If you’ve been summoned for Denver jury duty, you’ll report to one of two courthouses depending on the case: the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse at 520 West Colfax Avenue (Room 100) for criminal cases, or the Denver City and County Building at 1437 Bannock Street (Room 431) for civil and domestic matters.1Colorado Judicial Branch. Denver – District2Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-126 – Compensation of Employed Jurors During First Three Days of Service3Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-129 – Compensation of Jurors After First Three Days of Service
Who Has to Serve
You qualify if you’re a U.S. citizen, at least 18, and either live in the City and County of Denver or live there more than half the time. You also need to be able to read, speak, and understand English. Qualification is measured on the date you’d actually serve, not the date the summons was mailed.4Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-105 – Qualifications for Juror Service
A few things disqualify you automatically. If you’ve served on any jury — municipal, state, federal, tribal, or military — in the past 12 months, or you’re already scheduled to serve in the next 12, you can claim a disqualification. You’ll need a letter or formal acknowledgment from the other court to verify it. Grand jury service has one extra bar: a prior felony conviction in Colorado, another state, or federal court disqualifies you from grand jury duty specifically.4Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-105 – Qualifications for Juror Service
Responding to the Summons
Your summons has a unique juror number and a specific reporting date. The first step is the Juror Questionnaire, which covers basic personal information along with any prior jury service or involvement in court cases.5Colorado Judicial Branch. Juror Questionnaire Submit it through the Colorado Judicial Branch online portal or return the paper version that came with your summons.
Ignoring the summons doesn’t make it go away. The jury commissioner can send a delinquency notice by certified or first-class mail and has broad authority over what happens next, from rescheduling you to escalating the matter.6Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-122 – Delinquency Notices
Postponement or Medical Disqualification
If your date doesn’t work, you can request one postponement — for a work conflict, health issue, vacation, or school. The online postponement form asks you to pick a reason and propose a new date within six months.7Colorado Judicial Branch. Postponement Request You only get one, so choose a date you can actually keep.
A physical or mental condition that genuinely prevents service is treated as a disqualification, not a postponement. You’ll need a written statement from a licensed physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or authorized Christian Science practitioner that describes the condition and explains why it prevents you from serving.8Colorado Judicial Branch. Disqualification Request File the request and documentation through the online portal well before your reporting date.
What to Bring and How to Prepare
Plan to arrive early. Both buildings run everyone through security at the entrance, with metal detectors and bag inspections. Weapons, knives, and pepper spray are prohibited in all Colorado courthouses.
Bring your summons, a valid government-issued photo ID, and something to occupy the downtime. Waits between orientation and selection can run for hours. Cell phones are generally allowed in common areas but are typically prohibited inside courtrooms during proceedings.
Dress business casual. Courts don’t publish a strict dress code, but offensive graphics, shorts, and tank tops can get you sent back to change. Courtrooms tend to run cold, so a light jacket helps.
What Happens on the Day
You’ll check in at the jury assembly room, either at an electronic kiosk or a staffed desk, then watch a short orientation video. After that, staff organize groups and send them to individual courtrooms where cases need a panel.
Selection itself happens during voir dire. The judge and the attorneys question prospective jurors to identify biases, personal connections to the case, or anything else that would prevent someone from being fair. Attorneys can strike jurors “for cause” with a stated reason the judge accepts, or use a limited number of peremptory challenges to remove jurors without giving one. If you’re not picked for that panel, you may be sent to another courtroom or released for the day.
The whole process can take a morning or a full day. If you’re seated on a trial, you serve until it ends, which for complex cases can mean additional days or weeks.
How You Get Paid
Colorado splits juror pay between your employer and the state. For the first three days, your employer pays your regular wages, but the legal obligation is capped at $50 per day unless you and your employer agree to more.2Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-126 – Compensation of Employed Jurors During First Three Days of Service If you make $200 a day, your employer only has to pay $50 of it. Many employers voluntarily pay full wages, but the law doesn’t require it.
Starting on day four, the state takes over and pays $50 per day directly to the juror. A juror on state pay after day three isn’t entitled to additional reimbursement for travel or other out-of-pocket expenses.3Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-129 – Compensation of Jurors After First Three Days of Service
Self-Employed or Financial Hardship
If you’re self-employed, or your employer can show that paying you during jury service would cause genuine financial hardship, the court can excuse the employer from the pay duty. The state then pays reasonable compensation, again capped at $50 per day, for the first three days. The employer has to request a hearing in writing through the jury commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of your jury service.9Colorado Judicial Branch. Information for Employers
Your Job Is Protected
Colorado law makes it illegal for any employer to fire, demote, threaten, or otherwise penalize you for responding to a summons or serving on a jury. Employers also can’t impose demands that would substantially interfere with your service. If your employer retaliates, you can sue for damages and injunctive relief, and courts can award treble damages and reasonable attorney fees if the conduct was willful.10Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-134 – Penalties and Enforcement Remedies for Harassment by Employer
A willful violation is also a class 2 misdemeanor under Colorado criminal law, carrying potential jail time and fines.10Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-134 – Penalties and Enforcement Remedies for Harassment by Employer
If You Don’t Show Up
Colorado’s approach starts with administrative follow-up. The jury commissioner has authority to send a delinquency notice by certified or first-class mail to any juror who fails to appear, and broad discretion to decide what happens next.6Justia. Colorado Code 13-71-122 – Delinquency Notices
In practice, a first-time no-show usually draws a warning letter and a new date. Continued non-compliance can produce an order to show cause, which is a mandatory court appearance where you explain to a judge why you didn’t report. Persistent defiance can end in a contempt finding. If you genuinely can’t make your date, request a postponement in advance rather than gambling that no one will follow up.