Colorado Eviction Timeline

It is important to know that an eviction can be very fast, but it may be longer than you think – there are several steps in the legal process for eviction in Colorado. If you have received a demand for rent that expires in 10 or 30 days, that does not necessarily mean the eviction is complete at that time. Each step may take several days, and most evictions take 30-60 days to go through all the steps. In most cases, a person cannot be forcibly removed from a home through an eviction unless all legal steps have been completed and a Sheriff executes a court-ordered Writ.

The first step that the legal eviction process has started is that the tenant receives a Demand notice – this notice may be called a few different things, but it will have a date of expiration (usually 10 or 30 days from the date it is delivered). The Demand is a legal document that is posted on the tenant’s door or served directly to the tenant. A bill, ledger, letter, or notice from a landlord is not a legal Demand – the Demand document is a legal document.

After a Demand expires, if the legal eviction process is continued, a Summons to a court date is delivered to the tenant. The Summons is a legal document with a specific date of answer listed, usually 7-10 days from the date of the document being delivered. The summons includes instructions specific to the county for “filing an answer” – if a tenant does not file an answer as instructed, the court may make an automatic judgement against the tenant for eviction. For assistance filing an answer, some courthouses have in person legal clinics – call the CARE Center to find out where and when your nearest legal clinic is. The CARE Center cannot provide you with advice on filing your answer, but they may be able to connect you with free and low-cost legal help who can assist. Call the CARE Center at 303-838-1200.

If a Summons answer is filed, the next step is a Trial Date. There is a notice of a trial date delivered to the tenant.

On a trial date, there are several things that can happen, depending on your circumstances.

1. The judge may decide to delay the trial and set another future date. If the trial is delayed, the court will not proceed with further steps until the new trial date.
2. A stipulation may be presented or offered – this is a court-approved agreement that outlines a plan to resolve the eviction case, often involving payment or move-out terms. There is usually a date that the stipulation expires if a specified payment is not made to the landlord. If a stipulation expires, the eviction process will resume. The CARE Center cannot give advice about a stipulation, including whether to sign a stipulation, what terms mean, or what will happen if a stipulation is broken, but they may be able to connect you with a free or low-cost attorney who can assist – call the CARE Center at 303-838-1200.
3. A judgment may be made to order eviction. This is not the final step in the process, this judgement must be sent to a Sheriff as a Writ.
4. A judgement may be made against eviction. This ends the eviction process.

If a judgement is made to order an eviction, or if a stipulation expires, the next step is a Writ is sent by the courts to the county Sheriff’s office. A copy is sent to the tenant and landlord, as well.

After a Writ is received, the Sheriff’s office may schedule an eviction date. They will post notice of that date on the tenant’s door, usually in differently colored paper, and it will list a final date of removal. The final date is usually 5-10 days from the date of delivery. The office of the county sheriff are the only people who can legally remove the tenants and their possessions from the home.

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