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Juvenile District Court

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Overview

The Juvenile District Court Division handles the prosecution of individuals who are under the age of 18 who have been charged with committing a petty offense, misdemeanor or felony offense. Juveniles receiving traffic offenses are heard in County Court. If a juvenile has committed a violent offense and is at least 14 years of age, the child may be charged as an adult. The division also oversees a juvenile diversion program that works with many first time offenses. The diversion program utilizes education, community, and family services to divert the juvenile from the criminal justice system. 

FAQs

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  1. Yes. If the child is under the age of 18, they must have a parent or guardian accompany them to court.

  2. Yes. If the juvenile is being charged with a felony, the officer will bring the reports to the District Attorney's Office for review and the Deputy District Attorney will decide what charges are appropriate. A letter is then sent to the juvenile and parents/guardians with notification of the court date. If the charge is a misdemeanor, the officer will write a juvenile a summons (ticket) signed by the juvenile and a parent or guardian and the court date will be on that document.

  3. You may call their office at (970) 493-1212 and press 0 to ask for assistance or you may go to their office at #1 Old Town Square, Suite 201, Fort Collins CO 80524 and fill out an application.

  4. Yes. However, if the juvenile is in custody, and the officer wants to ask them questions about their involvement in a crime, a parent/guardian must be present.

  5. If there is more than one juvenile charged with a crime, the court can order all of the participants to pay the full amount of restitution. Once the full amount has been received by the court, they will no longer accept payments. This ensures that if one defendant does not pay, the victim will still be fully reimbursed.

  6. There is no formal emancipation process in Colorado. To be emancipated, the juvenile must be at least 16 years of age and independent in matters of care, custody, and earnings, or be married or in the military. If this can be clearly shown, a juvenile may then be considered emancipated. There is no formal procedure necessary to become emancipated. Emancipation is a status that a person finds himself in rather than a legal process that "emancipates." If a parent signs an affidavit stating that you are considered emancipated it may help to prove your status but is not necessarily the only thing the courts would look at if your emancipation is challenged.

  7. A juvenile who is charged with a crime, or his parent or guardian, is entitled to all police reports pertaining to that case. Victims can have limited access subject to the discretion of the Deputy District Attorney. Police reports involving juveniles are not available to the general public.

  8. Please visit the Central Services & Discovery webpage for information regarding discovery.

  9. If you have a concern about how your case is proceeding, you may send us an email. If you are represented by an attorney, we are prohibited from discussing your case with you. You will need to address these concerns with your attorney.

 

Contact Information

Courtroom 2A: (970) 494-3560

District Attorney's Office, Juvenile Unit  (970) 498-7287