Saguache County, Colorado

Which bankruptcy court hears a case from Saguache County?

A Saguache County case goes to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado. Colorado constitutes one judicial district, and the district is administered from the single clerk's office and divisional seat at Denver. Cases are assigned to judges by random selection across the whole district rather than by the county you live in, so there is no Saguache County judge or Saguache County division. Grand Junction and Pueblo are statutory places for holding court — hearing locations only — not divisions that claim counties.

Where you file is a separate question from residence alone. Venue is available in the district where your domicile, residence, principal place of business in the United States, or principal assets in the United States were located for the 180 days immediately before you file, or for a longer portion of that period than anywhere else (28 U.S.C. § 1408). A recent move from another state, or a business or property held elsewhere, can change the answer.

• District: District of Colorado, administered from Denver
• Judge assignment: random selection district-wide, not by county
• Venue rule: 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 are filing on your own. The court's own guide also says bankruptcy is a complex process and that it highly recommends retaining an attorney, while listing free and lower-cost options based on income and assets. Court staff are prohibited from giving advice about your rights in a case.

The court has built tools specifically for self-represented filers. Its Electronic Self Representation module (eSR) is authorized exclusively for self-represented individual debtors preparing voluntary Chapter 7 petitions, and a submission through eSR does not itself commence a case — the case opens only after the court receives hand-signed originals of the eSR Signature and Declaration Form and Official Form B121 (COB GPO 2025-1). Self-represented parties may also apply to e-file through CM/ECF, and must include name, address, telephone number and email below every signature (COB GPO 2026-1; D. Colo. L.B.R. 9011-4).

• eSR covers voluntary Chapter 7 petitions by self-represented individuals only (COB GPO 2025-1)
• An eSR submission is not a filing until signed originals reach the clerk (COB GPO 2025-1)
• Exempt attorneys and unrepresented parties may file in person, by mail, or by the approved tool on the court's website (COB GPO 2026-1)
• Attorneys in a nonprofit or court-approved program may give limited help without entering an appearance (COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3)

What does the court say about credit counseling and required forms?

The court's pre-filing notice is unusually direct: if you have not completed the United States Trustee approved pre-filing credit counseling course ending on the date your petition is filed, and you do not meet the statutory conditions for completing it afterward, your case will be dismissed and you will not receive a discharge. It adds that most debtors will not be able to meet those conditions because counseling is readily available in this district, and that voluntary petitions will be rejected where counseling was not completed in the 180-day period ending on the filing date.

The district also publishes Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 petition packets with checklists, and a Requirements for a Complete Voluntary Petition list that dictates which documents belong inside the petition PDF and which must be filed as separate entries. The Code itself requires an individual debtor to file the counseling agency's certificate describing the services provided (11 U.S.C. § 521(b)(1)), along with the lists, schedules and statements in § 521(a)(1). The court separately requires payment advices or a conforming statement (D. Colo. L.B.R. 1007-6).

• Counseling must be completed in the 180 days ending on your filing date (COB official material — Credit Counseling is required BEFORE you file for Bankruptcy)
• Petition packets and checklists are published per chapter (COB official page — Chapter 7 Voluntary Petition Packet; Chapter 13 Voluntary Petition Packet)
• Some documents must be filed as separate entries, not inside the petition PDF (COB official material — Requirements for a Complete Voluntary Petition)

How does the meeting of creditors work in this district?

The meeting of creditors is a hearing every debtor must attend, held outside the judge's presence. Under 11 U.S.C. § 341(a) the United States trustee convenes and presides, and the court may not preside at or attend it. Before the meeting ends, the trustee must orally examine a Chapter 7 debtor 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 (11 U.S.C. § 341(d)).

The District of Colorado's own practice is specific: all section 341 meetings of creditors are held by Zoom for Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases, and debtors, counsel, creditors and parties in interest should not appear in person. The court states the meeting usually occurs between 21 and 50 days after the petition is filed depending on the chapter, and that in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases the trustee assigned to the case conducts it (COB official page — 341 Meetings of Creditors by Zoom).

