COURT LOCATIONS
Please read your ticket carefully to determine where you are suppose to appear.
City and County Building – 1437 Bannock Street
If you received a ticket to appear at 1437 Bannock Street, there are two public entrances open during the day between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. One entrance is located on the south side of the building and the other entrance is located on the east side of the building. After 5:00 p.m. the only entrance open is the one located on the east side of the building. You will be required to go through security, so please allow enough time to park and go through security so you can be on time.
You will need to check the docket monitors located on the first floor to determine which courtroom your case will be heard. Your case could be heard in Courtroom 100, 105 or 104. Docket monitors are located next to the information desk in the main hallway. You can also go to the Clerk’s Office in Room 135 to inquire.
Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse – 520 W. Colfax Avenue
If you received a ticket (also referred to as a summons and complaint) for a violation of a state statute, your first appearance will be in Courtroom 4C in the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse. When you arrive you will be required to go through security. Please allow enough time to park and go through security so you can be on time. Courtroom 4C is on the fourth floor. Check in with the courtroom clerk once you arrive.
Subsequent court appearances are scheduled in one of the trial courtrooms which are 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E.
FIRST APPEARANCE
The first appearance in court is called an Arraignment. The police officer puts a court date on all tickets or summons and complaints. If you lost your ticket or summons you can find your court date by doing a Court Date Search.
At the Arraignment, the Judge or Magistrate will:
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Tell you what the charges are;
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Tell you about your rights;
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Inform you of all the possible penalties.
You may respond to the charges by entering a plea. Common pleas include guilty, not guilty, or no contest (nolo-contendere).
- Not guilty means you say you did not violate the law and want to go to Final Hearing or Trial.
- Guilty means you admit you violated the law. The Judge or Magistrate accepts the guilty plea and enters a conviction in the court record.
- No contest means you do not disagree with the charge. The plea has the same effect as a guilty plea and allows you to accept the penalties associated with the charge(s) without saying that you are guilty. A no contest plea is not an acceptable plea for all cases, and the Judge or Magistrate will let you know if they can accept that type of plea on the case.
At Arraignment you may enter a plea of guilty to an agreed upon plea bargain. A plea bargain is an agreement between you, your attorney, and the prosecutor, which may include a reduction of charges and points, dismissal of some charges, or agreement on sentencing.
For traffic cases scheduled in courtrooms located at 1437 Bannock Street, the City Attorney reviews the cases prior to the scheduled court date and may submit a plea bargain in writing. When you appear, the Judge or Magistrate explains the plea bargain proposal. You can either accept the plea bargain or plead not guilty and set the case for a Final Hearing or trial. If a reduction in points was an option if you paid prior to court, the reduction will be the same if you come to court. Court costs will be imposed, per ordinance or statutory authority.
NOTE: If you have a ticket that has no fine amount listed, and the Court location is 1437 Bannock Street, Room 135, you may be able to reach a plea bargain agreement by mail if you live 60 miles or more from the corporate limits of the City and County of Denver. It is up to the Court and the City Attorney’s Office whether or not they will grant you the ability to take care of your case by mail. You can file a on-line motion with the Court by following the instructions on the Motion for Traffic Plea by Mail form.
If the ONLY charge on your traffic ticket is §42-4-1409 C.R.S. (No Proof of Insurance), and your vehicle was insured on the date and time of the violation, you might be able to resolve your case without an appearance in court. Use this Proof of Insurance Verification form to make the request to have your No Proof of Insurance charge dismissed without a court appearance.
For cases scheduled in the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse located at 520 W. Colfax Avenue, the District Attorney is available at Arraignment and will discuss the case with you.