Boulder Community Court: How to Get Your Yellow Ticket Dismissed

Getting a ticket in Boulder when you're homeless is one of those things that starts small and compounds fast. A camping citation you can't pay turns into a fine you can't afford, which turns into a warrant, which turns into an arrest the next time you're stopped for anything. I've watched this happen to people who had no idea there was an alternative.

There is an alternative. It's called Community Court — and it's specifically designed for situations like this.

First — What Color Is Your Ticket?

This matters more than most people realize. Boulder has two separate court systems that handle citations in completely different ways, and going to the wrong one wastes your time and doesn't help your case.

Not sure? Look at the top of your ticket. It will say either "City of Boulder" (municipal — yellow) or "State of Colorado / Boulder County" (state/county — different process entirely). This post is about yellow tickets.

What Is Community Court?

Boulder Community Court is a voluntary, alternative court program specifically designed to address low-level municipal violations — the kinds of citations that pile up for people experiencing homelessness. It operates on a "help, not arrest" philosophy.

Instead of a formal court hearing, fines, and potential bench warrants, Community Court offers a different path: participate in a program, complete a community service hour or two, connect with services — and your ticket gets dismissed. The program works because it acknowledges that camping tickets written to people who have nowhere to sleep aren't solving anything for anyone.

What Happens When You Show Up Thursday

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  Arrive before 10:30 AM at 1777 Broadway (west patio)The session runs 9:30–10:30 AM. You want to be there by 9:30 if possible. Arriving at 10:25 works technically but gives you less time to talk through your situation.
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  Tell them you have a municipal citationShow the staff your yellow ticket. They'll look it up in the system and confirm it's a qualifying municipal charge. This takes a few minutes.
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  Talk to a Community Court staff memberThey'll ask about your situation — where you're staying, what services you're connected to, what's going on. This is not an interrogation. It's more like intake. Be honest — the more they understand your situation, the better they can connect you to actual help.
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  Agree to participate in somethingThis might be: a community service hour, attending a service appointment (DHS, health, housing), connecting with a case manager, or simply agreeing to stay engaged with available services. What counts varies — ask what your options are.
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  Your ticket gets dismissedOnce you complete the agreed-upon step, your municipal citation is dismissed. It doesn't go to a fine, doesn't turn into a warrant, and doesn't follow you around.

What Kinds of Tickets Can Community Court Dismiss?

Community Court handles low-level City of Boulder municipal violations. Common ones include:

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  Camping / unauthorized campingThe most common citation for people experiencing homelessness in Boulder.
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  Park curfew violationsBeing in a city park after hours.
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  Open containerAlcohol in public city spaces.
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  Trespass (municipal level)City-owned property — not private property trespass, which is a different charge.
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  Various public nuisance citationsAsk at Community Court — if it's yellow and municipal, they can usually work with it.

What If You've Missed Court Dates Already?

If you have outstanding warrants from missed municipal court dates, Community Court can still often help. The program has relationships with the municipal court and can sometimes facilitate a path to clearing a warrant without an arrest. Go to Community Court first and tell them what's going on — including the warrant. Being upfront is better than hoping no one notices.

If the warrant is significant or has escalated, contact Colorado Legal Services at 303-449-7575 before you appear anywhere. They can advise you on how to handle it safely.

Community Court Also Connects You to Services

This is the part that doesn't get talked about enough. Community Court isn't just a ticket dismissal program — the Thursday sessions are also a connection point for services. Staff there can help you get connected to housing navigation, ID help, benefits enrollment, and case management. You don't have to be there for a ticket to show up on a Thursday morning and ask for help navigating the system.

Think of it as a low-barrier weekly service hub that happens to also dismiss tickets.