Colorado courts celebrate National Adoption Day; foster children to be united with permanent families

Thursday, November 2, 2023
DENVER – National Adoption Day is being celebrated in many of Colorado’s Judicial Districts throughout November, with judges and magistrates across Colorado finalizing the adoptions of dozens of foster children into permanent families. Colorado is currently home to more than 200 children waiting for permanent families.

Adoption Day events in Colorado are being coordinated through the courts, state and local human services departments, as well as other local and state child services agencies and advocacy groups. 

              Following is a rundown of November’s Adoption Day activities in Colorado:

First Judicial District (Jefferson and Gilpin counties) – The First Judicial District will celebrate Adoption Day on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in courtroom 208 of the Jefferson County Courthouse (100 Jefferson Parkway, Golden, CO 80401).  District Court Judges Gail Meinster and Lindsay VanGilder, along with Magistrate Andrew Fitzgerald will preside over the adoptions of 14 children into 9 families. For more information, contact Randa Richards at randa.richards@judicial.state.co.us. 

Second Judicial District (Denver County) – On Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, from 10 am to noon at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse (520 W. Colfax, Denver, CO 80204), Denver District Court Chief Judge Chris Baumann, District Court Judges Pax Moultrie and Kandace Gerdes, along with Magistrates Lisa Gomez and Libbie McCarthy will preside over the adoptions of 27 children into 25 families. Expanded Media Coverage (EMC) has been granted. For more information, contact Abby Young at abigail.young@judicial.state.co.us.

Eighth Judicial District (Jackson and Larimer counties) – Larimer County will celebrate National Adoption Day on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at the Larimer County Justice Center (201 La Porte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521) beginning at 8:30 a.m. Several children will be adopted throughout the morning with Chief Judge Susan Blanco, and District Court Judges Laurie Dean and Sarah Cure presiding over the hearings.  For more information, please contact Court Executive Kerry Hong at kerry.hong@judicial.state.co.us. 

Tenth Judicial District (Pueblo County) – The Tenth Judicial District will celebrate Adoption Day for the 15th year in a row on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 401 of the Pueblo County Courthouse (501 N. Elizabeth Street, Pueblo, CO 81003). District Court Chief Judge Gregory J. Styduhar will preside over the adoption of four children into four families. Following the adoptions, a cake and refreshment celebration will be held in the training room on the fifth floor of the courthouse.  EMC has been granted. For more information, contact Sabrina Miller at 719-583-6865.

Eleventh Judicial District (Chaffee, Custer, Fremont and Park counties) – On Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, seven families will adopt children at the Fremont County Courthouse (136 Justice Center Road, Canon City, CO 81212) in Courtroom 102. The Honorable Larry Allen will preside over the adoption hearings. For more information, please contact Self Represented Litigant Coordinator Robbie McPherson at robyn.mcpherson@judicial.state.co.us.

Twelfth Judicial District (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties) – On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Twelfth Judicial District will celebrate National Adoption Day at the Alamosa County Courthouse (8955 Independence Way, Alamosa, CO 81101). Chief Judge Amanda Hopkins will make some brief remarks to open the celebration, which will recognize 25 families that have gone through the adoption process in the past year, and any families who have adopted at any time in the past. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Court Executive Kyle Gustafson at 719-589-7605.

Seventeenth Judicial District (Adams and Broomfield counties) – The Adams County District Court and the Adams County Human Services Department will host National Adoption Day on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Adams County Justice Center (1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601). Eleven families and 18 children will be celebrated. Chief Judge Don Quick will welcome families and guests at 1:00 p.m. in the Jury Assembly Room and the Adams County Commissioners will read the 2023 National Adoption Day Proclamation. Adoptions will begin at 1:30 p.m. with District Court Judges Caryn Dats and Emily Lieberman, as well as Magistrates Ashley Ratliff and Michal Lord-Blegen presiding in courtrooms 601, 602, 603 and 604. EMC has been granted. For more information, contact Deputy Court Executive Simone Jones at 303-654-3230.

Eighteenth Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties) – Adoption Day hearings will be held on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at the Arapahoe County Justice Center (7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112) from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sixteen children are expected to be adopted into 11 families. The celebration will include a light breakfast, live music, clowns, costumed characters, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s K9 team, and cake. Judge Bonnie McClean, District Court Judge Cajardo Lindsey and Magistrate Echo Ryan will preside over the adoptions in Divisions 22, 26 and 34 in Courthouse 2. EMC has been granted with prior family permission. For more information, contact Family Court Facilitator Shannon Wilson at 303-645-6854. 

Nineteenth Judicial District (Weld County) – On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, District Court Judges Troy Hause and Kimberly Schutt, as well as Magistrate Randall Lococo will preside over eight adoptions at the Weld County Courthouse (901 9th Ave., Greeley, CO 80631). The adoption hearings will be closed to the public and media, but public and media may join the celebration following the hearings. 

Twentieth Judicial District (Boulder County) – On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at 4 p.m., adoptive families, foster care families, and members of the community are invited to celebrate National Adoption Day in the Jury Assembly Room of the Boulder County Justice Center (1777 Sixth Street, Boulder, CO 80302). The celebration will honor five families adopting on Nov. 17, as well as adoptions in the past year. All families wanting to celebrate their forever families are welcome and encouraged to attend. The celebration includes snacks, art projects and guest speakers. Magistrates Beth Kelly, Tim Johnson and Carolyn McLean will preside over the adoptions.  Boulder’s National Adoption Day celebration is a collaborative effort of the 20th Judicial District, the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services, Voices for Children, and CASA of Boulder County. For more information, contact Deborah Fox at 720-664-1613. Please RSVP to Marla Slade with the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services at mslade@bouldercounty.gov.

Twenty-First Judicial District (Mesa County) – On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, District Court Judge Valerie Robison will preside over the adoption docket at 10:30 a.m. Following the brief hearings, a celebration for all families who have adopted in the past year will be held in the jury assembly room of the Mesa County Justice Center (125 N. Spruce Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501). Cake and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Jesse Baalman at 970-248-2848 or Kim Espindola at 970-248-2869.   

National Adoption Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the more than 100,000 children in foster care across the country waiting to find families. Since its inception, National Adoption Day has made the dreams of thousands of children come true through the cooperative work of courts, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates to finalize adoptions and find permanent, loving homes for children in foster care. National Adoption Day is celebrated every year in November. In 2006, for the first time, National Adoption Day was celebrated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Editor’s Note: Except where otherwise specifically allowed, any news media organizations wishing to record audio and/or video or take still photographs of the proceedings must receive prior approval from the Court, and participants will have the choice to decline to be taped or photographed. Click here for rules governing expanded media coverage, as well as an application form.