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Guide to Finding Colorado Attorneys

Guide to Finding Colorado Attorneys

Colorado Attorneys are  lawyers who are permitted to practice within the State of Colorado because either he or she is barred within the State of Colorado or is barred in another State but has been given special permission from the court to practice in Colorado for a brief period of time, usually for a specific proceeding, this is called pro hoc vice.
How do you become a Colorado Attorney?
In order to become a Colorado Attorney an individual must meet a number of requirements; these include educational requirements as well as ethical requirements.  The first step is that a Colorado  Attorney must have his, or her, bachelors degree from an accredited college or University.  After that an individual must be accepted and graduate from an accredited law school or meet any of the alternative requirements set by the Colorado Bar Association.  
After graduating from an accredited law school a Colorado Attorney candidate must take and pass that Colorado Bar Exam.  The Colorado Bar Exam is a two day exam that is administered by the Colorado Bar Examiners Office.  The first day consists of 9 essay questions and 2 Multi-State Performance Tests.  The 9 essay questions are prepared by the Colorado board of Bar Examiners and are based solely on Colorado law.   The Multi-State Performance Test is a 90 minute test that gauges an applicants ability to take evidence and substantive law and write a persuasive memos or briefs.  The second day of the Colorado Bar Exam is the Multi-State Bar Exam.  The MBE is a 200 multiple choice examination administered by the National Board of Bar Examiners.   The passing rate for the Colorado Bar Exam is around 73%.  
In addition to the substantive requirements proving the educational experience of the candidate a Colorado Attorney must also represent the ethical and moral standards of the legal profession.  The candidate must take and pass the Multi-State Performance Exam with a score of 85.  In addition, the Colorado Attorney candidate must also complete a character and fitness application including background information, criminal record checks and financial reports that will be analyzed by the Colorado Bar Association.
The Colorado Court System
Colorado Attorneys practice in three different types of trial courts within the State of Colorado.  These are the District courts, the County courts and the Water courts.  The district courts in the State of Colorado hear civil cases involving any amount, domestic violence cases, criminal cases, juvenile cases and probate cases.  The County courts are able to hear civil cases where the amount in question is less than $15,000, all misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and felony complaints.  Judgments from the County courts are immediately appealable to the district courts.  Water courts in the State of Colorado hear all cases involving water rights.  There are 7 water courts in the State of Colorado that are located in each of Colorado’s river basins.
Finding a Colorado Attorney
If you are looking for a Colorado Attorney you can take many routes.  You can perform a simple internet search to find information on Colorado Attorneys near you that practice in the area of law where you need representation.  Most Colorado Attorneys have their own websites that give valuable information about the Colorado Attorneys education, experience, and results.  
You can also take advantage of a referral service.  The Colorado Bar Association does not operate a Colorado Attorney Referral service but it does have direct links to a number of referral services within the State of Colorado.  Two of the most respected are the Metropolitan Lawyer Referral Service and the El Paso County Lawyer Referral.  The first referral service can be contacted at 877-283-8145.  The Metropolitan referral service will cost $75 for a 30 minute consultation.  The El Paso County Lawyer Referral service will cost $40 for a 30 minute consultation.  
This website also has a lawyer referral service if you are having trouble finding representation in your area.  By going to the top of this page and clicking on the “find a lawyer” link you will  be directed to input specific data including your contact information, a brief description of your legal problem and your specific location.  At that point a representative from laws.com will contact you about an attorney in your area who will be able to help you with your legal problem.  
Legal Aid
If you need a Colorado Attorney but you cannot afford one then you may have some options.  There are a number of legal aid services in the State of Colorado that will be able to help you.  By going to the Colorado Bar Association’s website you will find links to: Colorado Legal Services; Colorado Pro Bono; Metro Volunteer Lawyers; and CBA’s Appellate Pro Bono Program.   Thes legal aid services will not be able to help you with finding a criminal lawyer.  As per the 5th Amendment you are automatically appointed a criminal Colorado attorney to defend you in criminal matters.  In order to qualify for Colorado attorneys through legal aid you must have an annual salary no more than 125% of the national poverty level.