Court-Ordered · Writ of Restitution · Sheriff Supervised

Sheriff-Present Eviction Cleanout Denver — How the Process Works

Court-ordered eviction with a writ of restitution means the sheriff arrives first. Here is exactly what happens — the timeline, what the sheriff does vs. what the cleanout crew does, and how each Denver metro county handles it differently.

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Quick Answer

A sheriff-present eviction cleanout happens when the court issues a writ of restitution and the sheriff physically removes the tenant. The sheriff arrives first, supervises the tenant’s removal and any allowed belongings gathering, then the cleanout crew enters to remove everything else. JSD provides sheriff-ready crews at $150/person, 2-hour minimum, with deposit required. Our crews are trained to work alongside law enforcement efficiently. Call (303) 324-6014 to coordinate a sheriff-present cleanout.

What Is a Sheriff-Present Eviction Cleanout?

A sheriff-present eviction is the final step in the legal eviction process when a tenant refuses to leave voluntarily. The court has issued a judgment for possession and a writ of restitution — a court order directing the sheriff to physically remove the tenant and restore possession of the property to the landlord.

This is different from a standard eviction cleanout where the tenant has already left (voluntarily or after the initial court order). In a sheriff-present scenario, the tenant may still be in the unit when the sheriff arrives. The sheriff handles the tenant. The cleanout crew handles the property. These roles never overlap.

JSD has performed hundreds of sheriff-present eviction cleanouts across Denver, Adams, Jefferson, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties. Each county handles the process slightly differently, but the core sequence is the same.

The Full Timeline — From Writ to Broom-Clean

Here is the complete timeline of a sheriff-present eviction, from the court order to the moment we hand you back a clean unit.

1Writ of restitution filed — After winning the eviction case, the landlord files the writ with the county sheriff. Filing fee varies by county ($35-$75).

2Sheriff schedules the eviction — Typically 7-14 business days after the writ is filed. The sheriff’s office posts a 48-hour notice on the tenant’s door with the scheduled date and time.

3You call JSD to coordinate — As soon as you have the sheriff’s scheduled date and time, call us at (303) 324-6014. We need at least 24 hours notice to schedule a sheriff-ready crew. Tell us the county, unit size, and expected condition.

4Day of eviction — Sheriff arrives first — The deputy arrives at the scheduled time. They knock, announce themselves, and enter the unit. If the tenant is present, the deputy informs them the writ is being executed.

5Tenant has limited time to gather belongings — Most counties allow the tenant 15-30 minutes to gather essential personal items (ID, medications, clothing, children’s items). The sheriff supervises. The tenant cannot take furniture, appliances, or large items during this window.

6Sheriff supervises the “set-out” — In some counties, remaining tenant belongings are placed on the curb or in a designated area. In others, the cleanout crew is authorized to begin removing items immediately. This varies significantly by county (see below).

7Sheriff clears the crew to enter — Once the tenant is removed and the deputy confirms the unit is secure, our crew enters. The sheriff may stay for the beginning of the cleanout or leave once the tenant is off the property.

8JSD performs full cleanout — Everything remaining in the unit is removed. Sensitive items are photographed and bagged per our sensitive items protocol. Broom-clean when we leave.

9Locks changed — The landlord or locksmith changes the locks immediately after the cleanout. The unit is now legally in your possession.

What the Sheriff Does vs. What the Cleanout Crew Does

The roles are clearly defined and never overlap. Understanding this prevents confusion on eviction day.

Sheriff / Deputy

Executes the writ of restitution
Removes the tenant from the unit
Supervises tenant’s gathering of personal items
Secures the unit if the situation is volatile
Handles any confrontation or resistance
Authorizes when the crew can enter
Takes custody of firearms or drugs if found
Provides case number for documentation

JSD Cleanout Crew

Waits in vehicles until sheriff clears the unit
Removes all remaining items and debris
Photographs and documents everything
Bags and tags sensitive items
Handles set-out to curb (if county requires)
Loads trucks, hauls to disposal/recycling
Leaves unit broom-clean
Delivers documentation package to landlord

County-by-County: How the Process Differs

The eviction process varies by county across the Denver metro. The differences are significant enough that you need to know which county your property is in before scheduling. Here are the counties where we perform the most sheriff-present cleanouts.

