Opinion ID: 2634706
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Application to the Frisco Municipal Court

Text: The case before us provides an illustration of the interplay between municipal and state court jurisdiction. Respondent brought his claim under C.R.C.P. 106(a)(4), [5] challenging the authority of the town council to decide upon an application for development, and alleging violations of the town's ordinances. If there had not been a municipal court, Respondent would have properly filed his claim in the district court. However, because the town council created a municipal court and defined its exclusive original jurisdiction to include matters arising under the town's ordinances, Respondent was required to file first in the municipal court [6] with a right of appeal to the district court. [7] Thus, the original jurisdiction of the district court is certainly affected by the creation of the municipal court. However, were we to decide otherwise and allow a claimant to file immediately in district court, we would usurp the authority granted to the municipal court by article XX, section 6. As we must give effect to every provision of the constitution, such a result is not tenable. Consequently, because the Town of Frisco has properly created a municipal court and granted to that court exclusive original jurisdiction of all claims arising under enactments of the town pertaining to matters of local concern, review of the town council's alleged violation of town ordinances must be filed in the first instance in the Frisco Municipal Court.