Cal. Civ. Code § 13-40-109
Jurisdiction of courts.
Operative Text
The district courts in their respective districts and county courts in their respective counties have jurisdiction of all cases of forcible entry, forcible detainer, or unlawful detainer arising pursuant to this article 40, and the person entitled to the possession of any premises may recover possession thereof by action brought in any of said courts in the manner provided in this article 40. On and after January 1, 2019, in all actions brought before county courts pursuant to section 13-40-104 (1)(f) to (1)(i), where the allegations of the complaint are put in issue by a verified answer and in actions in which the verified answer alleges a monthly rental value of the property in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars, the county court, upon the filing of said answer, shall suspend all proceedings therein and certify said cause and transmit the papers therein to the district court of the same county. Causes so certified by the county court shall be proceeded within the courts to which they have been so certified in all respects as if originally begun in the court to which they have been certified. On and after January 1, 2019, the jurisdiction of the county court to enter judgment for rent, or damages, or both and to render judgment on a counterclaim in forcible entry and detainer shall be limited to a total of twenty-five thousand dollars in favor of either party, exclusive of costs and attorney fees.
Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-40-109 establishes which courts have authority to hear eviction-related cases — specifically forcible entry, forcible detainer, and unlawful detainer actions. Both district courts and county courts share this jurisdiction within their respective geographic areas. However, when a case involves a verified answer disputing the complaint, or when the monthly rental value exceeds $25,000, the county court must transfer the case to the district court. Additionally, county courts are capped at entering judgments of up to $25,000 total for rent, damages, or counterclaims, exclusive of costs and attorney fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-109, property owners and managers pursuing a forcible entry or unlawful detainer action generally file in either the county or district court covering the property's location. Compliant operators are aware that if a tenant files a verified answer disputing the complaint — or if the monthly rental value exceeds $25,000 — the county court is required to suspend proceedings and transfer the case to the district court. Operators managing higher-value commercial or residential properties in particular tend to account for this potential transfer when planning the timeline of a possession action.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-109 gives tenants the right to have their eviction case heard in a court with proper jurisdiction, and filing a verified answer that puts the landlord's allegations in dispute can trigger a transfer of the case from county court to district court. Tenants whose cases involve monthly rental values above $25,000 should also be aware that county court jurisdiction over monetary judgments is capped at $25,000, exclusive of costs and attorney fees. Tenants facing eviction proceedings may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand how these jurisdictional rules could affect their particular case.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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