Seventh Judicial District
State of Colorado
The 7th Judicial District is made up of six (6) counties in west-central Colorado. The counties of the district include: Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel. There are combined court clerk’s offices (district court and county court) in the county seat of each of these counties and an associate county court for Montrose County located in Nucla in the western part of Montrose County. The geographical area of the district is approximately 10,000 square miles of mostly high mountain valleys. This area is about the same size as the state of Vermont or Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware combined. The distance between Lake City in the eastern part of the district and Nucla in the west is approximately 200 miles one-way. The towns of Gunnison (Gunnison County), Lake City (Hinsdale) and Telluride (San Miguel County) have elevations of over 7700 feet. The population of the district as estimated by State Division of Local Affairs for 2008 is just over 101,000. The largest towns are Delta, Gunnison and Montrose. Delta County is the location for a Department of Corrections facility just outside the City of Delta. Gunnison is home to Western State College. Gunnison County (Crested Butte Ski Area) and San Miguel County (Telluride Ski Area) each boast one of the largest ski resorts in western Colorado. Montrose is in the center of the district, and region, and is the location of many state and federal government offices. It is also a center of retail business for the region with large retailers like Target, J. C. Penneys, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Office Depot and restaurants chains like Chili’s, Applebee’s, Rib City Grill, Heidi’s Deli and Genghis Grill with locations in the City of Montrose. Montrose County and Gunnison County also boasts the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This National Park was designated in October 1999. This National Park is a large tourist attraction thus promoting retail and service related business growth in the area. Hinsdale, Ouray and San Miguel Counties are also within national historic districts and have many recreational sites popular with tourist and sportsman alike. Tourism/recreation, agri-business, retail and government are the main employers of the area. Some new light industry businesses, retail (Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond) and restaurants (Olive Garden, South of the Border, Old Chicago) have filed intention to put stores in the area which will effect population, employment and the need for government services including courts.
The 7th Judicial District has Four (4) district, seven (7) county judges and two (2) part-time Magistrates assigned. The current district judges are located in Delta, Gunnison and Montrose. The average traveling distance for district judges is 74 miles one way to the other court locations from their home office. The district has 63 full or part-time employees as judicial officers, in the clerk’s offices or in administrative positions in support of court operations. The probation department has 26 employees in four (4) locations in the district. The district’s payroll and operating budget is approximately $4.0 million.
The 7th Judicial District filed approximately 11,660 county court cases and 3400 district court cases in FY 2008.
Rev August 2008