Pursuant to the authority granted in Chief Justice Directive 95-01 and the directives found in the Order Regarding COVID-19 and Operation of Colorado State Courts, issued by Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats on March 16, 2020, it is hereby ORDERED as follows:

(1) Arapahoe County Courthouse in Littleton: Pursuant to Chief Judge Order 20-02, the Arapahoe County Courthouse located at 1790 West Littleton Boulevard, Littleton, Colorado, will be closed to the public effective March 19, 2020 through April 3, 2020. All public safety matters meeting the criteria set forth in section (5) below should be directed to the Arapahoe County Justice Center located at 7325 South Potomac Street, Centennial, Colorado.

(2) Operations: The Arapahoe County and Douglas County clerk’s offices will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Elbert County and Lincoln County clerk’s offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The clerk’s offices will be open Monday through Friday, with the exception of legal holidays. Staff will be reduced as coordinated by the Court Executive and the Clerks of Court, with the approval of the Chief Judge. During operating hours, the clerk’s offices will only accept paper filings related to public safety matters listed in Section 5 below. All other paper filings may be either emailed to or mailed directly to the applicable courthouse. Electronic filings through CCE may continue; however, filings not related to public safety matters may not be processed until after April 6, 2020, due to the reduction in staffing levels.

(3) Jury Calls: All jury calls with a return date between March 18, 2020, and April 3, 2020, have been cancelled. No jurors should appear at the courthouses during those dates. If your appearance is rescheduled, you will receive a new jury summons in the mail. For those jurors who have a jury summons for a date to appear commencing on or after April 6, 2020, please continue to monitor the Court’s website for updates.

(4) Mandatory Continuance: Except for all public safety matters listed in section (5) below, ALL other appearances and/or hearings set from 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 19, 2020, through 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 3, 2020, are hereby VACATED and CONTINUED. Please do not appear at the courthouse. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, and Friday, March 20, 2020, judicial officers and staff will be working to reschedule all these cases, including the matters set on the days the courthouses were closed, March 17, 2020 and March 18, 2020. If you are represented by counsel, please contact your counsel to obtain your new date. If you are not represented by counsel, please first check the Court’s website at https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/District/Dockets.cfm?District_I D=18 to see if your new date is posted there. Otherwise, parties and attorneys may also contact the appropriate division, if the case is assigned to a division, or the respective clerk’s offices if you are uncertain of the division assignment, to reschedule. Any person who does appear at a courthouse for a hearing or appearance that is not a public safety matter shall be provided a paper by a member of the court security team and/or court staff containing instructions on how to contact the court.

(5) Public Safety Matters: The courthouses, except for the Arapahoe County Courthouse in Littleton, will continue to conduct hearings on public safety matters. Public safety matters are limited to the following:

1. Petitions for temporary civil protection orders and permanent protection order hearings;
2. Petitions for temporary emergency risk protection orders and hearings on emergency risk protection orders;
3. Crim. P. Rule 5 advisements for incarcerated persons and initial settings of bail;
4. Revocation hearings on complaints to revoke probation involving an incarcerated defendant;
5. Proceedings necessary to protect the constitutional rights of criminal defendants including bond-related matters and plea agreements for incarcerated individuals;
6. Detention hearings for juvenile delinquency cases; 

7. Shelter hearings independency and neglect cases or other juvenile proceedings;
8. Petitions for appointment of an emergency guardian and/or special conservator;
9. Hearings on motions to restrict parenting time and parental abduction prevention;
10. Emergency mental health proceedings; and
11. Other proceedings deemed necessary by the Chief Judge to prevent a substantial risk of imminent financial hardship, or imminent risk to the health, safety or welfare of any individual or members of the community.

(6)Social Distancing: When hearings are conducted for public safety matters, judicial officers and court staff shall seek to limit in person participation and encourage and accommodate telephone and/or video appearance for all participants.

(7) Self-Help Centers: All self-help centers in the 18th Judicial District are closed until April 6, 2020. All court forms and instructions can be found at https://www.courts.state.co.us/Self_Help/Index.cfm

(8) Bond Return Dates: Bond return dates, including bond returns that are determined by the Sheriffs regarding other jurisdictions in Colorado, shall be scheduled for no sooner than the week of May 25, 2020.

(9)Extrajudicial Activities: The use of any of the courthouses for extrajudicial activities (e.g., the solemnization of marriages) is prohibited until further notice.

The Chief Judge will continue to monitor available information and recommendations from health organizations, and this CJO 20-03 may be revised or extended as deemed necessary.