Colorado Courts and Judges Key Terms

Colorado Courts provide equal justice and efficient service to those they serve

By Renee Baumgardner

Colorado, like other states, has the traditional state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and trial courts at the district and county level. Types of courts unique to Colorado are the Water Courts, which are responsible for overseeing water rights. Functions of the Colorado courts include providing alternative dispute resolution services, monitoring victim restitution payments, and providing Law School for Journalists classes. In terms of technology, Colorado courts utilize electronic document filing systems and are in the process of developing software that will allow data sharing between organizations.

Water Courts

Colorado has seven Water Courts (one for each major river basin) that oversee water rights throughout the state. To obtain rights to surface or groundwater, one must go through a process of filing an application with the court, await statements of opposition from individuals, receive recommendations from the division engineer and approval from the water referee and judge.
Try: Refer to the Water Courts webpage to learn more about this body’s duties and responsibilities.

Office of Dispute Resolution

The Office of Dispute Resolution works with parties to resolve their conflict in hopes of avoiding the courtroom process. Techniques such as mediation and negotiation are effective methods to getting individuals to sit down, share their points of view and achieve a resolution that leaves both parties satisfied.
Try: Refer to the HG.org website for information and resources on resolution techniques utilized by the Office of Dispute Resolution.

Victim restitution

Victim restitution is the process by which a victim receives, from the defendant, compensation for damages for the crime committed against them. Defendants failing to make payments to the victim face late fees, garnishment of wages, suspension of driver's license or a warrant for their arrest.
Try: Refer to the U.S. Department of Justice Victim Restitution webpage for more information on the process involved in establishing restitution.

Law School for Journalists

The Colorado Courts offer a Law School for Journalists program designed to provide fundamentals of the legal and judiciary system for individuals to help them accurately report court cases.
Try: For more information, refer to the Law School for Journalists webpage.

Lexis Nexis File & Serve

Lexis Nexis File & Serve is an electronic legal document filing system designed to improve efficiency and access to court records and is compatible with other case management and document management software.
Try: For more information, refer to the Lexis Nexis File & Serve webpage.

Data Information Sharing (DISH)

Data Information Sharing also known as DISH, will allow the Colorado Department of Human Services' Child Support Enforcement Units to access one another's data when it's completed. Benefits of this project include more efficient court operations, expedited support orders and improved data accuracy.
Try: For more information on this project, refer to the DISH webpage.