MUNICIPAL COURT
JURISDICTION

Cases that are heard in the Monument Municipal Court are for violations that are committed within the town limits of Monument. Areas such as Historic Monument and Jackson Creek are within the town limits of Monument. A detailed map of incorporated Monument and our jurisdictional boundaries can be found on the Town Clerk or Town Development Services web pages.

Violations that occur within the town limits of Monument and are considered matters of statewide concern are written into and heard in El Paso County Court. For example: improper auto registration, vehicle and driver licensing, theft over $500.00, first degree assault and D.U.I. violations and other felony charges. The Town of Monument does not hear civil or felony cases.

Jurisdiction of a Colorado municipal court comes first from the State in terms of its creation and basic operational structure. Such a court is created and given its authority by the city or town in which it sits.

A municipal court in Colorado may be considered a court of original, special, exclusive, limited, and concurrent jurisdiction.

A municipal court has original jurisdiction because it is a trial court and cases are originally filed there.

A municipal court has special jurisdiction because it hears only municipal ordinance and charter violation cases.

Jurisdiction in a municipal court is exclusive in that its cases may not be heard by a municipal court in another city or town.

Jurisdiction is limited because a municipal court is prohibited from hearing more serious criminal cases such as felonies, and matters deemed by the General Assembly to be of statewide concern such as drug and alcohol related driving offenses and offenses related to drivers licenses.

A municipal court may have concurrent jurisdiction with a county court in matters held to be of both statewide and local concern such as domestic violence, compulsive motor vehicle insurance, and many other non-felony offenses.