Hinsdale County Jail

With so few residents, Hinsdale may hold people in Lake City or send them to a jail in a neighboring county. Look the name up in Hinsdale County Inmate Search first. Then call the Sheriff's Office at 970-944-2291, and ask exactly where the person is being held and which phone number reaches that jail.

Read the bond line on Hinsdale County Inmate Search. A booking can come before any bond is set.

The Hinsdale County Courthouse is at 317 Henson Street, Lake City, CO 81235. Hinsdale belongs to the 7th Judicial District with Gunnison, Delta, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel.

The Hinsdale County Sheriff's Office is at 311 Henson Street, Lake City, CO 81235, with a mailing box at PO Box 127. Deputies make the arrests, and they can tell you where they took the person.

Pay the way the holding jail says. Call the holding jail, and the Hinsdale clerk at 970-944-2227, before sending anything, since the court that owns the case is in Lake City.

A 7th District bond schedule from the chief judge guides amounts, though Hinsdale judges may set others. Ask the clerk at 970-944-2227 for the number that applies to your charge instead of guessing, and look at the bond line in Hinsdale County Inmate Search.

Lake City's court considers Colorado land only, needing net equity at 1.5 times the bond, and never vehicles or mobile homes. All owners sign a deed of trust in person with photo ID; absent a waiver, the homestead exemption lowers the equity counted. Ask the clerk at 970-944-2227 whether the court can take the papers in Lake City.

Article II, section 19 of the Colorado Constitution opens a no-bail option for capital charges on clear proof, and, following a hearing, for some violent crimes that endanger the public. Probation holds or another county's warrant keep a person in, too. Ask the clerk at 970-944-2227.

Teens stay out of adult jail. The 7th Judicial District has reserved beds at Grand Mesa Youth Services Center, 360 28 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81501, which the state lists as serving Hinsdale County. Minors never appear on the adult roster.

Ask the Hinsdale judge for appointed counsel. The State Public Defender's Montrose office, 100 Tessitore Court, Unit G, covers Hinsdale and answers at 970-249-4791. A conflict moves the case to the Alternate Defense Counsel.

After a missed Lake City date, expect a warrant and bond forfeiture; phone the clerk, 970-944-2227, and counsel right away about rescheduling.

Once the case wraps up, Hinsdale's court returns cash bond minus ordered costs; a bondsman keeps whatever fee was paid. Hold on to the receipt; the clerk explains refunds at 970-944-2227 how to claim a refund.

These public offices handle Hinsdale County cases:

• Hinsdale County Sheriff's Office: 311 N. Henson Street, Lake City, CO 81235; PO Box 127; 970-944-2291; call to learn which jail holds the person.
• Hinsdale County Courthouse: 317 Henson Street, Lake City; 970-944-2227; HinsdaleClerk@judicial.state.co.us; open in person the 3rd Friday of each month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• District Attorney, 7th Judicial District: Gunnison office, 970-641-5138.
• Public Defender, Montrose: 100 Tessitore Court, Unit G; 970-249-4791.

A detained Hinsdale youth goes to Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction.

Colorado law gives her these terms:

• 48 hours: a bond hearing within 48 hours of her booking for a Hinsdale case.
• PR: freedom on her written promise.
• Co-signed PR: someone else vouches for her appearance in Lake City.
• Cash: the full bond, paid to the court.
• Surety: a bondsman may charge 15 percent at most, or $50.
• Property: Colorado land with 1.5 times the bond in clear equity.
• Petty or traffic: cash bond is off limits.
• Fees: no more than a $10 bond fee, plus up to 3.5 percent for cards; neither can delay release.
• Online card: HB25-1015 requires every sheriff to offer online credit card cash bond.
• No bail: Amendment I (2024) places first-degree murder on the no-bail list on evident proof.

The statute is at Colorado bail law, C.R.S. Title 16, Article 4 (https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-16.pdf); bond types are at Colorado Judicial Branch guide to bond types (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/types-bonds).

The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado handles them at the Wayne Aspinall Federal Building in Grand Junction, 400 Rood Avenue, Suite 309, Grand Junction, CO 81501, 970-245-5396. Steps:

• First appearance before a magistrate judge.
• An interview with Pretrial Services.
• A detention hearing if prosecutors request it.
• Release with conditions, when allowed.

Before sentencing, the U.S. Marshals pick her housing: U.S. Marshals Service, Grand Junction office, 970-243-5210 (district headquarters in Denver: 303-728-7800).