• Zoom for all Chapter 7, 12 and 13 section 341 meetings; no in-person appearance
• Conducted by the assigned trustee, not a judge
• The court's page publishes per-trustee Zoom meeting details

What local rules and orders change the process here?

Several District of Colorado rules shape the mechanics rather than the substance of your case. A request to continue the section 341 meeting before the scheduled date must be in writing and served on the appointed trustee, must reach the trustee no later than seven days before the meeting, and is approved by the trustee rather than the court — so it should not be filed with the court. If the trustee consents, you must immediately file a notice of continued meeting, serve it, and file a certificate of service (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1).

Two other local features are worth knowing. A continuance of the meeting does not automatically extend the deadlines to object to discharge or dischargeability; extensions must be requested separately (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1). And in Chapter 13, the court sets a presumptively reasonable fee allowance for a debtor's attorney by standing order, currently covering all costs through confirmation, with costs above a stated threshold treated as extraordinary and requiring a supplemental application (COB GPO 2021-1).

• 341 continuances go to the trustee, not the court, at least seven days ahead (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1)
• Discharge and dischargeability deadlines need their own extension request (D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1)
• Chapter 13 attorney compensation runs through a district-wide presumptive fee order (COB GPO 2021-1)
• Petition preparers are limited by statute and by a published presumptive fee in this district (COB official page — Bankruptcy Petition Preparers)

What are the filing fees, and how does this court handle payment?

The federal filing fee is $245 for a Chapter 7 individual or joint case (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)) and $235 for Chapter 13 (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)). Each chapter also carries an administrative fee of $78 (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8, effective December 1, 2023), and Chapter 7 adds a trustee payment of $15 (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). Confirm current amounts on the court's own fee page before you file.

The district requires every voluntary petition to arrive with one of three things: full payment, an application to pay in installments on Official Form 103A, or — for Chapter 7 only — an application to have the fee waived on Official Form 103B (COB GPO 2014-4(a); D. Colo. L.B.R. 1006-1). A paper petition lacking one of those may be rejected and no case opened; an electronic one may be dismissed if the supporting document or fee is not filed the same day. A fee-waiver application must include pay advices or a conforming statement plus completed Schedules I and J, and any waiver order is conditional and subject to further investigation.

Which Colorado questions should you settle before filing?

Three Colorado questions tend to matter most to the outcome, and this page cannot answer them from the documents supplied here — the District of Colorado's local rules and orders govern procedure, not the content of Colorado exemption law. That is a limit of this page's evidence, not a statement that the law is silent. Settle them first, using the state pages below, and bring your answers into any conversation with an attorney or legal aid office.

First, which exemption list applies to you, since states differ on whether a filer may elect the federal list. Second, how Colorado's homestead protection works and what conditions attach to it, because home equity often decides which chapter is realistic. Third, how much of your wages Colorado protects, which matters both to what a creditor can take now and to what a Chapter 13 plan would need to cover. Our Colorado pages set out each of these with their sources.

• Exemption-list choice: see our Colorado exemptions page
• Homestead conditions and amounts: see our Colorado exemptions page
• Wage protection and garnishment limits: see our Colorado garnishment page

Where can a Saguache County resident get help?

The court itself names several options. The Colorado Bar Association operates a free Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic that gives limited scope legal advice by phone or video appointment to individuals without lawyers, counseling on eligibility, drafting petitions and schedules, court procedures and forms, and preparation for meetings of creditors. The court's guide also lists Colorado Legal Services, Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Southwest Bar Volunteer Legal Aid, and Weld County Legal Services as free or lower-cost options based on income and assets, with contact details on its published materials.

Attorneys, staff and volunteers associated with the Federal Pro Se Clinic may provide short-term limited legal services to self-represented litigants before this court, and the local rule was amended so an attorney may give pro bono help through a nonprofit or court-approved program without signing documents or entering an appearance (COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3). Arthur, our AI Navigator, can walk you through your situation and build a roadmap, and where a participating local firm covers your area we can offer an introduction with your consent.

