Short answer. Cases go to the County Court. The Answer is due by the court date on the summons. Who carries out a lockout: sheriff.
At a glance
- Court
- County Court. County court in the county where the rental is.
"filed in County Court pursuant to this article 40"
Source 4 - Filing fee
- Depends on the amount claimed: $95 to $265 in the Jefferson County packet ($85 for county court claims under $1,000 in the clinic slides). Tenants pay no filing or service fee.
"$95-$265 (varies by requested damages)"
Source 4 - Hearing after filing
- The clerk sets the return (court) date 7 to 14 days after filing.
"The clerk will schedule a return date that should be between 7 and 14 days from the day you file"
Source 2 - Time to answer or appear
- The Answer is due by the court date on the summons.
"The court date on the summons is a deadline for the tenant to file an Answer."
Source 2 - Judgment to writ
- The writ of restitution can't issue until at least 10 days after judgment.
"until at least 10 days have passed since judgment was entered"
Source 2 - Who carries out the lockout
- Sheriff. After the writ, the landlord sets a removal date with the sheriff.
"Once ordered, the Writ will allow the Sheriff to physically remove a tenant from the property."
Source 1 - Paying to stop the case
- The court's clinic slides list paying the landlord the rent owed before the judge orders possession as a defense.
"Tenant able to pay the landlord rent owed before the judge orders possession for the landlord."
Source 2 - Diversion or mediation (statewide)
- Yes. Free mediation is available; it is mandatory through the state Office of Dispute Resolution for tenants who receive SSI, SSDI or TANF.
"A tenant qualifies for mandatory mediation through ODR if they receive SSI, SSDI, or TANF."
Source 2
Sample timeline: filed Monday, December 7, 2026
Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
- Answer or appear: Monday, December 14, 2026
- Hearing or trial: Monday, December 14, 2026
- Judgment: Monday, December 14, 2026
- Writ or warrant of possession: Thursday, December 24, 2026
- Earliest lockout: no date (Not confirmed on an official page)
Another date: open the estimator.
Help the official pages point to
- The court's clinic slides list paying the landlord the rent owed before the judge orders possession as a defense.
- Free mediation is available; it is mandatory through the state Office of Dispute Resolution for tenants who receive SSI, SSDI or TANF.
- Court Resource Centers (Sherlocks) and the Housing Resources page (source 1)
- Colorado Legal Services, free legal help for low-income tenants (source 3)
Not stated on the pages we read: writ to lockout, right to counsel (statewide).
Official sources
- Colorado Judicial Branch: Residential Evictions (checked November 2026)
- Colorado Judicial Branch: Understanding the Eviction Process (FED clinic slides, November 2024) (checked November 2026)
- Colorado Judicial Branch: JDF 186 Information for Eviction Cases (R10/21) (checked November 2026)
- Colorado Judicial Branch: Jefferson County Eviction Packet (4.7.25) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Not a court form. Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
Common questions
Which court hears eviction cases in Colorado?
County Court. County court in the county where the rental is.
How long does a tenant in Colorado have to respond?
The Answer is due by the court date on the summons.
How soon after filing is the Colorado hearing?
The clerk sets the return (court) date 7 to 14 days after filing. That's the statute's window; the court's own calendar decides the actual date.
When can a Colorado landlord get the writ after winning?
The writ of restitution can't issue until at least 10 days after judgment.
Who carries out an eviction in Colorado?
Sheriff. After the writ, the landlord sets a removal date with the sheriff. The officer acts on the court's order.
Can paying the rent stop a Colorado eviction case?
The court's clinic slides list paying the landlord the rent owed before the judge orders possession as a defense.
What does it cost to file in Colorado?
Depends on the amount claimed: $95 to $265 in the Jefferson County packet ($85 for county court claims under $1,000 in the clinic slides). Tenants pay no filing or service fee.
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