A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning judicial officers, and, in connection therewith,
Page 1, Line 102making an appropriation.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Beginning July 1, 2025, the bill increases by one the number of district court judges in the eighth, thirteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-third judicial districts; increases by 2 the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventeenth, and eighteenth judicial districts; and increases by one the number of county court judges in Douglas county, La Plata county, Larimer county, Mesa county, Weld county, Eagle county, Adams county, and Arapahoe county.
Beginning July 1, 2026, the bill increases by one the number of district court judges in the second, seventh, seventeenth, eighteenth, and twentieth judicial districts and the Denver probate court; increases by 2 the number of district court judges in the fourth judicial district; and increases by 3 the number of judges serving on the court of appeals.
Current law requires district court judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices within Arapahoe county. The bill allows the district court judges assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices outside of the county seat.
This Unofficial Version Includes Committee
Amendments Not Yet Adopted on Second Reading
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-103, add (2)(f) as follows:
Page 2, Line 313-5-103. Second district. (2) (f) Subject to available
Page 2, Line 4appropriations, effective July 1, 2027, the number of judges for the second judicial district is twenty-eight.
Page 2, Line 5SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-105, add(2)(i), (2)(j), and (2)(k) as follows:
Page 2, Line 613-5-105. Fourth district. (2) (i) Subject to available
Page 2, Line 7appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the fourth judicial district is twenty-five.
Page 2, Line 8(j) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 2, Line 92026, the number of judges for the fourth judicial district is twenty-six.
Page 2, Line 10(k) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 2, Line 112027, the number of judges for the fourth judicial district is twenty-seven.
Page 2, Line 12SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-108, amend
Page 2, Line 13(2)(c); and add (2)(d) as follows:
Page 3, Line 113-5-108. Seventh district. (2) (c)
Notwithstanding thePage 3, Line 2
provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2),Page 3, Line 3appropriations, effective July 1, 2011, the number of judges for the seventh judicial district
shall bePage 3, Line 4(d) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2027, the number of judges for the seventh judicial district is six.
Page 3, Line 5SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-109, add (2)(f) as follows:
Page 3, Line 613-5-109. Eighth district. (2) (f) Subject to available
Page 3, Line 7appropriations, effective July 1, 2027, the number of judges for the eighth judicial district is ten.
Page 3, Line 8SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-114, add (2)(c) as follows:
Page 3, Line 913-5-114. Thirteenth district. (2) (c) Subject to available
Page 3, Line 10appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of judges for the thirteenth judicial district is six.
Page 3, Line 11SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-118, add (2)(h) and (2)(i) as follows:
Page 3, Line 1213-5-118. Seventeenth district. (2) (h) Subject to available
Page 3, Line 13appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the seventeenth judicial district is seventeen.
Page 3, Line 14(i) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 3, Line 152027, the number of judges for the seventeenth judicial district is eighteen.
Page 3, Line 16SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-119, amend (2)(e); and add (2)(d)(VIII) and (2)(d)(IX) as follows:
Page 3, Line 1713-5-119. Eighteenth district. (2) (d) (VIII) Subject to
Page 4, Line 1available appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the eighteenth judicial district is eighteen.
Page 4, Line 2(IX) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 4, Line 32027, the number of judges for the eighteenth judicial district is twenty.
Page 4, Line 4(e) The district judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county
shallPage 4, Line 5
maintain their offices in one location within Arapahoe countyPage 4, Line 6SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-120, add (2)(i) as follows:
Page 4, Line 713-5-120. Nineteenth district. (2) (i) Subject to available
Page 4, Line 8appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of judges for the nineteenth judicial district is twelve.
Page 4, Line 10SECTION 9. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-5-123.1, add (3) as follows:
Page 4, Line 1113-5-123.1. Twenty-third district. (3) Subject to available
Page 4, Line 12appropriations, effective July 1, 2025, the number of judges for the twenty-third judicial district is nine.
Page 4, Line 13SECTION 10. In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal and reenact, with amendments, 13-6-202 as follows:
Page 4, Line 1413-6-202. Number of judges. (1) There is one county judge in each county, except that:
Page 4, Line 15(a) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Jefferson is nine;
Page 4, Line 16(b) Subject to available appropriations, the number of
Page 4, Line 17county judges in the county of El Paso is ten;
Page 5, Line 1(c) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Adams is eight; and
Page 5, Line 2(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Adams is nine;
Page 5, Line 3(d) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Arapahoe is eight; and
Page 5, Line 4(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 5, Line 52026, the number of county judges in the county of Arapahoe is nine;
Page 5, Line 6(e) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Boulder is five;
Page 5, Line 7(f) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Pueblo is three;
Page 5, Line 8(g) Subject to available appropriations, the number of
Page 5, Line 9county judges in the city and county of Denver is the number of county judges provided by the charter and ordinances thereof;
Page 5, Line 10(h) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Larimer is five; and
Page 5, Line 11(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Larimer is six;
Page 5, Line 12(i) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Douglas is three; and
Page 5, Line 13(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 5, Line 142026, the number of county judges in the county of Douglas is four;
Page 5, Line 15(j) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 5, Line 162025, the number of county judges in the county of La Plata is two;
Page 6, Line 1(k) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Mesa is three; and
Page 6, Line 2(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Mesa is four;
Page 6, Line 3(l) (I) Subject to available appropriations, the number of county judges in the county of Weld is four; and
Page 6, Line 4(II) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1,
Page 6, Line 52027, the number of county judges in the county of Weld is five; and
Page 6, Line 6(m) Subject to available appropriations, effective July 1, 2026, the number of county judges in the county of Eagle is two.
Page 6, Line 7(2) (a) One of the county judges in Boulder county shall
Page 6, Line 8maintain a courtroom in the city of Longmont at least three days per week.
Page 6, Line 9(b) A judge of the Eagle county court shall conduct
Page 6, Line 10court business in that portion of Eagle county lying in the
Page 6, Line 11Roaring Fork river drainage area in a manner sufficient to deal with the business before the court.
Page 6, Line 13SECTION 11. Appropriation. (1) For the 2025-26 state fiscal
Page 6, Line 14year, $3,168,698 is appropriated to the judicial department for use by the
Page 6, Line 15state courts. This appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the state courts may use this appropriation as follows:
Page 6, Line 16(a) $95,735 for use by courts administration for general courts
Page 6, Line 17administration, which amount is based on an assumption that courts
Page 6, Line 18administration will require an additional 0.9 FTE;
Page 7, Line 1(b) $2,120,625 for use by trial courts for trial court programs,
Page 7, Line 2which amount is based on an assumption that the trial courts will require an additional 17.5 FTE;
Page 7, Line 3(c) $228,529 for health, life, and dental;
(d) $694 for short-term disability;
Page 7, Line 4(e) $8,544 for paid family and medical leave insurance;
Page 7, Line 5(f) $189,871 for unfunded liability amortization equalization disbursement payments;
Page 7, Line 6(g) $122,500 for capital outlay; and
Page 7, Line 7(h) $402,200 for courthouse furnishings and infrastructure maintenance.
Page 7, Line 8SECTION 12. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 7, Line 9determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 7, Line 10preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 7, Line 11the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.