The United States District Court

District of Colorado

Hon. Regina M. Rodriguez, 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.

Attorney Admission Information

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.

Attorneys who do not meet the admissions criteria may seek relief from the rule of good standing. This request for relief is initially reviewed by the Committee on Conduct and adjudicated by the court’s Disciplinary Panel. Attorneys who seek relief from the Rule of Good Standing are advised to consider the guidance captured in this memorandum.

For additional assistance with the admissions process, contact the Attorney Services Division at 303-335-2466 or via email at cod_attorneyservices@cod.uscourts.gov.

 

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 had 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.

 

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 into the District of Colorado?
The District of Colorado does not conduct swearing-in ceremonies for its new attorneys. However, the Attorney Services Division will facilitate a swearing-in for local attorneys who are being admitted to another court which has this requirement.

How can I verify my status?
Search for your name on the Attorney Status webpage. Your eligibility status will be displayed.

 

Completing Attorney Bar Application

Applying for Admission in the District of Colorado

  1. Read Instructions for Attorney Admissions Request.
  2. Read requirements for admission set forth in Local Rule LAttyR 3.
  3. Complete USDC Colorado Attorney Admission form and save on your computer.
  4. Enter name on USDC Colorado Bar Certificate and save on your computer.
  5. Log into PACER and access the District of Colorado. Work your way through the screens and attach your USDC Colorado Attorney Admission form and USDC Colorado Bar Certificate when prompted.

Court staff will review your application. If approved for admission, you will receive an email containing a link to pay the attorney admission fee. Once your payment is processed, court staff will send a second email confirming your admission with a certificate attached. At that point, you will be able to file electronically in the District of Colorado.

Administrative Removals

Attorneys who have failed to pay previous iterations of 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 on the Attorney Status webpage. 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 additional assistance.

 

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 are serving in a legal capacity. 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 to facilitate a waiver of the admission fee.

Multi-District Litigation/Rule 45/10th Circuit CJA Appeal Attorneys
Pursuant to Rule 2.1(c) of the Judicial Panel for Multi-District Litigation (MDL) 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 a 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.

Attorneys of record in cases that are transferred to the District of Colorado as part of an MDL shall register for e-filing in the District of Colorado following the MDL Admission Instructions below. Additionally, the attorney must complete the PACER online application and select the "Multi-District " tab. These MDL attorneys do NOT have to apply for admission; however, their provisional bar status will be revoked once the MDL transfer case is closed. 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

 

Attorney Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)