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Ask the Right Office: Colorado

Pick a problem to see the office, the official rule, the deadlines and who must file. Then fill in a plain-English letter in your browser, print or save it as a PDF, and add a follow-up date to your calendar.

What this page can and can't tell you

Can: Which office to write to and how to put together a clear letter.

Can't: It can't give an official release date, say whether a specific person qualifies, or give legal advice. Only the DOC, the board or a court decides.

A letter doesn't replace the required official grievance form or procedure, and those have deadlines. If you're worried about retaliation, keep copies and dates of everything you send, and tell the person's attorney or a legal aid office if anything changes afterward.

Free legal help: Legal Services Corporation: find legal aid (civil matters). For criminal cases, ask the public defender's office that handled the case.






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Colorado at a glance

ProblemOfficeDeadline to fileResponse deadline
Time calculation reviewCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.
Credit (good time) disputeCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.
Medical request or complaintCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.
Visit or mail denial appealCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.
Records requestThe records custodian at the agency that keeps the recordNo filing deadline in the statute.For records not readily available, a "reasonable time" is presumed to be 3 working days or less; extensions may not exceed 7 working days.
Parole fileNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Disability (ADA) accommodationCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.
Transfer or classificationCase manager (Step 1 and Step 2), then the grievance officer (Step 3)Step 1 no later than 30 calendar days from when you knew, or should have known, the facts.25 calendar days for Step 1 and Step 2; 45 days for Step 3.

Grievance rule: CDOC AR 850-04, Grievance Procedure (effective March 1, 2026) (opens in new tab) (linked from the official policy page (opens in new tab)). Records: C.R.S. 24-72-203 (Colorado Open Records Act) (opens in new tab). Who files a grievance: A person sentenced to CDOC.

Not legal advice. Rules change and facilities may add local steps; the official text controls. Missing a deadline can end a claim. Find free legal aid (LSC) (opens in new tab). Last checked .

Other states · Colorado credit rules · Check a release calculation · Release countdown · What do I do now?

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