Search each agency:

• Federal: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/); pre-sentence, the Marshals at 970-243-5210.
• State prison: Colorado Department of Corrections inmate search (https://www.doc.state.co.us/oss/).
• Hinsdale custody: Hinsdale County Inmate Search.

Our Hinsdale County inmate search page lists more tools.

C.R.S. 24-76.6-102 (https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.pdf) prohibits Colorado jails from arresting her, or holding her after release is due, for a civil immigration detainer alone. When her Hinsdale case permits release, she goes; ICE keeps its federal authority.

The ICE Denver Field Office, 12445 East Caley Avenue, Centennial, CO 80111, 720-873-2899 serves Hinsdale. The ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/) uses her A-number and country of birth.

VINE is free and lists custody status:

• Open VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/); pick Colorado.
• Look up her name or booking number.
• Choose the record that matches her.
• Register for phone, text or email updates.

Free tools:

• Dockets: Colorado Judicial Branch docket search (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets); choose Hinsdale County.
• Records: court record request form (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form), or HinsdaleClerk@judicial.state.co.us.
• Warrants: Hinsdale County Sheriff's Office, 970-944-2291.

She can turn herself in at 311 N. Henson Street, best with a lawyer.

Two calls:

• The Sheriff's Office, 970-944-2291, for where she is held and the bond.
• The clerk, 970-944-2227, for her order, next date and refunds.

Checking a case at no cost: Colorado does not post court records on a free public website. Still, the free docket search shows scheduled hearings around the state. For actual documents, submit the record request form online or call the Lake City clerk on a day the office is open. Paid search companies are listed on the public records access page. Records from Denver County Court come from Denver itself.

In a county this small, some people charged with a misdemeanor never get booked. A deputy or trooper hands them a summons listing a court date. Anyone jailed sees a judge quickly, and Colorado demands a bond hearing inside 48 hours of jail arrival. That hearing may happen by video. Bond means the promises, and sometimes money, a person gives so they can leave jail while waiting for the case to end. Cash bond is not allowed for traffic and petty offenses.

Hinsdale's first hearing, the advisement, covers the charge and rights like counsel and a jury trial. At the arraignment you give your plea. The Colorado State Public Defender takes cases for people who qualify as unable to pay. Its Montrose office serves Hinsdale County: 100 Tessitore Court, Unit G, (970) 249-4791. If those defenders have a conflict, Lake City cases shift to the Office of Alternate Defense Counsel.

A class 1 misdemeanor has a maximum of 364 days in jail plus up to a $1,000 fine. A class 2 misdemeanor caps at 120 days and a fine of $750. Petty offenses are minor and end in a fine. Level 1 drug misdemeanors carry 6 to 18 months, and level 2 drug misdemeanors carry up to 364 days. DUI has separate penalty rules. Trials in County Court use a six-person jury. Some cases end without jail, through probation, classes, community service or a deferred judgment that erases the charge if the person stays out of trouble.

Under 18: Young people accused of misdemeanors go to juvenile court, which the District Court runs, or the District Attorney may let them try diversion. Diversion lets a youth finish a plan, maybe classes or repaying a victim, and then the case is closed. Some youth tickets can be heard in a municipal court. If a young person is put in detention, a judge must hold a detention hearing within 48 hours. Detention is run by the state’s Division of Youth Services, which may mean a center far from Lake City.

Felony cases open in County Court with advisement and bond. After that, a defendant may be able to request a preliminary hearing. It is available for the higher felony classes and some other cases, and it must be held within 35 days of the request. There a judge weighs probable cause, meaning good reason to believe the accused committed the crime. With probable cause, Hinsdale's case climbs to District Court, which lawyers call being “bound over.” Prosecutors also have the option of a grand jury, a panel of citizens who meet privately and decide whether to charge.

District Court then arraigns the defendant for a plea. Colorado's speedy trial rule gives Hinsdale prosecutors six months from a not-guilty plea, with exceptions. Felony juries have 12 people. Normal prison ranges are 8 to 24 years for class 2, 4 to 12 for class 3, 2 to 6 for class 4, 1 to 3 for class 5, and 12 to 18 months for class 6. Theft of items worth $2,000 or more is a felony. Drug felonies are graded DF1 to DF4. Probation and community corrections, a supervised program outside prison, are common results.

Under 18: Felony charges against kids stay in juvenile court unless transferred, and a Hinsdale juvenile judge may pick probation, treatment or a locked placement run by the Division of Youth Services. Two narrow routes lead to adult court. A “direct file” is allowed only for 16- and 17-year-olds charged with class 1 or 2 felonies or certain violent sex crimes. A transfer happens when a judge, after a hearing, moves a case of a youth 12 or older to adult court, with tighter limits for the youngest kids.

