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Larimer County Traffic Lawyer: Fort Collins and Loveland Courts

Entrance to the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins, Colorado — Larimer County Justice Center, 201 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado.

If you got a traffic ticket or a criminal traffic charge in Larimer County, in Fort Collins, Loveland, Estes Park, or along I-25, your case will be heard in one of two county courthouses: the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins or the Larimer County Court in Loveland. Which one, and which courtroom, depends on where you were stopped and what you’re charged with.

Larimer County Court is a busy traffic court. According to Colorado Judicial Branch statistics, more than 5,000 criminal traffic cases, including DUI and DWAI, were filed in its Fort Collins and Loveland courthouses in each of the last two fiscal years.

I’m Monte Robbins. I defend traffic and criminal traffic cases in both Larimer County courthouses, and I personally handle every case. This page explains where your case goes, how each courthouse runs, and what’s at stake.

Which Larimer County Courthouse Is My Case In?

You don’t pick the courthouse. The type of case and where you were stopped decide it:

Larimer County Justice Center, Fort Collins: all traffic infractions (R cases) countywide, including tickets from the Loveland area, plus criminal traffic cases (T cases) from Fort Collins and most of the county.
Larimer County Court, Loveland: criminal traffic cases (T cases) from Loveland and the south part of the county.

Your summons will say which courthouse and courtroom to go to.

Larimer County Justice Center: 201 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521.

Larimer County Court, Loveland: Loveland Police and Courts building, 810 E. 10th St., Loveland, CO 80537.

What About Municipal Court?

Fort Collins and Loveland police often write traffic tickets into their own municipal courts under the Model Traffic Code, as adopted by each city. But when they file state charges, the case goes to Larimer County Court instead. Again, your summons will say which.

How the Fort Collins Courthouse Handles Traffic Cases

The letter in your case number tells you which track you’re on: R for a traffic infraction, T for a criminal traffic offense (for example, 2026T…).

Traffic Infractions (R Cases), Including Loveland Tickets

Your first hearing is in Courtroom 1A. If you plead not guilty, your Final Hearing is currently set in Courtroom 4D.

This surprises a lot of drivers: traffic infractions written in the Loveland area are also heard in Fort Collins, in Courtroom 1A, not in Loveland.

Criminal Traffic (T Cases) in Fort Collins

Criminal traffic cases start in Courtroom 1A, typically with an arraignment or an appearance on bond. Show cause hearings are also heard there.

The case then moves to a county judge in Courtroom 3D, 4D, or 5D. Depending on how the case goes, hearings there can include:

First appearance and appearance of counsel
Pretrial conference
Disposition hearing, if the case resolves
Sentencing
Pretrial readiness conference and trial, if the case is headed for trial

How the Loveland Courthouse Handles Criminal Traffic

Entrance to the Loveland Police and Courts building in Loveland, Colorado — Loveland Police and Courts building, 810 E. 10th St., Loveland, Colorado.

Criminal traffic cases (T cases) from the Loveland area are heard in Courtroom L1 or L2 and usually move like this:

First appearance
Arraignment
Pretrial conference
Disposition hearing and sentencing hearing, if the case resolves

If the case is headed for trial instead, it goes to a pretrial readiness conference and then trial.

Do I Have to Appear in Person?

Not always. In either courthouse, a virtual appearance may be possible if the court grants a motion. Depending on the charge, I may also be able to file a motion asking the court to waive your appearance. Both need the court’s approval, so if you live out of state or far from Fort Collins, it’s worth calling early.

Who Writes Traffic Tickets in Larimer County

Most of the Larimer County Court tickets I see come from:

Colorado State Patrol, Troop 3C in Fort Collins, which covers I-25 and the state highways.
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols unincorporated Larimer County and also polices Wellington and Berthoud. Its Traffic Safety Unit also works with the Northern Colorado Traffic Safety Task Force on extra DUI patrols.
Local police departments filing state charges instead of going to their own municipal court: Fort Collins Police, Loveland Police, Estes Park Police, CSU Police, and Timnath Police. Loveland’s Traffic Unit uses unmarked cars and marked motorcycles.

