A party is permitted to represent himself or herself on appeal. Such a party is referred to as a pro se litigant.
Courts do not provide special treatment to pro se appellants. They must comply with all filing requirements, formatting rules, and deadlines contained in the Colorado Appellate Rules. Some deadlines are jurisdictional, meaning the court has no authority to extend them. Failure to comply with appellate deadlines can result in dismissal of the appeal.
Although self-representation is allowed, appellate practice is technical and deadline-driven. Successful appeals require identifying legal error, preserving issues, applying standards of review, and presenting legal authority within strict procedural rules.
Self-representation therefore changes responsibility, not the rules. The appellate court applies the same procedural and substantive requirements to represented and unrepresented parties. A pro se appellant must prepare and file a compliant notice of appeal, designate the record, order transcripts, and submit briefs that satisfy the appellate rules governing formatting, citation, and content.
In practice, this means the court does not adjust briefing standards because a party is unrepresented. An appellate brief must still cite the record, identify specific rulings being challenged, and support each argument with legal authority. Arguments that are unsupported by citation to the record or law may be disregarded.
A party is not required to retain counsel to file or pursue an appeal. However, appellate review is limited to legal issues preserved in the record, and the court will not rewrite a brief, locate arguments, or construct legal theories on behalf of a party. Failure to properly present an issue can result in the issue being deemed waived.
Accordingly, while counsel is not required, the appellate process requires compliance with the same legal and procedural standards regardless of representation status.
To discuss your appeal with a qualified appellate lawyer, contact Alderman Law Firm at 720-588-3529 today.