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JDF 1935

Opening Brief (Felony Criminal Appeal)

Colorado · Colorado Judicial Branch · Effective June 1, 2023

This form is an Opening Brief used in a felony criminal appeal case. It is a detailed document that organizes the arguments for the appeal, including sections for the standard of review and whether the issue was preserved for appeal.

Open the official Word filefrom Colorado Judicial Branch

Where this fits in a case

Appeal

Stage: Appeal

This form is used when a defendant is appealing a felony criminal case to the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Usually filed by the person responding.

Common questions

Who fills out this form?
The form is for the Defendant-Appellant to fill out. The court will also fill in case numbers and other details.
What must the brief include?
The brief must include sections like the Table of Authorities, Issues on Appeal, Statement of the Case, Argument Summary, and Argument.
Does the filer have to follow specific rules?
The filer certifies that the brief follows the requirements of Colorado Appellate Rules (C.A.R.) 28 and 32, or the brief may be rejected for not following these rules.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 10, 2026. The current version took effect June 1, 2023.

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