• Colorado Bar Association Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic — limited scope advice by phone or video
• Legal aid organizations listed in the court's self-represented debtor guide
• Federal Pro Se Clinic limited services before this court (COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3)

Frequently asked questions

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

Not for the meeting of creditors. The District of Colorado holds all section 341 meetings in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases by Zoom, and states that debtors, counsel and creditors should not appear in person. For filing, the court publishes electronic options including eSR for self-represented Chapter 7 petitions and an e-filing application for self-represented parties, and unrepresented parties may also file in person or by mail.

Does living in Saguache County mean Colorado is automatically the right district?

Usually, but not automatically. Venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1408 looks at where your domicile, residence, principal place of business, or principal assets in the United States were located for the 180 days immediately before filing, or for a longer part of that period than anywhere else. If you moved to Colorado recently, or run a business or hold your main assets in another state, the analysis may point elsewhere. Residence alone is not the whole rule.

What happens if I skip the credit counseling course?

The court's own notice says your case will be dismissed and you will not receive a discharge unless you meet the narrow statutory conditions for completing counseling after filing. It warns that most debtors cannot meet those conditions because counseling is readily available in this district, and that voluntary petitions will be rejected if counseling was not completed during the 180-day period ending on the filing date.

Can I pay the filing fee over time?

An individual debtor may apply to pay in installments using Official Form 103A, and the district requires that application to accompany the petition if the fee is not paid in full. Chapter 7 filers may instead apply for a waiver on Official Form 103B, which must include pay advices or a conforming statement plus completed Schedules I and J. Any waiver order is conditional and subject to further investigation.

Will a judge be at my meeting of creditors?

No. Under 11 U.S.C. § 341(c) the court may not preside at or attend any meeting under that section. The United States trustee convenes and presides, and in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases in this district the trustee assigned to your case conducts the meeting. The court states the meeting usually occurs between 21 and 50 days after the petition is filed, depending on the chapter.

Can a non-attorney petition preparer handle my paperwork?

A bankruptcy petition preparer may type information onto bankruptcy forms, but is barred by law from giving legal advice, cannot explain how to answer legal questions, and cannot sign documents for you or take your court fees. In this district the presumptive reasonable fee for a preparer is published by the court, which also maintains a list of preparers barred from working in the District of Colorado.

Sources

• 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.
• 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
• COB official page — 341 Meetings of Creditors by Zoom
• COB official material — Guide for Debtors Filing Bankruptcy Without an Attorney
• COB official material — Credit Counseling is required BEFORE you file for Bankruptcy
• COB GPO 2025-1 — Implementing Electronic Self Representation (eSR) for Self-represented, Individual Chapter 7 Debtors
• COB GPO 2026-1 — Implementing Electronic Filing for Certain Self-represented Parties
• COB Administrative Order of the Chief Judge 2020-3 — In the Matter of Federal Pro Se Clinic Operations
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 2003-1 — Continuance of Meeting of Creditors and Equity Security Holders
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 9011-4 — Signatures and Contact Information
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 1006-1 — Installment Payments and Filing Fee Waivers
• D. Colo. L.B.R. 1007-6 — Employee Payment Advices
• COB GPO 2014-4(a) — Installment Payment Requests and Additional Delegation to the Clerk of the Court
• COB GPO 2021-1 — Chapter 13 Fee General Procedure Order
• COB official page — Fees
• COB official page — Chapter 7 Fee Waivers
• COB official page — Chapter 7 Voluntary Petition Packet
• COB official page — Chapter 13 Voluntary Petition Packet
• COB official material — Requirements for a Complete Voluntary Petition
• COB official page — Bankruptcy Petition Preparers
• COB official page — Filing Without an Attorney

Related

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• The 341 Meeting of Creditors: what actually happens
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• Filing bankruptcy in Chaffee County, Colorado
• Bankruptcy tools and screeners

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 →