Lincoln County, Colorado

Which bankruptcy court hears a case from Lincoln County?

A Lincoln County case belongs to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado. Colorado constitutes one judicial district, and that district is administered from a single clerk's office and divisional seat at Denver. Cases are assigned to judges by random selection district-wide, not by the county you live in, so there is no "Lincoln County judge" and no county-based division. Grand Junction and Pueblo are statutory places for holding court — hearing locations — rather than divisions that assign cases.

Venue is a separate question from where you live today. A case may be commenced in the district where your domicile, residence, principal place of business in the United States, or principal assets in the United States have been located for the 180 days immediately before filing, or for a longer portion of that period than in any other district (28 U.S.C. § 1408). A recent move from another state, or a business or principal assets elsewhere, can change the answer. Residence alone is not the whole rule.

• Court: United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado, clerk's office at Denver.
• Judge assignment: random selection district-wide, not by county.
• Venue test: the greater part of the 180 days before filing (28 U.S.C. § 1408).

What does this court require of someone filing without a lawyer?

The District of Colorado publishes a Guide for Debtors Filing Bankruptcy Without an Attorney, and it states plainly that any reference in the Colorado Local Bankruptcy Rules to "attorney" applies to you if you file without one. Court staff are prohibited from giving advice about your rights in a case. The guide also says bankruptcy is a complex process and the court highly recommends retaining an attorney.

Two local mechanics matter. First, self-represented filers may file in person with the clerk's office, by mail, or by facsimile, and individual debtors, creditors and adversary parties may request permission to file electronically through CM/ECF by submitting the Self-represented E-Filing Application; joint debtors must both apply (COB GPO 2026-1). Second, every filed document must carry your name, address, telephone number and email address below the signature line, and you must notify the court of changes (D. Colo. L.B.R. 9011-4). Electronic filers retain original signed petitions, schedules and statements in paper.

• The Local Rules' references to "attorney" apply to a self-represented debtor.
• Filing methods: in person, by mail, by facsimile, or by approved CM/ECF application.
• Contact information must appear below your signature on every document.

Is there a court tool for preparing a Chapter 7 petition yourself?

Yes. Effective June 2, 2025, the court authorized its Electronic Self Representation module, eSR, exclusively for self-represented individual debtors preparing and submitting voluntary Chapter 7 petitions in the District of Colorado. The module is hosted on the court's own website and allows a one-time submission of a voluntary petition and related initial pleadings (COB GPO 2025-1).

One detail in that order is easy to misread and worth stating carefully: electronic submission of a petition package through eSR does not constitute the filing of a petition or the commencement of a Chapter 7 case. The package is filed and a case opened only after the court receives completed, hand-signed originals of the eSR Signature and Declaration Form and the Statement About Your Social Security Number (Official Form B121) for the debtor and any joint debtor. The module is governed by the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and the Local Bankruptcy Rules, so using it does not relax any requirement.

Separately, the court has authorized Federal Pro Se Clinic attorneys, staff and volunteers to provide short-term limited legal services to self-represented litigants before it (COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3).

How does the meeting of creditors work in this district?

After the order for relief, the United States trustee convenes and presides at a meeting of creditors within a reasonable time (11 U.S.C. § 341). The court may not preside at or attend that meeting. Before it concludes, the trustee examines a Chapter 7 debtor orally to confirm awareness of the consequences of seeking a discharge, the option of a different chapter, the effect of a discharge, and the effect of reaffirming a debt.

This district describes the format directly: all § 341 meetings of creditors are held by Zoom in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases, and debtors, counsel, creditors and parties in interest should not appear in person. The court's page also states the meeting is held outside the presence of the judge and, depending on the chapter, usually occurs between 21 and 50 days after the petition is filed, with the assigned trustee conducting it in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases.

If you need the meeting moved, a request must be in writing and received by the appointed trustee no later than seven days before the scheduled meeting; the trustee, not the court, approves it (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1).

