What the court’s own documents say
- Small claims in Colorado involve $7,500 or less, and a larger claim cannot be split into smaller ones.
- “You cannot divide a claim for more than $7,500 into two or more smaller claims.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - Small Claims: Opening a Case
- The defendant must be served at least 15 calendar days before the trial date.
- “Service must be completed at least 15 calendar days before the trial date.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - Small Claims: Opening a Case
- If service is late, the trial has to be rescheduled with the court, or the case may be dismissed.
- “If you fail to serve the defendant on time, you will need to work with the court to reschedule your trial, or the court might dismiss your case.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - Small Claims: Opening a Case
- You start the case by taking form JDF 250 (Notice, Claim and Summons) to the county courthouse. The court asks for all four parts, 7 pages.
- “Make sure to bring all four parts of JDF 250 (7 pages) with you to the courthouse.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - Small Claims: Opening a Case
- A person is limited in how many small claims they can file.
- “2 Small Claims a month, and no more than 18 a year per county.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023)
- There are no jury trials in small claims.
- “There are no jury trials in small claims.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023)
- Winning a judgment does not mean the court collects the money for you.
- “If you win a judgment, you must collect what is owed.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023)
- The defendant answers by completing the Response section of JDF 250 on or before the trial date.
- “Complete the Response section (Part 2 / Page 3) of JDF 250 on or before the trial date.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023)
- The court's own trial-preparation step tells both sides to label and organize exhibits.
- “Label your exhibits, if you have more than one. Keep them organized.”
- — Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023)
The order the court's guide gives
JDF 248, the court's Guide to Small Claims, runs in this order. The plaintiff fills out JDF 250, files it with the county clerk and pays the filing fee, and the clerk fills in the trial date. The plaintiff then notifies the defendant. The defendant completes the Response section of JDF 250 on or before the trial date. Either side can use mediation. If there is no agreement, both sides prepare for trial. Which steps are yours depends on which side you are on, so find your side first.
Who can serve the papers
The guide says the plaintiff cannot be the one who completes service. Service is made by the sheriff or a professional process server, who completes the Return of Service section of the form. The clerk can also send the papers by certified mail, which the guide calls not the preferred method and warns could cause delays. If the defendant is a business, the guide points to the Colorado Secretary of State's business search to find the registered agent.
The trial is where it is decided
A small claims case is decided at a trial before a judge, with no jury. The guide's preparation step tells both sides to outline their arguments, gather and copy their documents, label exhibits, and decide whether they need witnesses, who may come voluntarily or be required to attend with a subpoena. The paperwork above gets you to the trial. It does not tell you how to run it.
The forms are free. The hearing day is the part nobody explains.
Everything linked above is free from the Colorado Judicial Branch, and it gets your paperwork filed. If your case goes to a hearing, the court’s forms do not tell you how that day runs. That is what we sell.
What The Court Day System is
- A method for the hearing day, in the order the day happens: ten fill-in sheets, a six-step ritual for getting an exhibit in, and evidence-rule elements you can read out loud.
- An admission tracker, drills, and a protocol for checking anything an AI tool gave you.
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What it is not
- Not the court’s forms, and not a summary of Colorado law. Use the free forms linked on this page.
- Not legal advice and not a lawyer. We do not file for you, appear for you, choose what you argue, or predict what a judge will do.
- No promise about your result. It is a method for preparing, not an outcome.
- Not a fit for every hearing. It is built for hearings where you present evidence.
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Related
Sources
- Colorado Judicial Branch - Small Claims: Opening a Case — loaded and read 2026-10-27
- Colorado Judicial Branch - JDF 248, Guide to Small Claims (R: December 14, 2023) — loaded and read 2026-10-27
General information about Colorado court procedure, not legal advice, and not about your specific case. Court rules and forms change — open the linked source and confirm it still says this before you rely on it. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed Colorado attorney. CourtDocs is not a law firm and no attorney-client relationship is created by reading this page.