(a) Caption; Names of Parties. Every pleading, motion, E-filed document under C.R.C.P. 121 (1-26), or any other document filed with the court (hereinafter “document”) in both civil and criminal cases shall contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the case number, if known to the person signing it, the name of the document in accordance with Rule 7(a), and the other applicable information in the format specified by paragraph (d) and the captions illustrated by paragraph (e) or (f) of this rule. In the complaint initiating a lawsuit, the title of the action shall include the names of all the parties to the action. In all other documents, it is sufficient to set forth the name of the first-named party on each side of the lawsuit with an appropriate indication that there are also other parties (such as “et al.”). A party whose name is not known shall be designated by any name and the words “whose true name is unknown”. In an action in rem, unknown parties shall be designated as “all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action”.
Rule 10.Form and Quality of Pleadings, Motions and Other Documents
Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified July 10, 2026
In one sentenceRule 10 sets the mechanical requirements for every Colorado court filing — caption format, paragraph numbering, margins, font size, and spacing — and applies the same formatting rules to paper and e-filed documents alike.
Full Text of Rule 10
(b) Paragraphs; Separate Statements. All averments of claim or defense shall be made in numbered paragraphs, the contents of each of which shall be limited as far as practicable to a statement of a single set of circumstances. A paragraph may be referred to by its paragraph number in all succeeding documents. Each claim founded upon a separate transaction or occurrence, and each defense other than denials, shall be stated in a separate count or defense whenever a separation facilitates the clear presentation of the matters set forth.
(c) Incorporation by Reference; Exhibits. A statement in a document may be incorporated by reference in a different part of the same document or in another document. An exhibit to a document is a part thereof for all purposes.
(d) General Rule Regarding Paper Size, Format, and Spacing. All documents filed after the effective date of this rule, including those filed through the E-Filing System under C.R.C.P. 121(1-26), shall meet the following criteria:
(1) Paper. Where a document is filed on paper, it shall be on plain, white, 8 ½ by 11 inch paper (recycled paper preferred).
(2) Format. All documents shall be legible. They shall be printed on one side of the page only (except for E-Filed documents). (I) Margins. All documents shall use margins of 1 ½ inches at the top of each page, and 1 inch at the left, right, and bottom of each page. Except for the caption, a left-justified margin shall be used for all material. (II) Font. No less than twelve (12) point font shall be used for all documents, including footnotes. (III) Case Caption Information. All documents shall contain the following information arranged in the following order, as illustrated by paragraphs (e) and (f) of this rule, except that documents issued by the court under the signature of the clerk or judge should omit the attorney section as illustrated in paragraphs (e)(2) and (f)(2). Individual boxes should separate this case caption information; however, vertical lines are not mandatory. On the left side: Document title (the document title may instead be included as a centered line at the bottom of the caption). Court name and mailing address. Name of parties. Name, address, and telephone number of the attorney or pro se party filing the document. Fax number and e-mail address are optional. Attorney registration number. On the right side: An area for “Court Use Only” that is at least 2 ½ inches in width and 1 ¾ inches in length (located opposite the court and party information). Case number, division number, and courtroom number (located opposite the attorney information above). Centered at the bottom of the caption: Document title (the document title may instead be included as the top line on the left side of the caption). Orders that are submitted as proposed shall not contain the word (PROPOSED) in the caption of the order.
(3) Spacing. The following spacing guidelines should be followed. (I) Single spacing for all: Affidavits Complaints, Answers, and Petitions Criminal Informations and Complaints Interrogatories and Requests for Admissions Notices Pleading forms (all case types) Probation reports All other documents not listed in subsection (II) below (II) Double spacing for all: Briefs and Legal Memoranda Depositions Documents that are complex or technical in nature Jury Instructions Motions Petitions for Rehearing Petitions for Writ of Certiorari Petitions pursuant to C.A.R. 21 Transcripts
(4) Signature Block. All documents which require a signature shall be signed at the end of the document. The attorney or pro se party need not repeat his or her address, telephone number, fax number, or e-mail address at the end of the document.
(e) Illustration of Preferred Case Caption Format.
(1) Preferred Caption for Documents Initiated by a Party. [Designation of Court from subsection (g) below] Court Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................... COURT USE ONLY Case Number: ____________________ Div: ____________________ Ctrm.: ____________________ Plaintiff(s): ______________________________ [Substitute appropriate party designations & names] v. Defendant(s): ______________________________ Attorney or Party Without Attorney: ............................................................................................................................................ Name: ______________________________ Address: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Phone Number: ____________________ FAX Number: ____________________ E-mail: ______________________________ Atty. Reg. #: ____________________ NAME OF DOCUMENT
(2) Preferred Caption for Documents Issued by the Court Under the Signature of the Clerk or Judge. [Designation of Court from subsection (g) below] Court Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................... COURT USE ONLY Case Number: ____________________ Div: ____________________ Ctrm.: ____________________ Plaintiff(s): ______________________________ [Substitute appropriate party designations & names] v. Defendant(s): ______________________________ NAME OF DOCUMENT
(f) Illustration of Alternative Case Caption.
