La Plata County DUI Court Process

Chief Judge Kim Shropshire sets the bond schedule and the courthouse decorum rules for the entire 6th Judicial District, and that decorum code runs noticeably stricter than a casual glance might suggest. Phones have to be completely powered off, not just silenced. Gum, candy, tobacco, and any food are banned outright, and only water in a clear container makes it past the door. Leaning against a wall, propping feet on furniture, or approaching the bench without explicit permission are all treated as real violations, not minor habits to overlook. Dress expectations go well beyond a basic business-casual suggestion — men are advised to trim facial hair and limit cologne, women face similarly specific modesty guidance, and visible tattoos are expected to be covered. Judge A. Nathaniel Baca, promoted to District Court after serving in neighboring Dolores County, along with Judges Justin Fay and Reid Stewart, round out the bench handling the county's criminal dockets.

Security screening goes beyond the obvious weapons list — vape pens, e-cigarettes, scissors, knitting needles, and skateboards are all explicitly prohibited alongside firearms and knives, and recording anything inside the building is treated as a serious violation. Arriving 30 to 45 minutes early and leaving anything unnecessary locked in the car avoids getting caught out at the magnetometer. Parking adds its own anxiety: the court specifically warns against the short-term meters along Second Avenue and Main Avenue, since proceedings routinely run long and unpredictably, and an expired meter ticket — $25, rising to $50 after 30 days — won't be excused just because a hearing ran over. All-day lots or unrestricted residential side streets are the better bet, since stepping out mid-hearing to feed a meter risks missing the case call entirely.

One scheduling quirk worth knowing: the clerk's office closes early, at 3 p.m., on specific bi-monthly dates for mandatory staff meetings, which can matter enormously for a last-minute filing — checking those dates directly rather than assuming standard hours apply is worth the extra call.

For felony-level repeat offenders, or anyone facing a felony probation revocation over a technical violation rather than a new charge, the district runs a specialized DUI/Recovery Court requiring district residency, probation eligibility, and an explicit, self-reported acknowledgment of the underlying addiction. Anyone with a violent crime conviction, a vehicular assault case, a sex offense, or involvement in high-level narcotics distribution is disqualified outright. Completing the program's deferred-sentence track — up to two years for a misdemeanor, four for a felony — can mean the original guilty plea gets withdrawn and the charges dismissed entirely; falling short of full compliance anywhere along the way triggers immediate sentencing on that same guilty plea instead.

WebEx is available for certain non-evidentiary hearings, but it's not something a defendant can simply assume applies to their own case. The Chief Judge's standing order requires in-person appearance unless a party has specifically petitioned for, and received, prior written authorization to appear remotely — assuming virtual attendance is allowed without that authorization is one of the fastest ways to end up with a bench warrant.

Sources

• Colorado Judicial Branch — La Plata County Courthouse
• Colorado Judicial Branch — La Plata County Judges and Staff
• La Plata County — Courthouse Security