as Adult Criminal Drug Court and HEALS Court (Healthy, Engaged, and Living Sober).
- Eligibility: felony convictions ranging from wobbler eligible DF4s to other non violent felonies that are drug related or drug motivated.
- Screening: after plea and before sentencing, or when a defendant faces probation revocation.
- Supervision: intensive probation supervision with treatment levels and judicial review.
- DUI Court: a problem solving model for repeat or high risk impaired driving cases.
The Judicial Branch posts the Recovery Court details on a dedicated page. Use that page for the latest team roster and program data.
The image is the Recovery Court page from the Colorado Judicial Branch website. It states the founding year and the structure of the two track program.
El Paso County 4th Judicial District
The 4th Judicial District is a two county district. It includes El Paso County and Teller County. The district has district judges, magistrates, and a Chief Judge. The main building is the El Paso County Judicial Building at 270 S Tejon St. The Teller County Combined Court sits in Cripple Creek and handles the smaller share of the district caseload.
Appeals from the 4th Judicial District go to the Colorado Court of Appeals. The Colorado Supreme Court takes discretionary review on certified questions and on writs. The 4th Judicial District Attorney prosecutes felony and misdemeanor matters across both counties. The DA's official site is da4colorado.gov with office history on the 4thjudicialda.com about page.
Magistrates and County Court
Colorado uses magistrates inside the district court to hear specific case types under statute and rule. Magistrates take on detention hearings, juvenile matters, family law, mental health certifications, and protection order reviews. A litigant can ask the district judge to review a magistrate's order in most case types.
County court is the lower trial court inside the same building. The county court handles misdemeanors, traffic, small claims under $7,500, civil cases up to $25,000, protection orders, and preliminary hearings for some felonies. Appeals from county court go to the district court, not to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
Self-Help Center, Court Care, and Pro Se Resources
The Self-Help Center in Room S116 supports pro se litigants in all case types. The center runs Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff can explain forms, court rules, and process. They do not give legal advice. Email 04SelfHelp@judicial.state.co.us or call 719-452-5100.
Court Care offers free childcare for parents and guardians handling court business. The room is S140 inside the Judicial Building. Hours run 7:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. More information sits on the Court Care location page. Use the east entrance for security screening when bringing children.
Federal Courts Serving El Paso County
Some cases in El Paso County belong in federal court, not state court. The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado hears federal criminal prosecutions, federal civil rights cases, federal question civil cases, diversity jurisdiction cases, federal agency litigation, and prisoner and custody matters. Bankruptcy filings go to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado, a separate court.
Federal trial records are accessed through PACER and the court's CM/ECF system. PACER hosts a court lookup map at pacer.uscourts.gov/map.html. Federal appeals from the District of Colorado go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver.
The U.S. District Court for Colorado homepage links to PACER, the local rules, and the court's standing orders. Use the site to confirm where a federal hearing is held before traveling.
The Tenth Circuit page covers Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. The court sits in Denver and hears appeals from all six states.
Note: The Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse is the main Denver location; some Colorado Springs federal hearings are held locally per the U.S. Marshals district map.