Public Trustee

Interested in what our department does? 

• The origination of our Public Trustee system occurred in 1894.
• Colorado’s Governor Davis H. Waite signed a law establishing the foundation for our current public trustee system.
• The Public Trustee is to act as a “neutral intermediate” party between lenders and borrowers.
• The act came about because of citizens being roughed up by lenders who were using barbaric tactics to collect debts due to the closing of the silver mines in 1893.
• Colorado is the only state in the nation that has a Public Trustee.
• Other states have Private trustees (attorneys) that are hired to represent the lenders and all foreclosures are done through the court.
• We process releases of deeds of trusts (about 8,000 or so per year)
• Process foreclosures (about 250 a year).
• We handle millions of dollars each year.
• The work load fluctuates with the economy.