El Paso County Criminal Defense Lawyer
CRIMINAL DEFENSE IN EL PASO COUNTY COLORADO
On This Page
- Charged With a Crime in El Paso County
- County Court or District Court
- Who Prosecutes Your Case
- From Arrest to First Appearance
- Bond and Release From the El Paso County Jail
- Which Agency Arrested You
- Municipal Courts Inside El Paso County
- Reading Your Ticket or Summons
- Teller County and the 4th Judicial District
- Military Members in Civilian Court
- Working With an El Paso County Criminal Defense Lawyer
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
Charged With a Crime in El Paso County
A criminal case in El Paso County can land in one of several courts. A deputy, a state trooper, and a city officer can all make an arrest within a few miles of each other, and each one may send the case somewhere different. The first useful step is figuring out which court you are in and who is prosecuting you.
State charges from anywhere in the county are heard at the El Paso County Judicial Building in downtown Colorado Springs. City ordinance charges go to the municipal court of the city or town where the offense happened. Teller County shares the same judicial district and the same District Attorney, but it has its own courthouse in Cripple Creek.
Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. represents people in each of these courts. This page covers how a case moves here: the courts, the jail, bond, the arresting agencies, and your paperwork. For the law on a specific charge, see our practice areas.
County Court or District Court
El Paso County has two levels of state trial court, and both sit in the same building. Which one hears your case depends mostly on how serious the charge is.
| Court | What it hears |
|---|---|
| El Paso County Court | State misdemeanors, petty offenses, and traffic charges, including most DUI and DWAI cases. County judges can also issue warrants, set bond, and hold preliminary hearings in felony cases. |
| El Paso County District Court | Felonies, along with juvenile delinquency cases and other matters outside county court jurisdiction. |
That division of work comes from state law. The Colorado Legislative Council's overview of the Colorado Judicial Branch describes county courts as hearing misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and some felony complaints that may be sent to district court, and district courts as hearing felony cases and juvenile delinquency cases.
Both courts are part of the El Paso County Combined Courts at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. The main phone number is 719-452-5000.
The level of court tracks the stakes. A class 1 misdemeanor carries up to 364 days in jail, while a felony can mean prison and a permanent felony record. See our misdemeanor and felony pages for sentencing ranges.
Who Prosecutes Your Case
State cases in El Paso County are prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District. That office serves both El Paso and Teller counties.
| El Paso County office | 105 East Vermijo Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, 719-520-6000 |
| Teller County office | 112 North A Street, Cripple Creek, CO 80813, 719-520-7168 |
The District Attorney does not prosecute city ordinance cases. In Colorado Springs Municipal Court, for example, cases are handled by the Prosecution Division of the City Attorney's Office. Other cities in the county use their own city prosecutors.
From Arrest to First Appearance
Not every case starts with handcuffs. Many misdemeanors and traffic offenses begin with a summons that lists a court date, and the person goes home. A custodial arrest is different: the person is taken to jail, booked, and held until bond is set or posted.
Booking at the Criminal Justice Center
People arrested in El Paso County on state charges are generally booked into the El Paso County Jail at the Criminal Justice Center, often called the CJC. The jail is run by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
| El Paso County Jail (CJC) | 2739 East Las Vegas Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 |
| Jail phone | 719-390-2000 |
| Office of the Sheriff | 27 East Vermijo Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, 719-520-7100 |
To find out whether someone is in custody, see our El Paso County inmate search guide.
The 48-Hour Bond Setting Rule
Colorado law requires that an in-custody arrestee be brought before a court for bond setting as soon as practicable. The deadline is no later than 48 hours after the person arrives at the jail, under C.R.S. 16-4-102.
Video Advisements
In El Paso County, people in custody usually see a judge first by video from the jail. The Colorado Judicial Branch lists this schedule for in-custody advisements:
- Weekdays: Monday through Friday at 1:30 p.m.
- Saturdays: 5:00 p.m. for El Paso County, and 4:00 p.m. for Teller County and out-of-county warrants
- Out-of-custody advisements: Thursdays at 10 a.m.
At the advisement, the judge explains the charges and the possible penalties, advises the person of their rights, and gives the next court date. Bond may or may not be addressed, depending on the charge. A person who is in custody qualifies for the Public Defender at this stage, or may hire a private lawyer.
Bond and Release From the El Paso County Jail
Colorado bonds come in several forms. A judge can release someone on a personal recognizance bond, which requires no money up front, or can set a cash, surety, or property bond. The court can also add conditions, such as no alcohol, no contact with an alleged victim, or monitoring.
