American Equity and Justice Group

Using Technology to Build an Equity Dashboard

Statewide

Sponsored by Microsoft and The Seattle Clemency Project, the American Equity and Justice Group was founded by Anthony Powers, a formerly incarcerated person using public access to sentencing data to gain insights into the criminal justice system. Washington is the first state the nonprofit has been able to work with, but they are looking to work with other states, including Colorado. Click on the website link to learn more about their Equity Dashboard.

clemency, commutation, commute, pardon

Clemency Info

Statewide

Requests for clemency are handled through the Office of Executive Clemency with the Colorado Department of Corrections. The governor of Colorado has the power to grant clemency. There are two types of clemency: a commutation is modification of a sentence, and a pardon is public forgiveness of a crime. Click on the website link to learn more about the commute and pardon process. On this page, you'll also find links to eligibility criteria and the application.

collateral consequences

Colorado Consequences of Conviction Guide

Statewide

This guide published by the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office provides a description of all collateral consequences of a conviction in Colorado. The guide was just recently updated!

lawyer

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar–Find an Attorney

Statewide

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar has an online tool to help you find a lawyer. Click on the website link, then look for Find a Lawyer (orange background). Click on Areas of Practice; then use the drop-down menu beside Income Based on County (this means the lawyers work based on income levels). If you need another language besides English, use the drop-down menu for Languages Spoken. You don’t have to list the other information. If the search provides any names, you may have to call several lawyers and leave a brief message, not your whole case. Tell them you got their info from the CCDB website.

legal information

Colorado Directory of Legal Services for Low-Income Coloradans

Statewide

Colorado Bar Association & Denver Bar Association publish a directory of legal services for Colorado. You'll find a list of clinics, information about many legal issues, and much more!

legal forms

Colorado Judical Branch–Self-help & Forms

Statewide

Colorado Judicial Branch provides a list of categories where you can find out more information about legal topics as well as the legal forms.

family court

Colorado Judicial Family Court Facilitators

Statewide

Family Court Facilitators can help you figure out what a custody case needs to be completed or closed. They help to get the case on the right path for the judge so that it doesn’t get stuck in court and to also keep it focused on the children. They tell you what papers you need to fill out and what must be done to complete the case. They tell you about different options to resolve your case (example: reaching an agreement or going to trial). They may talk with you about different processes, like mediation, where you try to reach an agreement with your ex instead of having the judge decide your case. While they can provide information, they cannot give legal advice. Have your case name ready when you call. Click on the website link for a list of court facilitators and their contact information.

legal forms

Colorado Judicial Self-Help Centers

Statewide

Colorado Judicial Department Self-Help Centers are in every courthouse in Colorado. Self-help centers have the legal forms and personnel who can help you understand the legal process for civil legal matters. Their help is called “self-represented litigant assistance.” They can’t give you legal advice, but they can help you understand the process and tell you where you might get free or low-cost help.

legal help

Colorado Legal Help Center

website provides help finding a lawyer, understanding legal processes, and legal forms

Statewide

Colorado Legal Help Center is a website that helps people in Colorado with legal information and resources. Click on the website link and you'll be able to get help finding a lawyer, learning about a legal process, and finding legal forms. Clock on Contact Options to find in-person opportunities for legal help.

civil, civil defense lawyer, civil law, Colorado Legal Services, consumer law, family law, ID, lawyer, legal help, legal services

Colorado Legal Services–Help with Civil Legal Issues

Statewide

Colorado Legal Services has 14 offices throughout Colorado. They help with many types of civil legal issues such as family law, consumer law, immigration, problems with federal programs like Medicaid, problems getting identification documents, and more. If they can’t help you, they may be able to refer you to another place for help. When you call an office, you will be asked questions about your income, assets, and your legal problem. You will not have to pay if you are low income. CLS will not talk about your case with anyone who doesn’t work for CLS unless you give them permission. Please note that CLS offices cannot help with criminal matters or traffic court.

Colorado Legal Services, free legal, free legal clinics, lawyer, lawyers, legal clinics, legal services

Colorado Legal Services–Statewide List of Free Legal Clinics

Statewide

Colorado Legal Services provides a statewide list of free legal clinics they either host or participate in. The list is organized by county. Click on the website link, then either scroll down the list or click on the county name on the right side of the web page.

eviction

Colorado Poverty Law Project

1801 California Street, Suite 3000, Denver CO 80202

Statewide

Denver

Colorado Poverty Law Project helps low-income individuals with free legal services, housing navigation, and advocacy to fight evictions and housing injustice. Use the Get Help button on their website to request help. Their online intake form is available in English and Spanish, and they do not charge for their services. They do not take walk-ins or post their phone number, but they can conduct an intake by phone if requested.

public defender

Colorado State Public Defender

Statewide

The website for the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender provides information about how to apply for a public defender, as well as a list of all public defender office locations.