A violent felony in Hinsdale goes through the same steps, but a big trial might need extra planning, because the court sits on limited days and finding enough jurors in a small county can take work. Colorado law treats certain crimes as a crime of violence, such as when a deadly weapon is used or someone is seriously hurt. A conviction then requires prison of at least the middle of the range, and up to twice the normal maximum. First-degree murder, a class 1 felony, brings life without parole for an adult. Colorado repealed the death penalty for offenses on or after July 1, 2020.

Bond in violent cases can be set high, with orders to stay away from victims. A judge may deny bond for first-degree murder if the evidence is strong. Sex offense convictions can lead to registration and treatment.

Hinsdale crime victims draw rights from Colorado Constitution Article II, Section 16a and the Victim Rights Act, crime victims must be kept informed of key hearings, can attend them, can speak before a plea or sentence, and can seek restitution, which is payment for losses. Victim advocates in the 7th District Attorney’s office help them along.

Under 18: Teens accused of violent crimes may stay in juvenile court, be transferred by a judge, or be direct filed when they meet the age and charge rules. Colorado does not allow life without parole for offenses committed by anyone under 18. Juvenile court can treat some youths as aggravated or repeat offenders, which allows a longer commitment to youth custody.

Hinsdale criminal cases use these offices:

• Hinsdale County Courthouse: 317 Henson Street, Lake City, CO 81235; 970-944-2227
• District Attorney: Gunnison office; 970-641-5138
• Public Defender: 100 Tessitore Court, Unit G, Montrose; 970-249-4791
• Sheriff: Hinsdale County Sheriff's Office, 311 N. Henson Street, 970-944-2291
• Youth detention: Grand Mesa Youth Services Center, Grand Junction

Bond steps are on our Hinsdale County bail page; the statute is Colorado bail law, C.R.S. Title 16, Article 4 (https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-16.pdf).

• Bond for a Hinsdale case gets set within 48 hours of booking.
• No cash bond is allowed on petty or traffic counts.
• The 7th District bond schedule is a starting point that Hinsdale judges can leave.
• HB25-1015 makes online credit card posting available for Hinsdale cash bonds.
• Amendment I (2024) adds first-degree murder to the no-bail list when Hinsdale prosecutors show strong proof.

Bond types are listed at Colorado Judicial Branch guide to bond types (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/types-bonds).

Federal court: A federal charge from Hinsdale is heard in Colorado's federal district court. Its main courthouse is the Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse at 901 19th Street in Denver, and it also has courtrooms in Grand Junction, Durango and Colorado Springs. Grand Junction and Durango are the closest to Lake City. Look up hearing places at cod.uscourts.gov. The bulk of Hinsdale County is public land, including large parts of the Uncompahgre and Rio Grande national forests, wilderness areas, and Bureau of Land Management land along the Alpine Loop. Crimes on that land, like poaching, starting a wildfire, or hurting someone in a wilderness area, can lead to federal charges. So can crimes such as selling drugs across state lines, mail theft or a felon owning a gun. Hinsdale contains no Indian reservation. Pick a topic.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado takes Hinsdale federal cases:

• Courthouse: the Wayne Aspinall Federal Building in Grand Junction, 400 Rood Avenue, Suite 309, Grand Junction, CO 81501, 970-245-5396
• U.S. Marshals: U.S. Marshals Service, Grand Junction office, 970-243-5210 (district headquarters in Denver: 303-728-7800)

Hinsdale federal defendants face a magistrate judge on detention, with the Marshals in charge of custody.

• Custody: Hinsdale County Inmate Search
• State prison: Colorado Department of Corrections inmate search (https://www.doc.state.co.us/oss/)
• Federal prison: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/); pre-sentence, 970-243-5210
• VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/) for status and alerts

Our Hinsdale County inmate page has more searches.

C.R.S. 24-76.6-102 (https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.pdf) rules out holding anyone in a Hinsdale case on a civil ICE detainer by itself.

• Field office: ICE Denver Field Office, 12445 East Caley Avenue, Centennial, CO 80111, 720-873-2899
• Locator: ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/)

• Dockets: Colorado Judicial Branch docket search (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets)
• Records: court record request form (https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form)
• Warrants: Hinsdale County Sheriff's Office, 970-944-2291

This overview of Hinsdale criminal courts offers background, not legal advice. For help, reach a criminal defense attorney or the public defender’s Montrose office at (970) 249-4791.

Call the clerk at 970-944-2227 and the Sheriff's Office at 970-944-2291 before you drive to Lake City or pay.