Boulder Municipal Court Update
Learn what Boulder's Municipal Court does and what they're working on this year.
What is a Municipal Court?
The Boulder Municipal Court presides over cases and disputes arising from city ordinances (i.e., anything in the Boulder Municipal Code).
Examples of areas in the Municipal Court's jurisdiction
- Traffic infractions and offenses that don't involve serious injury or death
- Photo radar, photo red-light, and "speed on green" violations
- Parking violations
- Petty offenses and misdemeanors (e.g., nuisance party)
- Animal and code violations
- Civil appeals through the quasi-judicial review process
Examples of areas NOT in the Municipal Court's jurisdiction
- Immigration cases
- Federal or state tax violations
- Bankruptcy cases
- Drug trafficking
- Murder
- Armed robbery
- Family or estate law
What's new in our Municipal Court?
Boulder's municipal court has experienced significant personnel changes in recent years, including a new Municipal Judge (one of three Council employees), a Court Administrator (a position housed in the City Manager's Office), and a Deputy Court Administrator. The court also successfully transitioned to new data management systems last year and came into compliance with the state's digital accessibility statute.
This year, the court will onboard more new staff, including an Associate Judge. They'll enhance data access by creating a public data dashboard to boost transparency and accountability. They'll also improve communication about court programs while respecting ethical rules for judges (e.g., avoiding judges having direct interactions with individuals in the community outside of the courtroom).
Additional Resources
- "How are municipal charges handled?" and other details about the court's role
- Identify a municipal court ticket and what to expect if you receive one
- Watch YouTube recordings of court proceedings
