Guide to Submitting Search Warrants
1. Standard Search Warrants
All search warrants must be reviewed by the District Attorney's (DA's) office before being submitted to the courts.
Step 1: DA Office Review
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Locate the correct template from the search warrant pages and remove any unneeded sections according to the template instructions. |
| Submission | Email your prepared documents to the DA's office: warrants@co.larimer.co.us |
| Response Time | The DA's Office will respond to your submission within 5 business hours. |
Step 2: Court Submission (After DA Approval)
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Required Docs | You must submit the e-warrant coversheet noting which DA reviewed your warrant, the approved search warrant, and the affidavit. |
| Submission | Email the documents to the court: larimercourts@judicial.state.co.us |
| CC Requirement | CC the DA's office on the court submission email: warrants@co.larimer.co.us |
| Notary | Search warrants do not need to be notarized. The Judge will call the officer to be sworn in verbally. |
| Judge Response | Will be reviewed by a Judicial Officer within 2 business days |
2. Urgent Search Warrants
Mark a warrant as URGENT only when law enforcement is ready to take immediate action on the warrant at the time it is submitted, not at a later date.
Step 1: Preparation and Submission to DA
Follow the first three preparation steps in the standard process above, and then do the following:
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Flagging | Mark URGENT on the e-warrant coversheet and in the subject line of the email to the DA's Office. |
| Urgency Reason | State why it is urgent in the body of the email. |
Step 2: Contact the DA (Immediate Notification)
| Timeframe | Contact Details |
|---|---|
| Business Hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) | Call (970) 498-7200 and inform our office that you have submitted an urgent search warrant. |
| After-Hours | Call the on-call DA at (970) 214-5500. |
Step 3: Court Submission
- Search warrants do not need to be notarized. The Judge will call the officer to be sworn in verbally.
- Once reviewed, the DA's office will notify you to proceed with submission to the court, following the same court submission steps as the standard process.