Posting Bond at the Jail
The Sheriff's Office accepts bond payments 24 hours a day at the main transaction window in the jail lobby. It takes cash, cashier's checks, official checks, and money orders, but not personal checks, and no change is given.
For a money bond, the person paying needs only the bond amount to secure release. Other fees can be paid at the time of bonding or charged later as a debt to the defendant.
Bond Conditions Are Court Orders
Violating a bond condition can lead to a new arrest, a new charge, and a higher bond. In domestic violence cases, a mandatory protection order usually issues at the first appearance. See our domestic violence and warrants pages.
Which Agency Arrested You
El Paso County has overlapping law enforcement agencies. The agency named on your paperwork is a strong clue to which court has your case.
El Paso County Sheriff's Office
About 1,900 of the county's roughly 2,159 square miles are unincorporated, and the Sheriff's Office Patrol Division provides law enforcement there. Its patrol districts include communities such as Black Forest, Cimarron Hills, Falcon, Peyton, Ellicott, Security, Widefield, Stratmoor Valley, and Ute Pass. Deputy cases are state cases filed in El Paso County Court or District Court.
Colorado State Patrol
State troopers enforce traffic laws on the state's highways, including I-25. The State Patrol describes its original statutory purpose as the enforcement of the laws relating to highways and highway traffic. The Colorado Springs office is Troop 2B, at 1480 Quail Lake Loop, and trooper cases are filed in county court.
If your case involves a DUI, start with our Colorado Springs DUI page and the DMV hearing page, because the license deadline is only 7 days.
City and Town Police
City and town officers can often write a case into either court. They can charge an ordinance violation in municipal court or a state crime in El Paso County Court. Fountain, Manitou Springs, and Monument each say on their court pages that their officers write citations into both courts, so the ticket itself decides where you go.
Municipal Courts Inside El Paso County
Colorado requires every city to create a municipal court for violations of its ordinances, under C.R.S. 13-10-104. Municipal courts hear violations of city or town ordinances, which commonly include traffic offenses and lower-level criminal ordinance charges.
Unincorporated communities do not have municipal courts. A case from an unincorporated area goes to El Paso County Court.
| Municipal court | Location and schedule (from the city or town) |
|---|---|
| Colorado Springs Municipal Court | 224 E. Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. See our municipal court page. |
| Fountain Municipal Court | Suite 110, 101 N. Main Street, Fountain, CO 80817 (moved June 1, 2026). Regular court on Mondays and traffic court on Tuesdays. See our Fountain page. |
| Manitou Springs Municipal Court | 606 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO 80829. Sessions on the third Tuesday of the month. See our Manitou Springs page. |
| Monument Municipal Court | 645 Beacon Lite Road, Monument, CO 80132. Second Wednesday of each month: juvenile docket 9:00 a.m., adult docket 10:00 a.m. See our Monument page. |
| Palmer Lake Municipal Court | Court is held on the first Monday of each month at 8 a.m. Court clerk: 719-481-2953. See our Palmer Lake page. |
| Calhan Municipal Court | Held every other month for minor traffic violations and town summonses. Town Clerk: 556 Colorado Avenue, Calhan, CO 80808, 719-347-2586. See our Calhan page. |
A municipal court of record can impose up to 364 days in jail, within the limits of city ordinances, and the conviction appears on background checks.
Requesting a jury in municipal court also has a strict deadline: a written request within 21 days after entering a plea, under C.R.S. 13-10-114.
For the unincorporated Security-Widefield area, which has no municipal court, see our Security-Widefield page.
Reading Your Ticket or Summons
Your summons or bond paperwork lists the court, its address, and your date and time to appear.
| If your paperwork shows | Your case is most likely in |
|---|---|
| 270 S. Tejon Street | El Paso County Court or District Court (a state case) |
| 224 E. Kiowa Street | Colorado Springs Municipal Court |
| 101 N. Main Street, Fountain | Fountain Municipal Court |
| 606 Manitou Avenue | Manitou Springs Municipal Court |
| 645 Beacon Lite Road, Monument | Monument Municipal Court |
| 101 W. Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek | Teller County Combined Court |
Other Clues on the Paperwork
- The charging section. A charge cited as a Colorado Revised Statute, such as 42-4-1301 for DUI, is a state charge. A charge cited to a city code section is a municipal charge.
- The agency. A Sheriff's deputy or state trooper almost always files in county court. A city officer can file in either court.
