United States District Court for the District of Colorado

{{short description|U.S. federal district court in Colorado}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2017}} {{distinguish|Colorado District Courts}} {{Infobox U.S. federal court | court_type = district | court_name = United States District Court for the District of Colorado | abbreviation = D. Colo. | seal = USDC-COLO Logo.png | seal_size = | map_image_name = | map_image_width = 150 | map_image_caption = | courthouse = | location = [[Denver]] | courthouse1 = [[Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and United States Courthouse|Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse]] | location1 = [[Denver]] | courthouse2 = | location2 = [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]] | courthouse3 = | location3 = [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]] | courthouse4 = | location4 = [[Durango, Colorado|Durango]] | courthouse5 = | location5 = [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]] | courthouse6 = | location6 = [[Montrose, Colorado|Montrose]] | courthouse7 = | location7 = [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]] | courthouse8 = | location8 = [[Sterling, Colorado|Sterling]] | appeals_to = Tenth Circuit | established = June 26, 1876 | judges_assigned = 7 | chief = [[Daniel D. Domenico]] | us_attorney = Peter McNeilly ''(interim)'' | us_marshal = [[Kirk M. Taylor]] | official_site = {{URL|http://www.cod.uscourts.gov/}} }}

The '''United States District Court for the District of Colorado''' (in [[case citation]]s, '''D. Colo.''' or '''D. Col.''') is a federal court in the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit|Tenth Circuit]] (except for [[patent]] claims and claims against the U.S. government under the [[Tucker Act]], which are appealed to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit|Federal Circuit]]).

The District was established on June 26, 1876, pending Colorado statehood on August 1, 1876.<ref>https://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_co.html U.S. District Courts of Colorado, Legislative history, ''[[Federal Judicial Center]]''</ref>

{{As of|2025|06|15|df=US}}, the interim '''United States attorney''' for the District is Peter McNeilly.<ref>{{Cite web|title=United States Attorney Peter McNeilly |date=June 17, 2025|publisher=U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado |location=Denver, Colorado |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/meet-us-attorney |access-date=August 13, 2025}}</ref>

== Organization of the court ==

The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the sole federal judicial district in Colorado.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-28-judiciary-and-judicial-procedure/28-usc-sect-85.html|title=28 U.S.C. § 85 - U.S. Code Title 28. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 85|website=Findlaw}}</ref> Court for the District is held at [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]], [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Durango, Colorado|Durango]], and [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]].

== Current judges == <onlyinclude> {{As of|2026|03|04|df=US}}: {{start U.S. judgeship Current}} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 29 | title = Chief Judge | name = [[Daniel D. Domenico]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1972 | term = 2019–present | chief term = 2026–present | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump| Trump]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 24 | title = District Judge | name = [[Philip A. Brimmer]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1959 | term = 2008–present | chief term = 2019–2026 | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush|G.W. Bush]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 30 | title = District Judge | name = [[Regina M. Rodriguez]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1963 | term = 2021–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden| Biden]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 31 | title = District Judge | name = [[Charlotte Sweeney]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1969 | term = 2022–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden| Biden]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 32 | title = District Judge | name = [[Nina Y. Wang]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1972 | term = 2022–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden| Biden]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 33 | title = District Judge | name = [[Gordon Gallagher]] | duty station = [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]] | born = 1970 | term = 2023–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden| Biden]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 34 | title = District Judge | name = [[Kato Crews]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1975 | term = 2024–present | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden| Biden]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 12 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[John L. Kane Jr.]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1937 | term = 1977–1988 | chief term = — | senior term = 1988–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter| Carter]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 16 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[Lewis Babcock]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1943 | term = 1988–2008 | chief term = 2000–2007 | senior term = 2008–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan| Reagan]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 21 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[Marcia S. Krieger]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1954 | term = 2002–2019 | chief term = 2013–2019 | senior term = 2019–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush|G.W. Bush]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 22 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[Robert E. Blackburn]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1950 | term = 2002–2016 | chief term = — | senior term = 2016–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush|G.W. Bush]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 25 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[Christine Arguello]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1955 | term = 2008–2022 | chief term = — | senior term = 2022–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush|G.W. Bush]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 26 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[William J. Martínez]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1954 | term = 2010–2023 | chief term = — | senior term = 2023–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama| Obama]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 27 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[R. Brooke Jackson]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1947 | term = 2011–2021 | chief term = — | senior term = 2021–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama| Obama]] }} {{U.S. judgeship row Current | index = 28 | title = Senior Judge | name = [[Raymond P. Moore]] | duty station = [[Denver]] | born = 1953 | term = 2013–2023 | chief term = — | senior term = 2023–present | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Barack Obama| Obama]] }} {{end U.S. judgeship Current}} </onlyinclude>