Windsor and Johnstown sit partly in Larimer County and partly in Weld County. If you were stopped on the Weld County side, your case may be filed in Weld County Court in Greeley instead.

Fort Collins Camera Radar and Red-Light Tickets

Fort Collins uses camera radar vans, portable camera units, and red-light cameras. These tickets work differently:

They’re civil penalties, not traffic tickets: $40 for speeding and $75 for a red light, with no points on your license. They’re handled through Fort Collins Municipal Court, not Larimer County Court.
Ignoring them can cost more. If you don’t respond to the notices, a process server may be sent to serve you with a summons, and a service fee is added.
25 mph or more over is different. Camera speeding at 25 mph or more over the limit isn’t handled as a civil penalty. A police officer reviews it and serves you an actual traffic ticket, which is a criminal traffic offense with points.

Common Traffic Charges in Larimer County

Speeding, including high-speed tickets. Speeding 25 mph or more over the limit is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, and since August 12, 2026, driving 100 mph or more adds 4 more points.
Careless driving, including careless driving with a property damage accident, careless causing injury, and careless causing serious bodily injury. Careless driving that causes injury is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense.
Reckless driving
Hit and run
Habitual traffic offender (HTO) and driving after revocation prohibited (DARP). See my Driving Under Restraint page.
Eluding
Drag racing and speed contests. See my Drag Racing Lawyer page.
Commercial truck and CDL violations. See my Colorado CDL Traffic Lawyer page.
Road rage, which can bring careless or reckless driving charges and sometimes criminal charges as well.

Arrested for DUI or DWAI? See my Larimer County DUI Lawyer page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Larimer County Traffic Tickets

I got a ticket in Loveland. Why is my court date in Fort Collins?

If it’s a traffic infraction (an R case), it’s heard at the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins, in Courtroom 1A, even if you were stopped in Loveland. Loveland-area criminal traffic cases (T cases) are heard in Loveland instead.

What do R and T mean on my Larimer County case number?

R means a traffic infraction, usually a fine and points. T means a criminal traffic offense, such as reckless driving or speeding 25 mph or more over, which can carry jail and has to go through court.

Where is my Final Hearing for a Fort Collins traffic infraction?

If you plead not guilty at your first hearing in Courtroom 1A, the Final Hearing is currently set in Courtroom 4D at the Larimer County Justice Center, 201 LaPorte Ave.

Does a Fort Collins camera radar ticket put points on my license?

No. Camera radar and red-light tickets are civil penalties with no points: $40 for speeding and $75 for a red light. Camera speeding at 25 mph or more over is different: an officer serves an actual traffic ticket, with points.

My ticket is from Fort Collins or Loveland police. Which court is it in?

It depends on how the officer wrote it. City police often file in their own municipal court, but when they file state charges, the case goes to Larimer County Court. Your summons will say which.

I don’t live in Larimer County. Do I have to come back for court?

Not necessarily. A virtual appearance may be possible with a granted motion, and depending on the charge, I may be able to ask the court to waive your appearance. Both need court approval, so call early.

Talk to a Larimer County Traffic Lawyer

Call me at 303-355-5148 or contact my office for a free consultation. You’ll speak with me, not a staff member.

Ticketed farther south on I-25? See my Douglas County Traffic Lawyer page.

Client Reviews

An excellent lawyer choice for my son who was charged with driving while his license was revoked. DMV had mistakenly sent (3) letters of revocation to the incorrect address, so I hired Monty to prove that my son never knew his license was revoked. Monty kept me informed at all times as to what was...

Linda

I consulted three other attorneys on my traffic offense in Colorado and none of them thought I could beat it. Then I consulted with Monte Robbins. He not only relieved my warrant without my presence in Colorado, but he got my habitual driving offense reduced to an infraction. I was up against the...

Steve

I hired Monte J. Robbins to represent me. He gave 110% to my case never rushed me off the phone, quick to gather all information regarding my case. Monte is very knowledgeable and helped me out a lot. He kept me informed every step of the way through my case. I was always able to get a hold of him...

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