(1) Optional Caption for Documents Initiated by a Party. NAME OF DOCUMENT [Designation of Court from subsection (g) below] Court Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................... COURT USE ONLY Case Number: ____________________ Div: ____________________ Ctrm.: ____________________ Plaintiff(s): ______________________________ [Substitute appropriate party designations & names] v. Defendant(s): ______________________________ Attorney or Party Without Attorney: ............................................................................................................................................ Name: ______________________________ Address: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Phone Number: ____________________ FAX Number: ____________________ E-mail: ______________________________ Atty. Reg. #: ____________________
(2) Optional Caption for Documents Issued by the Court Under Signature of the Clerk or Judge. NAME OF DOCUMENT [Designation of Court from subsection (g) below] Court Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................... COURT USE ONLY Case Number: ____________________ Div: ____________________ Ctrm.: ____________________ Plaintiff(s): ______________________________ [Substitute appropriate party designations & names] v. Defendant(s): ______________________________
(g) Court Designation Examples: APPELLATE SUPREME COURT, STATE OF COLORADO COURT OF APPEALS, STATE OF COLORADO WATER DISTRICT COURT, WATER DIVISION ___, COLORADO DISTRICT DISTRICT COURT, __________ COUNTY, COLORADO COUNTY COUNTY COURT, __________ COUNTY, COLORADO CITY AND COUNTY COUNTY COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF __________, COLORADO PROBATE COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF __________, COLORADO JUVENILE COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF __________, COLORADO DISTRICT COURT, CITY AND COUNTY OF __________, COLORADO
(h) The forms of case captions provided for in this rule replace those forms of captions otherwise provided for in other Colorado rules of procedure, including but not limited to the Colorado Rules of County Court Procedure, the Colorado Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Courts, and the Colorado Appellate Rules. These forms of case captions apply to criminal cases, as well as civil cases.
(i) State Judicial Pre-Printed or Computer-Generated Forms. Forms approved by the State Court Administrator's Office (designated “JDF” or “SCAO” on pre-printed or computer-generated forms), forms set forth in the Colorado Court Rules, volume 12, C.R.S., (including those pre-printed or computer-generated forms designated “CRCP” or “CPC” and those contained in the appendices of volume 12, C.R.S.), and forms generated by the state's judicial electronic system shall conform to criteria established by the State Court Administrator's Office with the approval of the Colorado Supreme Court. Such forms, whether preprinted or computer-generated, shall employ a form of caption similar to those contained in this rule, and 1 inch left margin, ½ inch right and bottom margins, and at least 1 inch top margin, except that for forms designated “JDF” or “SCAO” the requirement of at least 1 inch for the top margin shall apply to forms created or revised on and after April 5, 2010.
Amendment History
Amended effective January 1, 1984; September 6, 1990; July 1, 2000; July 1, 2001. Amended November 6, 2003, effective July 1, 2004; June 10, 2004, effective July 1, 2004. Amended effective March 30, 2006; April 5, 2010. Amended January 29, 2016, effective April 1, 2016. Amended effective November 13, 2023; January 11, 2024.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 10 covers the physical and structural form of pleadings, motions, and other court documents rather than their substance. Every filing needs a caption with the court's name, the case title and number, and the document's name, formatted the way the rule illustrates; the first filing in a case must name every party, while later documents can refer to the first-named party on each side and note that others exist. Claims and defenses must be broken into numbered paragraphs, each limited to a single set of facts where practical, and a party may incorporate material from elsewhere in the same or another document by reference.
The rule also fixes formatting details: white 8½-by-11 paper, a 1½-inch top margin and 1-inch margins elsewhere, at least 12-point font, and specific single- or double-spacing depending on the type of document — briefs, motions, and transcripts get double spacing, while complaints, answers, and most other filings are single-spaced. These formatting rules apply to documents filed on paper and to those filed through the state's electronic filing system, and state judicial forms such as JDF and SCAO forms must follow the same caption style.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has to appear in the caption of a Colorado court filing?
Rule 10(a) requires the court's name, the title of the action, the case number if known, and the name of the document, following the format the rule illustrates.
What font size and margins does Colorado require for court filings?
Rule 10(d) requires at least 12-point font, a 1½-inch top margin, and 1-inch margins on the left, right, and bottom of the page.
Do briefs need to be double-spaced in Colorado state court?
Yes — Rule 10(d)(3) lists briefs, motions, depositions, and transcripts among the documents that should be double-spaced, while complaints, answers, and most other filings are single-spaced.
Do these formatting rules apply to e-filed documents?
Yes — Rule 10(d) applies its caption, margin, font, and spacing requirements to documents filed on paper and to those filed through the E-Filing System under Rule 121.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (Colo. R. Civ. P. 10). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-2-108; Colo. Const. art. VI). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 10, 2026. ·
Official source
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