== Former judges ==

{{start US judgeship no state}} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 1 | name = [[Moses Hallett]] | borndied = 1834–1913 | term = 1877–1906 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Ulysses S. Grant| Grant]] | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 2 | name = [[Robert E. Lewis]] | borndied = 1857–1941 | term = 1906–1921 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Theodore Roosevelt|T. Roosevelt]] | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 3 | name = [[John Foster Symes]] | borndied = 1878–1951 | term = 1922–1950 | chief term = — | senior term = 1950–1951 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Warren G. Harding| Harding]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 4 | name = [[William Lee Knous]] | borndied = 1889–1959 | term = 1950–1959 | chief term = 1954–1959 | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Harry S. Truman| Truman]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 5 | name = [[Jean Sala Breitenstein]] | borndied = 1900–1986 | term = 1954–1957 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower| Eisenhower]] | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 6 | name = [[Alfred A. Arraj]] | borndied = 1906–1992 | term = 1957–1976 | chief term = 1959–1976 | senior term = 1976–1992 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower| Eisenhower]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 7 | name = [[Olin Hatfield Chilson]] | borndied = 1903–1991 | term = 1960–1973 | chief term = — | senior term = 1973–1991 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower| Eisenhower]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 8 | name = [[William Edward Doyle]] | borndied = 1911–1986 | term = 1961–1971 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by John F. Kennedy| Kennedy]] | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 9 | name = [[Fred M. Winner]] | borndied = 1912–2003 | term = 1970–1982 | chief term = 1976–1982 | senior term = 1982–1984 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon| Nixon]] | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 10 | name = [[Sherman Glenn Finesilver]] | borndied = 1927–2006 | term = 1971–1994 | chief term = 1982–1994 | senior term = 1994 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon| Nixon]] | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 11 | name = [[Richard Paul Matsch]] | borndied = 1930–2019 | term = 1974–2003 | chief term = 1994–2000 | senior term = 2003–2019 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Richard Nixon|Nixon]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 13 | name = [[Jim Carrigan (judge)|Jim Carrigan]] | borndied = 1929–2014 | term = 1979–1994 | chief term = — | senior term = 1994–1995 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter| Carter]] | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 14 | name = [[Zita Leeson Weinshienk]] | borndied = 1933–2022 | term = 1979–1998 | chief term = — | senior term = 1998–2011 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Jimmy Carter| Carter]] | termination = retirement }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 15 | name = [[John Carbone Porfilio]] | borndied = 1934–present | term = 1982–1985 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan| Reagan]] | termination = elevation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 17 | name = [[Edward Nottingham]] | borndied = 1948–present | term = 1989–2008 | chief term = 2007–2008 | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush|G.H.W. Bush]] | termination = resignation }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 18 | name = [[Daniel B. Sparr]] | borndied = 1931–2006 | term = 1990–2001 | chief term = — | senior term = 2001–2006 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George H. W. Bush|G.H.W. Bush]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 19 | name = [[Wiley Young Daniel]] | borndied = 1946–2019 | term = 1995–2013 | chief term = 2008–2013 | senior term = 2013–2019 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton| Clinton]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 20 | name = [[Walker David Miller]] | borndied = 1939–2013 | term = 1996–2008 | chief term = — | senior term = 2008–2013 | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by Bill Clinton| Clinton]] | termination = death }} {{US judgeship row no state | index = 23 | name = [[Phillip S. Figa]] | borndied = 1951–2008 | term = 2003–2008 | chief term = — | senior term = — | appointer = [[List of federal judges appointed by George W. Bush|G.W. Bush]] | termination = death }} {{End}}

