Municipal Court FAQ

The Colorado Springs Municipal Court is housed in the Robert M. Isaac Municipal Court Building, 224 East Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is in the downtown area at the corner of Kiowa and Weber Streets. Reference this map for further help.

Normal business hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Please check your summons. If your summons:

• was written by a Colorado Springs Police Officer
• has a blue horizontal color bar at the bottom and
• states that you are to appear at 224 East Kiowa

then you have received a Municipal Court charge. If your summons was written by a state patrol officer or a deputy sheriff, has a green horizontal color bar at the bottom, or states you are to appear at 270 S. Tejon St., contact the El Paso County Combined Court at (719) 448-7650.

To resolve a warrant, appear in Room 108 of the Robert M. Isaac building at 224 East Kiowa Street during normal business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM), Monday through Friday.

If defendants are less than 18 years of age, their parent or legal guardian must accompany them. If the bail amount on the warrant has been set at two hundred dollars ($200) or less, the defendant may simply arrange for a new court appearance date. However, if bail has been set in an amount greater than two hundred dollars ($200), a bond must be posted to secure release from custody. This bond may be posted in two different ways:

1. Posting the full amount in cash, whether by the defendant or by another person. This amount is either applied against any future fine imposed by the court or returned in full if all subsequent court appearances and obligations are met, OR
2. Using the services of a commercial surety bail bonding agency. In this method, the bondsman secures the release of a person from custody and pledges to assure their future appearance before the court. In return, a non-refundable premium is paid to the bail bondsman. The contract between an individual and their bail bondsman is a private matter and not subject to the control of the court. A list of licensed bail bonding agents can be found in the telephone directory or searched for online under "bail bonds colorado springs."

Colorado law requires this court to notify the Motor Vehicle Division (DMV) of the Department of Revenue when a bench warrant is issued for one's failure to appear or comply with conditions of a traffic ticket (or any type of offense if the person is less than 18 years of age).The DMV will then revoke the driver's license. State law imposes a $30.00 fee, called an Outstanding Judgement Warrant (OJW) fee, in addition to any other warrant fees and costs that might apply. Consequently, there will be an additional reinstatement fee required at the DMV.  If the person is licensed to drive by another state, the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles may initiate license suspension proceedings in that state.

Yes. If you are a minor, you must bring a parent, legal guardian, or an attorney who represents you.

A payable fines schedule (list of various fines and bail) can be found here 

Failure to comply with the judge's orders constitutes contempt of court and could result in the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the person who has failed to comply. It is in everyone's mutual interest to fully resolve all questions about what the judge has ordered before leaving the court.

Please see the links below, or visit our forms page.

Attorney Practice Guide

Colorado State Statutes and Constitution

El Paso County Bar Association

Yes. Please visit our glossary.

Yes. Please fill out our survey here.

You may pay a parking ticket by mail, in person or on-line through this web-site. Click here to for complete information on options for paying parking tickets.

A $5.00 late charge will be added to the amount of each ticket if not answered within seven days, and may result in the immobilization (booting) or towing of the vehicle or the issuance of a Summons and Complaint.

For a vehicle that has been immobilized (booted), pay all fines and additional fees incurred by the immobilization at the Violation's Bureau, Room 108. Only cash will be accepted as payment. After 5:00 PM and on weekends, you may appear at the Police Operations Center, 705 S Nevada, to pay your fees.

Traffic citations can add points on your Colorado license. Points are assigned to the violation established by the Colorado Legislature. There are only a certain amount of points a person may have on the license before it is suspended.  Please contact the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles for further information regarding your points. 

This number varies according to the individual driver's age. If you plead guilty or are found guilty on citations involving points, those points will be assessed on your driving record. The court cannot do anything to keep points off your record if you are convicted.

Colorado does not offer a statewide program whereby an individual accused of a traffic violation may take a remedial class and thereby have the citation dismissed. At the Colorado Springs Municipal Court, traffic classes are occasionally imposed as part of a sentence upon a determination of guilt.

Generally, classes are imposed when, in the judgment of the Court or the City Attorney, the accused has demonstrated a need for remedial training. Traffic classes may be part of the negotiations with the City Attorney for a point reduction.

Summons and Complaints may be paid if the officer has marked a payable amount on the front of the summons form. The court must receive all payments before the court date indicated on the summons. If there is no payment amount indicated, the summons is not payable and a court appearance is required.

By paying the fine instead of appearing in court, the defendant surrenders all the legal rights to which they are entitled. Payment is a plea of guilty to the offense(s) charged. Penalty points will be assessed against one's driving record by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If the defendant does not wish to plead guilty, they should not pay the fine and their court appearance is required.

Colorado law requires that all drivers carry automobile insurance on the vehicle they are driving. The insurance must conform to the laws of our state. Those who are found not to have insurance are subject to mandatory fines and costs.  If you obtain automobile insurance after you received your citation, your fine amount will be reduced.

