Denver Eviction Court Steps 2026–27: The 10-Day Demand, the Answer, a Trial Within 10 Days and the Sheriff's Writ
In Denver, an eviction can move fast. The first court date is set 7 to 14 days after the landlord files. If you file an Answer, trial follows 7 to 10 days after that. A tenant who doesn't respond can lose by default at the first hearing.
You still have more help than most tenants in the country. Denver funds free eviction lawyers for many renters, runs a free walk-in eviction clinic at the City and County Building, and Colorado law lets you stop a rent eviction by paying everything you owe before the judge rules. This guide walks through each step. It isn't legal advice.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: the City and County of Denver's Eviction Help page and its Tenant Rights and Resources notice (Department of Housing Stability, or HOST); the Colorado Judicial Branch's Residential Evictions self-help page; and the Denver County Court's Demand for Compliance information sheet.
The Short Version
Step 1, the demand: for unpaid rent or a lease violation, a 10-day "Demand for Compliance or Right to Possession." Pay, fix the problem, move, or dispute it in court.
Step 2, the lawsuit: a Summons and Complaint with a first court date 7 to 14 days after filing. You must get the papers at least 7 days before that date.
Step 3, the Answer: file an Eviction Answer (JDF 103) by the due date and go to court. Trial is set 7 to 10 days after you file it.
Step 4, if you lose: the court can't issue a writ of restitution until 48 hours after judgment, and the sheriff can't remove you until at least 10 days after judgment.
Free help: the Free Eviction Clinic, Room 163, 1437 Bannock St., weekdays 8 a.m. to noon. Free lawyers for households at or below 80% of area median income.
Rent help: call 1-844-926-6632 or visit denvergov.org/renthelp.
Step 1: The Notice
Denver's tenant notice says Colorado landlords must go through the courts. They can't shut off utilities, threaten you, change the locks without telling you, take your things, or retaliate. Only a judge can order you out, and only a sheriff's deputy can carry out that order.
The 10-day demand
If you're behind on rent or broke a lease rule, the landlord has to give you a signed Demand for Compliance or Right to Possession, usually called the 10-day demand. It must clearly state the amount owed or the violation. Within those 10 days, you can:
pay the rent owed;
fix the violation;
move out; or
dispute it before a judge.
The city says the 10-day demand rules always apply, even if your lease says otherwise. The Denver County Court's form lists a five-day period only for an "exempt residential agreement."
How it's delivered: a landlord can hand it to you, leave it with a family member over 15 who lives there, or, after trying to deliver it in person on two separate days, post it in an obvious place such as the front door. The 10 days start the day after posting, even if you never see it.
A notice to terminate
If you've broken the same lease term after a previous 10-day demand, or there's a more serious violation, the landlord can serve a Notice to Terminate Tenancy. That gives you no chance to fix it. The time to leave ranges from 1 to 91 days, depending on the situation. You can still dispute it in court.
Just cause and other protections
Denver's notice says state law, with some exceptions, bars eviction without cause, such as a substantial violation or a material lease violation. A few other rules worth knowing:
Late fees can't be charged until rent is 7 days late, can't be more than $50 or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is more, and you can't be evicted just for an unpaid late fee.
On SSI, SSDI or Colorado Works cash assistance? You may have a right to free mandatory mediation before the landlord can file. The court's form tells you to let the landlord know in writing right away.
Landlords can't evict over immigration status, and can't evict tenants who are victims of domestic violence, stalking or unlawful sexual behavior because of that abuse.
Step 2: The Summons and Complaint
If the problem isn't resolved within the notice period, the landlord can file a Summons and Complaint with the court. The city says the landlord must serve you a copy, with all exhibits, within one business day of filing.
The court clerk sets a first hearing 7 to 14 days after filing, and you have to receive the papers at least 7 days before it. The Colorado Judicial Branch says landlords must also mail you the Summons, Complaint and a blank Answer form by the next day after filing.
Don't ignore the date. The city warns that if you don't come to the first hearing and don't file a timely Answer, the court may grant a default judgment. That leads to a writ, and you can be removed.
Step 3: File Your Answer and Go to Court
Your written response is the Eviction Answer (JDF 103). The state court's self-help page offers a free guided interview to help you fill it out. It's where you raise your defenses. The city says you can file it any time on or before the day it's due. Check the summons for the date and ask the clinic if you're unsure.
After you file, the court must set a trial at least 7 and no more than 10 days later. Before then, you have options:
Pay and stop it. For a rent case, the city says you can pay everything you owe before the judge issues a judgment and stop the eviction.
Make a deal. You and the landlord can agree that you'll move, or that you can stay on certain terms. Put it in writing on a Stipulated Agreement (JDF 106 A) and file it. The court may suggest mediation.
Go to trial. Both sides present evidence. You can ask for a jury trial, and either side can appear in person or remotely.
The unlivable-conditions defense
If the eviction is for unpaid rent and the home wasn't fit to live in, you may have a warranty of habitability defense. The state court says you must have given the landlord written notice of the problem saying they had five days to repair it (form JDF 104). To use the defense, you have to pay the rent due into the court registry, less allowed expenses, when you file. If you don't pay all of it, you'll be in default. Talk to a lawyer before relying on this.
Attorney's fees: the court notes the losing side may have to pay the other side's lawyer fees if the lease says so.
Get Free Legal Help Now
The city says to try to get a lawyer as soon as you can, at the notice stage if possible.
Free Eviction Clinic
Room 163, Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St. Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. Staff answer questions and help tenants facing eviction.
Free eviction lawyers
HOST funds free legal services for households at or below 80% of area median income. Contact:
Colorado Poverty Law Project: 303-532-2641
Community Economic Defense Project: 303-838-1200
Colorado Affordable Legal Services: 303-996-0010
Colorado Legal Services: 303-837-1313
Denver doesn't guarantee a lawyer to every tenant, and funding is limited, so call early.
Counseling and rent help
Colorado Housing Connects, 1-844-926-6632, offers free landlord-tenant counseling and can connect you with a housing navigator. The same number is listed for HOST's temporary rent and utility help, or apply at denvergov.org/renthelp.
Step 4: If You Lose
If the judge rules for the landlord:
The court can issue a writ of restitution, but not until 48 hours after judgment.
The landlord schedules the move-out with the sheriff, but it can't happen sooner than 10 days after judgment.
On that date, a sheriff's deputy can remove you.
Use those 10 days. Talk to one of the legal-aid groups above about your options right away, and start arranging storage and a place to stay.
What we couldn't confirm: the exact Answer due date isn't stated on the city or state pages we checked, beyond "on or before the day the Answer is due," so use the date on your summons. Appeal and stay rules, the Denver County Court's courtroom location, and current HOST rent-assistance eligibility weren't on the pages we fetched.
A Quick Checklist
Got a 10-day demand? Count from the day after it was handed to you or posted, and call a legal-aid line that day.
On SSI, SSDI or Colorado Works? Tell the landlord in writing that you're asking for mediation.
Got court papers? File your Answer (JDF 103) and go to the first hearing.
Can pay in full? Paying all you owe before judgment stops a rent eviction.
Lost? You have at least 10 days before the sheriff can come. Get help immediately.
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