== Chief judges == {{ChiefJudgeDC}}

== Succession of seats ==

{{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 1 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on August 1, 1876 by 19 Stat. 61 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Moses Hallett|Hallett]] | term = 1877–1906 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Robert E. Lewis|Lewis]] | term = 1906–1921 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[John Foster Symes|Symes]] | term = 1922–1950 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[William Lee Knous|Knous]] | term = 1950–1959 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Olin Hatfield Chilson|Chilson]] | term = 1960–1973 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Richard Paul Matsch|Matsch]] | term = 1974–2003 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Phillip S. Figa|Figa]] | term = 2003–2008 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[R. Brooke Jackson|Jackson]] | term = 2011–2021 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Charlotte Sweeney|Sweeney]]''' | term = 2022–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 2 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Jean Sala Breitenstein|Breitenstein]] | term = 1954–1957 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Alfred A. Arraj|Arraj]] | term = 1957–1976 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[John L. Kane Jr.|Kane, Jr.]] | term = 1977–1988 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Lewis Babcock|Babcock]] | term = 1988–2008 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Philip A. Brimmer|Brimmer]]''' | term = 2008–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 3 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[William Edward Doyle|Doyle]] | term = 1961–1971 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Sherman Glenn Finesilver|Finesilver]] | term = 1971–1994 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Wiley Young Daniel|Daniel]] | term = 1995–2013 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Raymond P. Moore|Moore]] | term = 2013–2023 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Kato Crews|Crews]]''' | term = 2024–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 4 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Fred M. Winner|Winner]] | term = 1970–1982 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[John Carbone Porfilio|Porfilio]] | term = 1982–1985 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Daniel B. Sparr|Sparr]] | term = 1990–2001 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Marcia S. Krieger|Krieger]] | term = 2002–2019 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Regina M. Rodriguez|Rodriguez]]''' | term = 2021–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{Col-end}} {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 5 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Jim Carrigan (judge)|Carrigan]] | term = 1979–1994 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Walker David Miller|Miller]] | term = 1996–2008 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Christine Arguello|Arguello]] | term = 2008–2022 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Nina Y. Wang|Wang]]''' | term = 2022–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 6 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Zita Leeson Weinshienk|Weinshienk]] | term = 1979–1998 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Robert E. Blackburn|Blackburn]] | term = 2002–2016 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Daniel D. Domenico|Domenico]]''' | term = 2019–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{start U.S. judge succession | seat title = Seat 7 }} {{U.S. judge succession note | text = Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[Edward Nottingham|Nottingham, Jr.]] | term = 1989–2008 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = [[William J. Martínez|Martínez]] | term = 2010–2023 }} {{U.S. judge succession row | name = '''[[Gordon Gallagher|Gallagher]]''' | term = 2023–present }} {{end U.S. judge succession}} {{Col-break}} {{Col-end}}

== U.S. Attorney ==

* [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/edwards8.html#886.09.11 Theodore D. Edwards] 1861 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/dales-dalto.html#214.88.08 James E. Dalliba] 1861 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/brown8.html#207.75.14 Samuel E. Brown] 1862 * Lewis C. Rockwell 1870-73 * H. C. Alleman 1873-75 * Charles D. Bradley 1875-77 * W. S. Decker 1877-80 * Edward S. Johnson 1880-82 * [[Andrew W. Brazee]] 1882-85 * Henry W. Hobson 1885-89 * John D. Fleming 1889-93 * [[Henry V. Johnson]] 1893-97 * [[Greeley W. Whitford]] 1897-1901 * Earl M. Cranston 1901-08 * Thomas Ward, Jr. 1908-12 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/kelly4.html#494.71.85 Harry E. Kelly] 1912-14 * Harry B. Tedrow 1914-21 * [[John Foster Symes]] 1921-22 * Granby Hillyer 1922-24 * [[George Stephan]] 1924-29 <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Steiwer to Stephenie |url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/steiwer-stephen.html#393.94.34 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=politicalgraveyard.com}}</ref> * [[Ralph Lawrence Carr|Ralph L. Carr]] 1929-33 * Thomas J. Morrissey 1933-47 * Ivor Wingren 1947 * Max M. Bulkeley 1947-51 * Charles S. Vigil 1951-53 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/kelley.html#112.18.96 Donald E. Kelley] 1953-58 * Robert S. Wham 1958-59 * [[Donald G. Brotzman]] 1959-61 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/henry.html#947.01.48 Lawrence M. Henry] 1961-69 * [https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/traxler-treichler.html#856.22.85 James L. Treece] 1969-77 * Cathlin Donnell 1977 * Joseph F. Dolan 1977-81 * Robert N. Miller 1981-88 * [[Michael J. Norton]] 1988-93 * James R. Allison 1993 * Henry Lawrence Solano 1993-98 * Linda A. McMahan 1998-1999? * [[Tom Strickland]] 1999-2001 * [[John Suthers]] 2001-2005 * [[Troy Eid|Troy A. Eid]] 2006-2009 * David Gaouette (acting) 2009-2010 * [[John F. Walsh]] 2010-2016 * [[Robert Troyer]] 2016-2018 * [[Jason R. Dunn]] 2018-2021 * Matthew T. Kirsch (acting) 2021 * [[Cole Finegan]] 2021–2024 * Matthew T. Kirsch (acting) 2024–2025

== See also == * [[Courts of Colorado]] * [[List of current United States district judges]] * [[List of United States federal courthouses in Colorado]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.cod.uscourts.gov/ United States District Court for the District of Colorado Official Website] * [https://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_co.html U.S. District Courts of Colorado, Legislative history], ''[[Federal Judicial Center]]'' * [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/co/ United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Official Website]

{{United States 10th Circuit district judges}} {{USDistCourts}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:United States District Court for the District of Colorado}} [[Category:United States district courts|Colorado]] [[Category:Denver]] [[Category:1876 establishments in Colorado]] [[Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1876]] [[Category:United States District Court for the District of Colorado|*]]