- Your mailing address does not decide it. Many homes outside city limits have a Colorado Springs or Fountain mailing address. What matters is where the offense happened and how the officer charged it.
If you cannot tell which court you are in, call the court listed on the paperwork before your date. Going to the wrong building can still lead to a warrant.
Teller County and the 4th Judicial District
The 4th Judicial District covers El Paso and Teller counties. One District Attorney's Office prosecutes in both, but Teller County cases are heard in Teller County.
| Teller County Combined Court | 101 W. Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, CO 80813. Phone 719-689-7360. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Woodland Park Municipal Court | 220 W. South Avenue, Woodland Park, CO 80866. Phone 719-687-5207. |
| Teller County Sheriff's Office | 11400 US Highway 24, Divide, CO 80814 |
Woodland Park sends DUI cases to the Teller County Combined Court, not to its municipal court. Teller County in-custody advisements on Saturdays use the same 4th Judicial District video courtroom as El Paso County, at 4:00 p.m.
Military Members in Civilian Court
El Paso County is home to Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. A service member arrested off base by a deputy, a trooper, or city police is prosecuted in civilian court, just like anyone else.
Service members may have to report a civilian arrest to their command, which can take separate action. Under federal installation rules at 32 CFR 634.9, a service member's on-base driving privileges are suspended after an intoxicated driving apprehension regardless of where it happened. A refusal to test brings a one-year automatic revocation under 32 CFR 634.11.
Offenses committed on a federal installation can be handled differently, sometimes in federal court. See our federal crimes page.
Working With an El Paso County Criminal Defense Lawyer
Attorney Michael W. Moran has been licensed to practice law in Colorado since 1995. A former municipal court judge, he represents people in El Paso County Court, El Paso County District Court, the Teller County Combined Court, and the municipal courts in the area. Other attorneys he works with assist when a case needs it.
The office is in Colorado Springs. A first meeting covers which court your case is in, what the prosecution has to prove, your bond conditions and upcoming dates, and the realistic options for your situation. No lawyer can promise a particular result, but you should leave knowing where you stand.
Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the El Paso County courthouse?
State criminal cases are heard at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs. The main number for the El Paso County Combined Courts is 719-452-5000.
How fast will someone in the El Paso County Jail see a judge?
Colorado law requires bond setting within 48 hours after an arrestee arrives at the jail, with narrow exceptions. In El Paso County, in-custody video advisements are held weekdays at 1:30 p.m. and on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.
How do I post bond at the El Paso County Jail?
Bond can be posted 24 hours a day at the transaction window in the jail lobby at 2739 East Las Vegas Street. The jail accepts cash, cashier's checks, official checks, and money orders, but not personal checks.
My ticket is from a Sheriff's deputy. Which court do I go to?
Deputy cases are state cases, so they are usually filed in El Paso County Court at 270 S. Tejon Street. Always confirm with the court and date printed on your summons.
Is a Teller County case heard in Colorado Springs?
No. They are heard at the Teller County Combined Court in Cripple Creek. The same District Attorney's Office prosecutes in both counties.
I am in the military. Will my civilian charge affect my career?
It can. Service members may have to report civilian arrests to their command, and a DUI apprehension can lead to suspension of on-base driving privileges. Talk with a lawyer before entering any plea.
Sources
- Colorado Judicial Branch, 4th Judicial District, El Paso County (bond hearing and video advisement schedule)
- Colorado Judicial Branch, Video Advisement FAQ, 4th Judicial District
- Colorado Judicial Branch, Teller County Courthouse
- Office of the District Attorney, 4th Judicial District
- El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Detention Bureau
- El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Patrol Section
- Colorado State Patrol, District Two
- Colorado State Patrol, Services We Provide
- Colorado Springs Municipal Court
- City of Fountain, Municipal Court
- City of Manitou Springs, Municipal Court
- Town of Monument, Municipal Court
- Town of Calhan, Municipal Court
- Town of Palmer Lake, Municipal Court
- City of Woodland Park, Municipal Court
- Teller County Sheriff's Office
- Colorado Legislative Council Staff, Overview of the Colorado Judicial Branch (September 30, 2025)
- C.R.S. 16-4-102, Right to bail and 48-hour bond setting
- C.R.S. 13-10-104, Municipal courts created
- C.R.S. 13-10-114, Jury trials in municipal court
- 32 CFR 634.9, Suspension of installation driving privileges
- 32 CFR 634.11, Suspension and revocation of installation driving privileges
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