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Denver Probate Court, Colorado

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The Denver Probate Court resides in Colorado. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...

Jurisdiction

This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]

The Denver Probate Court, sometimes referred to as the 24th Judicial District, encompasses all of the City and County of Denver. The Colorado Constitution Article VI § 9(3) created the Denver Probate Court and defines its jurisdiction. The Probate Court has exclusive jurisdiction over "all matters of probate, settlements of estates of deceased persons, appointment of guardians, conservators and administrators, and settlement of their accounts, the adjudication of the mentally ill, and such other jurisdiction as may be provided by law."[2]

Judges


Office Name Party Date assumed office
Denver Probate Court Elizabeth Leith 2011


Elections

Colorado is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Colorado, click here.

Selection method

See also: Judicial selection in the states
See also: Assisted appointment

The Denver Probate Court, also referred to as the 2nd/24th Judicial District, is the only court of its kind in the state. Probate court judges are selected in the same manner as district court judges in the state.[3]

There are 164 judges on the Colorado District Courts, each appointed by the governor from a list of names compiled by a nominating commission. Initial terms last at least two years, after which judges must stand for retention in a yes-no election. Subsequent terms last six years.[4]

The court's chief judge is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court to serve indefinitely.[4]

Qualifications
To serve on the district court, a judge must be:[4]

  • a qualified elector in the district;
  • licensed to practice law in state for five years; and
  • under the age of 72 (retirement by 72 is mandatory).

Judicial elections in Colorado

See also: Colorado judicial elections

Colorado is one of six states that use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench without using another type of election as an initial selection method. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.

Retention election

Judges in Colorado stand for retention at the end of each term. These elections are held during the November general election in even-numbered years. In retention elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the justice in office for another term.

See also



External links

Footnotes