Please visit CM/ECF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding CM/ECF technical issues.
Update your contact information through PACER.
Attorneys seeking to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado must first become members of its bar. Per the local rules of the Court [LAttyR 3], admission to the court's bar requires:
- An active license in the highest court of a state, federal territory, or District of Columbia; and
- Status of Good Standing in all courts and jurisdictions wherein admitted.
Applications for admission to the Court's bar are submitted through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) at www.pacer.uscourts.gov. Therefore, you must have an individual PACER account to apply for admission in this district. This application will also permit you to register for the Court's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system. The bar application fee is paid through Pay.gov.
Please contact the Attorney Services Division of the Clerk's Office (cod_attorneyservices@cod.uscourts.gov, 303-335-2466) if you have any questions about attorney admissions.
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Have you practiced in the District of Colorado before?
Are you suddenly unable to file in CM/ECF?
Are you missing options in the menus?
If so, you may have been administratively removed from the bar of the court and your e-filing privileges revoked due to your failure to pay a previous biennial fee.
You will need to be reapply for admission in the District of Colorado.
See Administrative Removals section below for additional details.
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FAQS
Can I be admitted pro hac vice?
No, the District of Colorado requires full admission for all attorneys practicing in this court.
Do I need a sponsor to be admitted?
No, the District of Colorado does not require sponsorship for new attorneys.
Do I need to prepare an affidavit to accompany my application?
No, an affidavit is not required because the application contains a declaration wherein the attorney swears the foregoing to be true and correct.
Must I provide a certificate of good standing from another court in which I am admitted?
No, the attorney’s eligibility in other jurisdictions will be vetted by the Attorney Services Division.
How can I arrange to be sworn-in?
The District of Colorado does not conduct swearing-in ceremonies for new attorneys.
How can I verify my status?
Search for your name using the Attorney Status tool. Your eligibility status will be displayed. A printout of this search suffices as an information certificate of good standing.
Completing Attorney Bar Application
Applying for Admission in the District of Colorado
- Read Instructions for Attorney Admissions Request.
- Read requirements for admission set forth in Local Rule LAttyR 3.
- Complete USDC Colorado Attorney Admission Form and save locally.
- Enter name on USDC Colorado Bar Certificate and save locally.
- Log into PACER, access District of Colorado, and submit USDC Colorado Attorney Admission Form and USDC Colorado Bar Certificate.
Court staff will review the application and email with further directions. If approved for admission, you will receive a link to pay the attorney admission fee. Once that payment is processed, a confirmation email will be sent with a certificate of bar admission attached. You will now be able to file electronically in the District of Colorado.
Administrative Removals
Attorneys who fail to pay the court's biennial fee, which is collected every other (even) year, are removed from the attorney roll and may not e-file in this district. To confirm if you have been administratively removed, check your bar status using the Attorney Status tool. If your Bar Status reflects "Admin Removal," you are no longer considered a member of the court's bar and must reapply for admission as described above.
Email the Attorney Services Division at cod_attorneyservices@cod.uscourts.gov for further instructions or questions.
Completing Other Bar / E-Filing Application Forms
Federal Agency / U.S. Department of Justice / Federal Public Defender Attorneys
The bar admission fee is waived for federal agency attorneys who seek admission in the District of Colorado. Such an attorney must be employed by the U.S. government and serving in a legal capacity OR have been appointed as CJA counsel by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
If you are already a member of the court's bar in the District of Colorado, but have transitioned to practice as a federal attorney, simply update your contact information through PACER.
If you have never applied for admission in the District of Colorado, proceed as follows:
- Read Instructions for Federal Attorney Admissions Instructions.
- Read requirements for admission set forth in Local Rule LAttyR 3.
- Complete USDC Colorado Attorney Admission Form and save locally.
- Enter name on USDC Colorado Bar Certificate and save locally.
- Log into PACER, access District of Colorado, and submit USDC Colorado Attorney Admission Form and USDC Colorado Bar Certificate.