COVID-19, eviction

COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project

Statewide

The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project was founded in March of 2020 to respond to urgent questions about housing. They work to pair volunteer lawyers with tenants who need advice or legal representation, provide tenants with guidance on how to navigate challenging situations, and evaluate the potential impact of the emerging housing crisis. To get help, click on the website's link titled "Talk to a Lawyer." You will need to fill out a brief online form. Click on the pdf link below for an update on tenants' rights for Colorado.

legal

Denver District Attorney Conviction Review Unit

Denver

The Conviction Review Unit will review cases of defendants who believe their sentencing is not compatible with current standards of fairness. They also review cases of defendants who believe that they were innocent or wrongfully convicted. Click on the website link to learn more.

disability, disability law Colorado, disabled help, legal, legal help

Disability Law Colorado (Denver Office)

455 Sherman Street, Suite 130, Denver CO 80203

Statewide

Disability Law Colorado is a nonprofit that provides legal representation when there is discrimination around civil rights and discrimination issues.

disability, disability law, disabled help, legal

Disability Law Colorado (Grand Junction Office)

322 North 8th Street, Grand Junction CO 81501

Statewide

Disability Law Colorado is a nonprofit that provides legal representation when there is discrimination around civil rights and discrimination issues.

sex offense registration

Discontinue Sex Offender Registration Self-Help Forms

The Colorado Judicial Branch website provides instructions for people who were convinced in Colorado as well as in another state. Click on the website link to learn more, including whether you qualify, where to file, paperwork required, and more.

legal clinics

DU Sturm College of Law–College Law Project

Statewide

College Law Project provides a great list of many kinds of legal clinics and opportunities to get free legal help on its website.

free legal help

Free Legal Resource Days

Colorado Judicial Districts throughout Colorado

Statewide

The Judicial Department is providing free legal help throughout Colorado starting in October 2020. Telephone and videoconference options. You may need to register beforehand. Topics include family issues, probate, and county civil. Click on the website link for more info about locations, dates, and types of legal help. Click on the pdf link for the flyer, which also has all info.

will

FreeWill

Statewide

FreeWill is a website that can help you make a will, for free! The organization is using their tool to create a legal will to help nonprofits by making it easy for people to leave money to a nonprofit in their will. Click on the website link and then click on Individuals to get started on your will.

executive order

Governor Polis’ Executive Orders

Statewide

Click on the website link to find Governor Polis' executive orders.

innocence

Innocence Project

40 Worth Street, Suite 701, New York NY 10013

Statewide

The mission of Innocence Project is to free innocent people who remain incarcerated and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.

innocence

Korey Wise Innocence Project

Statewide

Korey Wise Innocence Project is based out of University of Colorado Boulder Law School. They will become involved only when the traditional methods of appealing a conviction have failed. Please see the website to ready more and to see the evaluation criteria.

pardon

Mass Pardon by Governor Polis for Marijuana Possession

for possession of up to 1 oz in CO

Statewide

On October 1, 2020, Governor Polis issued an Executive Order granting a full and unconditional pardon to individuals convicted of possession of one ounce or less of marijuana in Colorado. The Department of Public Safety was also directed to develop a process to indicate on criminal background checks that the conviction had been pardoned. Click on the website link to learn more. If you have a conviction and aren't sure whether you were pardoned, you can use the Request for Marijuana Pardon Information Form link on the website to find out.

collateral consequences

National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction

Statewide

Collateral consequences are legal and regulatory sanctions and restrictions that limit or prohibit people with criminal records from getting a job, occupational licensing, housing, voting, education, and other opportunities. This website has a database of all 50 states and federal statutes. The video is a webinar that explains how to use the website.

problem solving court

Problem Solving Courts

Statewide

Problem solving courts are an alternative to the regular courtroom and may help resolve a case faster and provide faster access to treatment. Click on the website for more info.

sex offense

Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center

Statewide

The Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center is located in Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Minnesota. The Center collects and shares information about sex offender cases and advocates for more sensible policies and prevention.

juvenile expungement, name change, youth

Young Adult Legal Advocacy Program (YALA)

Free legal advocacy provided by Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center

Young Adult Legal Advocacy Program (YALA) at the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center provides free legal advocacy for young people, ages 18-25, to address a variety of civil legal issues that serve as a barrier to successful transition to adulthood. Some of the legal issues they help with include: juvenile expungement, landlord-tenant disputes including eviction support, name change and gender marker change, FAFSA supports, ID and exceptions processing support, de-registration, and public assistance. They are also able to connect you with resource partners when they aren’t able to directly assist you. To get help from YALA, click on the website link below and fill out the referral form. It's easy to fill out, and they'll get back to you as quickly as possible.