What local rules and orders change the process here?

Several district-level requirements shape a Colorado case beyond the Code itself. Credit counseling is the one most likely to end a case early: the court's own warning states that if you have not completed a United States Trustee approved pre-filing credit counseling course ending on the date your petition is filed, and you do not meet the narrow post-filing conditions, your case will be dismissed. Voluntary petitions are rejected when counseling was not completed during the 180-day period ending on the filing date, absent a statutory exemption.

The court also publishes what a complete filing looks like. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 petition packets list the required official forms, including Schedules A/B through J, the Statement of Financial Affairs, the applicable Statement of Current Monthly Income, the credit counseling certificate and a creditor mailing list. Chapter 13 filers must also file the Chapter 13 Plan on Local Bankruptcy Form 3015-1.1. Payment advices or a statement conforming to L.B.F. 1007-6.1 are required under L.B.R. 1007-6.

What are the filing fees, and what if you cannot pay them?

The Chapter 7 filing fee is $245 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)) and the Chapter 13 filing fee is $235 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)). A $78 administrative fee is collected for filing a petition in either chapter (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8), and a $15 trustee payment is collected in Chapter 7 (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). Confirm current totals against the court's own fee page before you file.

The district requires every paper voluntary petition to arrive with full payment, an application to pay in installments (Official Form 103A), or a Chapter 7 fee waiver application (Official Form 103B); electronically filed cases must designate one of those options at case opening, and a mismatch can result in dismissal (COB GPO 2014-4(a)). A Chapter 7 waiver is available to an individual debtor with income below 150 percent of the official poverty line for the applicable family size who is unable to pay in installments, and the debtor bears the burden of showing the application should be granted. Fee waiver applications must include pay advices and completed Schedules I and J (D. Colo. L.B.R. 1006-1).

Which Colorado questions should you settle before filing?

The Code is the same in every county, so what varies for a Lincoln County filer is venue, this district's local practice, and Colorado law. Three Colorado questions are worth resolving before you file rather than after: which exemption list applies to you, what conditions attach to the homestead protection, and how much of your wages state law shields from collection. This page is built from federal provisions and District of Colorado documents, so it cannot answer those three from the supplied sources — that is a limit of this page's evidence, not a statement that the law is silent. We publish separate Colorado pages for each.

A few related local points are worth knowing now. A continuance of the 341 meeting does not automatically extend the deadline to object to discharge or dischargeability; those extensions must be requested (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1). And in this district the presumptive reasonable fee allowance for a Chapter 13 debtor's attorney is set by general procedure order, with costs above a stated threshold treated as extraordinary (COB GPO 2021-1).

Where can a Lincoln County resident get help?

The court's Guide for Debtors Filing Bankruptcy Without an Attorney lists free and lower-cost options based on income and assets, including Colorado Legal Services, Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Southwest Bar Volunteer Legal Aid and Weld County Legal Services, with further resources through the Colorado Bar Association. The guide also describes a Colorado Bar Association Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic offering limited-scope advice by phone or video appointment on eligibility, drafting petitions and schedules, court procedures and preparing for the meeting of creditors.

If you are considering a non-attorney typing service, read the court's petition preparer page first. Preparers must comply with 11 U.S.C. § 110, are barred by law from giving legal advice, cannot sign on your behalf, and cannot receive payment from you for court fees. The court publishes a list of preparers who are barred in the District of Colorado.

Arthur, the Bankruptcy.law AI Navigator, can walk you through your situation and build a roadmap. If you ask for it, we can pass your details to a local firm — only with your written consent, and only when a participating firm covers your area.

• Court guide: lists legal aid organizations and a bar-association pro se clinic.
• Petition preparers: regulated under § 110 and cannot give legal advice.
• A firm introduction happens only with your consent, never automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to travel to Denver to file or to attend my 341 meeting?

Not for the meeting of creditors: this district states that all § 341 meetings in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases are held by Zoom and that debtors should not appear in person. For filing, self-represented parties may file in person, by mail, by facsimile, or electronically if the court grants a Self-represented E-Filing Application (COB GPO 2026-1).

