The Colorado Supreme Court is the highest court in Colorado. Its decisions are binding upon the trial courts and the Colorado Court of Appeals. The court has seven justices who serve ten year terms. The Chief Justice is elected by the justices, and serves as head of the Colorado Judicial System, chair of the Supreme Court nominating commission, and has the authority to enact Chief Justice Directives which are binding on all courts. He or she also appoints the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and of the 22 state judicial districts. Most of the Supreme Court’s filings are requests to review decisions made by the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court may decline to review those decisions by denying certiorari. Cases may be filed directly to the Supreme Court where a statute has been held unconstitutional, for writs of habeas corpus, in decisions of the Public Utilities Commission, for appeals from the adjudication of water rights, proceedings under the Election Code, and prosecutorial appeals concerning search and seizure questions pending in criminal court. The Colorado Supreme Court licenses and disciplines Colorado attorneys. It also has exclusive jurisdiction to enact civil and criminal rules of procedure. There is an appointed committee for each.
The Colorado Court of Appeals is Colorado’s intermediate appellate court. Its 22 judges serve eight-year terms, sitting in three-member panels, and are retained by public election. The Court of Appeals’ jurisdiction is limited to areas designated by state statute and it has the power inherently granted to all courts. See Section 1 of Article VI of the Colorado Constitution and C.R.S. § 13-4-101, et seq. It generally has initial jurisdiction over appeals from the Colorado district (trial) courts, probate courts, juvenile courts, and a number of state administrative board and agency decisions. The Court of Appeals decision is final unless the Colorado Supreme Court agrees to review the case.
For more information:
- "Delivering User-Centric Services at the Colorado Supreme Court Library" by Robert Linz. Legal Research Corner column, 37 The Colorado Lawyer 67 (May 2008).
- "Civil Rules Committee and the Rules of Criminal Procedure Committee." Legal Research Corner column, 33 The Colorado Lawyer 75 (August 2004).
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