The court can grant you an extension to pay your fines and costs. Those who have the ability to pay their obligations within 30 days will sign a promise to appear in 30 days if payment is not made in full. If payment IS made in full, the defendant need not appear.  If payment has not been made prior to the court date, the defendant MUST appear to explain the circumstances.  Those who cannot pay in full within 30 days are directed to the Probation Department to set up a payment plan.  The court may impose an additional $25 collection fee. Those who are truly unable to pay MAY work community service hours for a public agency in lieu of payment. 

The Municipal Court hears criminal cases that are violations of the City of Colorado Springs code. Some citations are payable and others require an appearance in court. Some examples of criminal citations include: Drinking in Public Prohibited, Park Hours, Duty to Restrain Animals, Fighting, Shoplifting, Assault, Possession of Cannabis, etc.

We have Spanish interpreters present in Monday through Thursday in both the morning and afternoon dockets.

You MUST contact the Probation Department or complete an interpreter request form, if you do not speak or understand the English language, in order to obtain an interpreter at no expense to you. date. For the hearing-impaired, request the use of an assisted listening device from the clerk in the courtroom on the day of the hearing.  To request an American Sign Language interpreter, complete the Interpreter request form. 

When you arrive at the courthouse, you will need to walk through a security scanner. Please arrive on time for your court appearance and be sure to allow enough time to pass through security. You will then enter double doors into the court lobby. There you will be greeted by a court employee or scrolling monitors to assist you with finding the courtroom in which you are scheduled to appear.

When you arrive in the courtroom you MUST check in with the clerk.

Court etiquette includes:

• Dressing appropriately for court.
• Do not eat or drink in the courtroom,
• No cell phones or pagers are allowed in the courtroom.
• The Municipal Court is a court of record and there may be other cases called before your case, so please be quiet and patient so that a good recording is made.
• If you are wearing a hat, please remove it in the courtroom.
• When the judge calls your name, step up to the podium and speak clearly into the microphone.
• Do not speak unless the judge or lawyer asks you to speak.
• If you do not understand, be sure to tell the judge that you do not understand.

At the beginning of each court session, you may expect the following:

• The courtroom clerk will play a video of one's constitutional rights. (A Spanish translation is available from the clerk.)
• A judge will then enter the courtroom and call each case in the order in which they were received.
• Each person will be asked to enter a plea of 'guilty' or 'not guilty', or with the consent of the Court, 'no contest'. If one pleads 'guilty' or 'no contest', they may also explain to the judge what happened. The judge may or may not accept the plea.
• The judge may impose a sentence at the initial appearance.
• In traffic cases, city attorneys are always available to talk to you about your citations.
• Criminal cases can require extra time for the city attorney to gather information needed to discuss the case. You may be asked or you may request to return for a Pretrial Conference on a later date in an attempt to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. If an agreeable outcome is not reached (a defendant is free to reject any offer the city attorney makes to resolve the case), the case will be set over again for trial. Witnesses will need to appear at the scheduled trial.
• One may enter a plea of 'not guilty' and ask for a trial even if they might have committed the offense charged. The term 'not guilty' is the understood way of saying "I want to exercise my constitutional rights and require the government to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt." Each person charged in this court has the right to have witnesses subpoenaed to testify at trial on their behalf at no cost. Please provide the court with the name, address, and phone number of each witness at least two weeks prior to the trial date.
• Obtain Subpoena Request forms at the Violations Bureau in Room 108 of the courthouse or on-line. Correct names and addresses will assure that the court will successfully serve the subpoenas in sufficient time. If a witness is not placed under subpoena and does not appear in court at the trial date, a judge is not likely to grant a continuance for that person.

You may hire an attorney if you think you need one. However, many traffic violations are handled individually, without legal representation. If you feel you need one, or are accused of a criminal offense and wish to hire an attorney, the El Paso County Bar Association has a lawyer referral or you may call them at (719) 636-1532.

If you feel you are unable to afford an attorney and may qualify for court-appointed counsel, you may inquire about an attorney at no expense to you. However, if jail cannot be imposed at sentencing, you will not qualify for court-appointed counsel.

Come to the Violations Bureau, Room 108, to reschedule your court date before the appearance date and time listed on your citation. You cannot call the court to reschedule your date, as you must sign for your next appearance date.

If you are the parent of a juvenile, you must also appear with your child to reschedule. Those who fail to appear on their court date subject themselves to possible arrest and additional warrant costs. If you are detained by law enforcement officers for the active warrant, you may be taken into custody. If you cannot post bond, you will remain in custody until the next business day when you will appear before a judge to hear your case.

Free licensed child care is available through Court Care.  For more information please visit their website.

Please visit our Appellant Checklist.