Does the court assign my case to a judge based on Lincoln County?

No. Colorado constitutes one judicial district, and cases are assigned to judges by random selection district-wide rather than by county. Grand Junction and Pueblo are statutory places for holding court, meaning hearing locations, not county-assigning divisions. There is no county-specific judge, division or local rule set that applies only to Lincoln County filers.

What happens if I file before finishing credit counseling?

The court's own notice states that if you have not completed the approved pre-filing counseling ending on the date your petition is filed, and you do not meet the requirements for a post-filing extension, your case will be dismissed and you will not receive a discharge. Petitions are rejected where counseling was not completed in the 180-day period ending on the filing date, absent a statutory exemption.

Can I pay the filing fee in installments?

An individual debtor may apply to pay the filing fee in installments using Official Form 103A (D. Colo. L.B.R. 1006-1). In this district, every paper petition must arrive with full payment, an installment application, or a Chapter 7 waiver application, and electronic filers designate the option at case opening; failing to supply the chosen option the same day can lead to dismissal.

Does using the court's eSR tool mean my case is filed?

No. COB GPO 2025-1 states that electronic submission of a petition package via eSR does not constitute the filing of a petition or the commencement of a Chapter 7 case. The package is filed and the case opened only after the court receives completed, hand-signed originals of the eSR Signature and Declaration Form and Official Form B121 for each debtor.

Can I move my meeting of creditors if the date does not work?

A debtor's request to continue the meeting must be in writing, served on the appointed trustee, and received no later than seven days before the scheduled meeting; the trustee approves it, not the court (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1). If granted, you must immediately file a notice of continued meeting, serve it, and file a certificate of service.

Sources

• 28 U.S.C. § 1408 — Venue of cases under title 11
• 11 U.S.C. § 341 — Meetings of creditors and equity security holders · official source
• 11 U.S.C. § 521 — Debtor's duties · official source
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1) · official source
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B) · official source
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9
• 28 U.S.C. § 85: "Colorado constitutes one judicial district." The District of Colorado is a single, undivided district administered from the sole clerk's office/divisional seat at Denver; cases are assigned to judges by random selection district-wide (L.B.R. 1073-1, "Cases are assigned to judges by random selection to the extent possible"), not by county. Grand Junction and Pueblo are statutory places for holding court (hearing locations) only, not county-assigning divisions.
• COB official page — 341 Meetings of Creditors by Zoom
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1
• COB GPO 2025-1
• COB GPO 2026-1
• COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3
• COB official material — Guide for Debtors Filing Bankruptcy Without an Attorney
• COB official material — Credit Counseling is required BEFORE you file for Bankruptcy
• COB official page — Credit Counseling & Debtor Education Courses
• COB GPO 2014-4(a)
• COB official page — Chapter 7 Fee Waivers
• COB official page — Fees
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 1006-1
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 1007-6
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 9011-4
• COB GPO 2021-1
• COB official page — Chapter 7 Voluntary Petition Packet
• COB official page — Chapter 13 Voluntary Petition Packet
• COB official page — Bankruptcy Petition Preparers
• COB official page — Filing Without an Attorney

Related

• Build your personalised roadmap
• Find your local bankruptcy court
• The 341 Meeting of Creditors: What Actually Happens
• Continuance in Bankruptcy: Moving a Meeting or Hearing
• Find a Bankruptcy Lawyer by State
• Statutes and rules library

What it costs to file here

Chapter 7 — total court charges at filing

$338

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8; Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9

Chapter 13 — total court charges at filing

$313

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8

Court charges only. What a lawyer charges is separate and varies by district and by case. Estimate the full cost →

Colorado median income

Median annual income, household of one

$87,940

USTP Median Family Income (2026-07-15 period)

The means test compares household income to the published median for the same household size. Being above it is not a bar to filing. Compare your household →