The United States District Court
District of Colorado

Hon. Philip A. Brimmer, Chief Judge
Jeffrey P. Colwell Esq., Clerk of Court

Our mission is to serve the public by providing a fair and impartial forum that ensures equal access to justice in accordance with the rule of law, protects rights and liberties of all persons, and resolves cases in a timely and efficient manner.

Starting Your Case

Pro se litigants must use certain forms to initiate a case in the District of Colorado. Many times, the correct form depends upon whether the pro se litigant is in prison or jail as well as what kind of lawsuit is at issue. Review the charts below to determine what form you need to start a case in this district. You can then find the form you need on the court's Forms webpage, HERE.

Pro se litigants who are incarcerated in a prison or jail

 

 

Type of form

Lawsuit will challenge how your sentence was executed (e.g. computation of time served)

§ 2241 Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus

Lawsuit will challenge validity of conviction and sentence resulting from a case in state court

§ 2254 Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus

Lawsuit will challenge validity of conviction and sentence resulting from a case in federal court

Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence Pursuant to 28 USC § 2255

Lawsuit is about something else that is civil in nature

Prisoner Complaint Form

 

Pro se litigants who are not incarcerated

 

 

Type of form

Lawsuit will challenge something relating to employment

Title VII Complaint

Lawsuit will challenge something that does not relate to employment

General Complaint

 

If you are indigent, you may request a waiver of the filing fee, or payment plan, by filing a Motion and Affidavit for Leave to Proceed Pursuant to 28 USC § 1915. This motion is also available on the Forms webpage, HERE.

After you have filed your case, you will need to follow certain rules and procedures to ensure that your case moves along and eventually reaches a conclusion. The District of Colorado has created several guides that can assist you in managing your case, from start to finish. The Guide to Civil Legal Cases is comprehensive and covers a variety of topics ranging from how to file a case to explaining a case's roadmap. Another tool called How to File a Lawsuit Without a Lawyer: A Guide for Prisoners is intended specifically for use by incarcerated litigants and addresses the unique circumstances involving those parties. Both guides are available on the Written Resources webpage, HERE.