JDF 76 is Colorado’s general motion form — a two-page fillable PDF from the Colorado Judicial Branch that lets you ask a judge for a specific ruling in any criminal or civil case, including domestic relations matters, when no specialized form exists for your request.1Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 76 General Motion To use it, download the form, complete its nine numbered sections, and file it with the clerk in the county where your case is pending. The certificate of service is built into the form, so in most situations you won’t need a separate service document.
When To Use JDF 76
Colorado publishes dedicated forms for many common requests. Setting aside a default judgment has its own form (JDF 78), and certain family-law requests have their own templates too. JDF 76 is the catch-all for everything else: continuances of a hearing or trial date, changes to a discovery deadline, permission for a specific type of evidence inspection, or a modification to a scheduling order. Before defaulting to JDF 76, check the General Use Forms page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website to make sure a specialized form doesn’t already fit your request.2Colorado Judicial Branch. General Use Forms
Where To Download the Form
JDF 76 is free on the Colorado Judicial Branch self-help page for general motions.3Colorado Judicial Branch. General Motion You can type directly into the PDF on a computer and print the finished version, or print a blank copy and complete it by hand. No account or login is needed.
How To Complete the Nine Sections
The form is split across two pages.1Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 76 General Motion Page one gathers case information and your request; page two carries the certificate of service and your signature.
Page One
Section 1 — Court. Check whether your case is in district or county court, then enter the Colorado county name and the court’s mailing address.
Section 2 — Parties to the Case. Enter the full names of the plaintiff or petitioner and the defendant or respondent exactly as they appear on earlier filings.
Section 3 — Filed By. Your name, mailing address, city, state, zip, phone, and email. This identifies you as the person bringing the motion.
Section 4 — Case Details. Your case number, division, and courtroom. You’ll find these on any prior court document or on the online docket. A wrong case number can delay or misdirect your filing.
Section 5 — Other Parties’ Response. Indicate whether the other side agrees with your request, disagrees, did not respond to your attempt to confer, or something else. Skip this section entirely in criminal cases; the form itself says so.
Section 6 — My Request. State clearly and specifically what you want the court to do. “I want the Court to continue my trial date from July 15 to August 20” works far better than “I want the Court to reschedule things.” Vague requests slow everything down.
Section 7 — Discussion. Explain why the court should grant your request. Give the factual reasons first (what happened, what changed, what you need), then reference any rule or statute that supports your position. This is where the motion succeeds or fails, so be specific and stick to relevant facts.
Page Two
Section 8 — Certificate of Service. After filing, you must give a copy of the motion to every other party. This section is where you certify you did so. Enter the date of service and check at least one delivery method: Colorado Courts E-Filing (attorneys only), email or fax, regular mail, or hand delivery. For mail and hand delivery, write in the recipient’s name and address.
Section 9 — Sign and Date. Print your name, sign, and date the form. The form itself reminds you to double-check that you completed Section 3 on page one.
Because the certificate of service is built into the form, you generally don’t need to file a separate JDF 70 Certificate of Service unless the court specifically directs you to.
The Duty To Confer Before Filing
Colorado’s civil procedure rules require you to talk to the other side before filing most motions. Under CRCP Rule 121, the moving party must confer in good faith with opposing counsel or any self-represented party and include a certification at the beginning of the motion that the conference took place.4Colorado Lawyer. Rule Change 2024(03) If the other side agreed to the relief or won’t oppose it, say so. If no conference happened, explain why and describe every effort you made to reach the other party.
Section 5 of JDF 76 is where you record the outcome — agree, disagree, no response, or other. Leaving it blank in a civil case is one of the fastest ways to get a motion denied without the judge reading the substance. The conferral requirement does not apply in criminal cases, and the form instructs you to skip Section 5 entirely for criminal matters.1Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 76 General Motion The rule also exempts incarcerated individuals and situations where contacting the other party would violate a protection or restraining order.4Colorado Lawyer. Rule Change 2024(03)
Filing the Motion
How you file depends on whether you have an attorney and what type of case you’re in.
Attorneys e-file through the Colorado Courts E-Filing system in civil, criminal, domestic, water, probate, and appellate cases.5Colorado Judicial Branch. E-Filing for Attorneys The same system handles electronic service on other attorneys.
Self-represented litigants have narrower access. Colorado Courts E-Filing is currently available to non-attorneys only in domestic relations and eviction cases.6Colorado Judicial Branch. E-Filing for Non-Attorneys You must register for an account and opt in to connect it with your existing case, which can take up to two business days. One important restriction: if you received a fee waiver, you currently cannot use the e-filing system. For all other case types, or if you have a fee waiver, file the completed motion in person at the clerk’s office in the courthouse where your case is pending.
Keep a copy of the file-stamped version or the e-filing confirmation for your records.
Filing Fees
Colorado doesn’t charge a blanket filing fee for every motion. Some specific motions carry their own statutory fee. A motion to modify a decree in a domestic relations case costs $105, and a motion to seal a criminal conviction costs $65.7Colorado Judicial Branch. Filing Fees and Costs in Colorado State Courts A routine procedural motion on JDF 76, such as a continuance request, typically does not trigger an additional fee beyond what you already paid to open the case. Check with your local clerk if you’re unsure, because the fee depends on the type of relief you’re asking for.
Serving the Other Parties
After filing, you’re responsible for delivering a copy of the motion to every other party. Section 8 gives you four options: e-filing service (attorneys only), email or fax, regular mail, or hand delivery.1Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 76 General Motion Choose whichever is practical, but make sure you can prove it happened. If you mail the motion, use a method that gives you a record of the mailing date. A judge won’t act on your motion without evidence that the other side had a chance to see it.
Submitting a Proposed Order (JDF 77)
Many judges want a proposed order alongside your motion so that, if they agree, they can sign it without drafting one from scratch. The general proposed order form for civil cases is JDF 77.8Judicial Legal Help Center. My Court Case It includes spaces for court information, case number, and the date your motion was filed, plus a section where the judge marks whether the motion is granted, denied, or set for a hearing, with room for additional orders.9Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 77 – General Order
Fill in the header sections of JDF 77 (court, parties, case number) and leave the decision section blank for the judge. File it at the same time as your JDF 76. Not every judicial district requires a proposed order for every motion, but submitting one signals that you’ve thought through the specific relief you want. When in doubt, include it.
What Happens After You File
Once the motion and proof of service are on file, the court reviews your request. If the other side opposes it, they’ll have an opportunity to file a written response. The judge may rule on the papers alone, especially for straightforward procedural requests like continuances. Contested or complex issues may be set for a hearing before the court decides.
Ruling timelines vary by judicial district and by how busy the judge’s docket is. Simple unopposed motions sometimes get a ruling within days. Contested motions that require a hearing can take several weeks or longer. Emergency requests, such as a motion to preserve evidence that’s about to be destroyed, can be flagged as urgent and addressed much faster. If you need expedited treatment, say so clearly in Section 6 and explain the time-sensitive circumstances in Section 7.