SB 25-024

This Colorado bill, which has been signed into law, increases the number of judges in several judicial districts starting from July 2025. Specifically, it adds one district court judge and one county court judge in certain counties like La Plata and others for subsequent years. Additionally, it allows district court judges assigned to Arapahoe County to have their offices outside the county seat. The bill also allocates funds to support these new positions and to help the state public defender's office. This means that more judges will be available to handle cases in those areas starting next year, potentially reducing caseloads and wait times for court appearances.

Official Summary

Beginning July 1, 2025, the act increases by one the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and twenty-third judicial districts and increases by one the number of county court judges in La Plata county. Beginning July 1, 2026, the act increases by one the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventh, thirteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth judicial districts and increases by one the number of county court judges in Larimer county, Douglas county, Mesa county, and Eagle county. Current law requires district court judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices within Arapahoe county. The act allows the district court judges assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices outside of the county seat. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2,638,326 from the general fund to the judicial department to implement the increased number of judges and appropriates $621,337 from the general fund to the judicial department for use by the office of state public defender. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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