Multi-District Litigation/Rule 45/10th Circuit CJA Appeal Attorneys
Pursuant to Rule 2.1(c) of the Judicial Panel for Multi-District Litigation Rules of Procedure, every member in good standing of the Bar of any district court of the United States is entitled to practice before the Panel - provided, however, that the attorney has established and maintains a CM/ECF account with any United States federal court. Any attorney of record in any action transferred under 28 U.S.C.§1407 may continue to represent his or her client in any district court of the United States to which such action is transferred. Parties are not required to obtain local counsel. The attorneys in the cases transferring to the District of Colorado as part of the MDL shall register for e-filing in the District of Colorado following the MDL Admission Instructions below, followed by completing the PACER online application and select the "Multi-District " tab. MDL attorneys in cases transferred to the District of Colorado do NOT have to apply for admission, though their provisional bar status will be revoked on conclusion of the MDL transfer case. These MDL Instructions and online PACER MDL tab also apply to attorneys not admitted in the District of Colorado but needing to appear in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(f), as well as to Criminal Justice Act attorneys appointed by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in an appeal of District of Colorado criminal case. See instructions below for more details.
- Read Instructions for Multi-District Litigation Attorney Instructions.
Additional Bar Admission and Related Documents and Forms
Frequently Asked Bar Admission Questions
Are there different types of attorney admissions in the District of Colorado?
Generally, no. There is no temporary or pro hac vice admission in the District of Colorado – full bar admission is required. Federal agency attorneys who are employed in a legal capacity, as an attorney, for that agency, are not required to pay a bar admission fee as a new bar member, and federal attorneys do not have to pay the bar renewal fee every two years (see below) while they are employed as a federal attorney. On return to private practice, bar renewal or bar admission fees are required. Attorneys who need to make appearances in MDL cases, or are litigating subpoena controversies under Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(f), or Criminal Justice Act attorneys appointed by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in an appeal of District of Colorado criminal case, are all waived from the requirement of obtaining bar admission and paying admission or renewal fees – see E-filing Registration Only Instructions above. For further details, contact the Court’s Attorney Services division at (303) 335-2466 or via email at cod_attorneyservices@cod.uscourts.gov.
Are there annual dues requirements?
Annual dues, no. Biennial (every two years), yes. Renewal fee dues of $60.00 are collected every two years, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 – the Biennial Renewal Fee. The next Biennial Renewal Fee collection period is Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2026. Bar members will be notified in the summer of 2026 about the payment collection process. Proceeds of the fee are given in their entirety by grant from the U.S. District Court to the Federal Pro Se Clinic for staffing and operational expenses.
Are there continuing legal education requirements?
No. There are no continuing legal education requirements in the District of Colorado - other than what is required in your active licensing jurisdiction.
Must I be a member of the Colorado Bar?
No. The attorney may be a member of any court of a state, federal territory, or the District of Columbia. Bar membership from a foreign country is permissible, but bar membership from a U.S. state, federal territory, or the District of Columbia must first be obtained and documented.
Must I have a sponsor for membership who is a member of the U.S. District Court or Colorado Bar?
No. When applying for bar admission, ignore the question regarding a sponsor, and the question regarding federal court bar admissions. Do fully complete and answer the question on state bar membership(s).
Must I provide a Certificate of Good Standing from other courts in order to apply for bar admission?
There is no need to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from the state or federal courts in which the applicant is admitted, unless court staff contact you and ask you to provide such information in the event of a question that arises in your application submission.
How long does membership last?
Membership is valid until terminated by the Court. Attorney's bar membership will be terminated by means of administrative removal if they do not pay the mandatory Biennial Renewal Fee.
How can I voluntarily resign from the Court?
To voluntarily resign your membership to the Court, you must (1) be in good standing with the Court, and (2) either email or mail Attorney Services a formal letter of voluntary resignation.
Does the Court accept pro hac vice applications?
No, since 2002, the Court does not accept pro hac vice applications – full bar admission is required.
Is the US District Court for District of Colorado a NextGen Court?
Yes, the Court went "live" with NextGen on August 2, 2021.
What does "Administrative Removal" mean, and how do I become reinstated with the U.S. District Court?
Attorneys who failed to pay past biennial renewal fees are removed from the attorney roll and are no longer considered to be in good standing with the court. In order to be reinstated, an attorney must submit a new Bar/ECF application through PACER (AFTER following the instructions on our Attorney Admission Information page). Payment of the Bar/ECF application fee is made through Pay.gov and is currently $234.00.
Other Frequently Asked Questions – visit the Attorney FAQ page HERE.