DEN

Denver County

Sheriff’s office: Denver Sheriff Department — Civil Process Unit

Scheduling window: Typically 10-14 business days after writ filed

Tenant gathering time: 15-20 minutes, supervised by deputy

Set-out process: Denver generally does NOT require a curb set-out. Items can go directly from unit to the cleanout truck. This is the fastest process in the metro.

Notes: Denver deputies are experienced with evictions and typically efficient. Expect the deputy to stay on-site for 30-60 minutes. High-volume property managers can sometimes get priority scheduling.

ADM

Adams County

Sheriff’s office: Adams County Sheriff’s Office — Civil Division

Scheduling window: 7-10 business days after writ filed

Tenant gathering time: 15-30 minutes, at deputy’s discretion

Set-out process: Adams County may require a curb set-out in some situations. The landlord is responsible for placement; our crew handles this. Items must be placed on the public right-of-way, not blocking sidewalks. Tenant has 24 hours to retrieve items from the curb before the city removes them.

Notes: Adams County covers Thornton, Westminster (partial), Northglenn, Commerce City, Federal Heights, and Brighton. The process is generally straightforward. Deputies are responsive to property manager coordination.

JEF

Jefferson County

Sheriff’s office: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office — Civil Unit

Scheduling window: 10-14 business days after writ filed — Jeffco tends to have the longest wait times

Tenant gathering time: Up to 30 minutes, deputies tend to be more lenient

Set-out process: Jeffco often requires a curb set-out. The deputy supervises the initial placement, then leaves. Our crew handles the heavy lifting. Some apartment complexes negotiate with the deputy to skip the set-out and go directly to truck loading.

Notes: Jefferson County covers Lakewood, Arvada (partial), Wheat Ridge, Golden, and Evergreen. Wait times for scheduling are longer than other counties — plan accordingly. If you have multiple units in Jeffco, coordinate with the civil unit for batch scheduling.

ARP

Arapahoe County

Sheriff’s office: Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office — Civil Process

Scheduling window: 7-12 business days after writ filed

Tenant gathering time: 15-20 minutes standard

Set-out process: Varies by property. Apartment complexes typically allow direct-to-truck loading. Single-family homes may require a curb set-out.

Notes: Arapahoe County covers Aurora (partial), Centennial, Englewood, Greenwood Village, and Littleton. The process is well-organized. Deputies are professional and communicate clearly about expectations.

DGL

Douglas County

Sheriff’s office: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office — Civil Division

Scheduling window: 7-10 business days after writ filed

Tenant gathering time: 15-20 minutes

Set-out process: Douglas County typically allows direct-to-truck loading. Curb set-outs are less common here.

Notes: Douglas County covers Parker, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, and Lone Tree. Lower eviction volume than Denver or Adams means scheduling is typically faster. HOA-governed properties may have additional restrictions on curb placement — confirm with the HOA before eviction day.

JSD’s Role During Sheriff-Present Cleanouts

Our crew is specifically trained for sheriff-present evictions. Here is what we do differently compared to a standard post-eviction cleanout:

Arrive early. We show up 15-30 minutes before the scheduled sheriff time. Crews stage in vehicles nearby — never at the unit door. We don’t want the tenant to see a cleanout crew before the sheriff arrives.
Wait for the all-clear. No crew member approaches the unit until the sheriff deputy explicitly authorizes entry. Even if the tenant appears to have left, we wait for the deputy’s word.
Work fast. Sheriff-present cleanouts are time-sensitive. The deputy may be on a schedule with multiple evictions that day. Our crews move efficiently — typically 6-10 people for a sheriff-present job to maximize speed.
Handle the set-out if required. If the county requires items placed on the curb, our crew does the heavy lifting while the deputy supervises. After the required curb time (if any), we load everything into trucks.
Document everything. Sheriff-present evictions have higher legal risk because the tenant is being forcibly removed. Our timestamped photo and video documentation is especially critical for these jobs. Every room, every item, every step.
Handle sensitive items on the spot. We follow our standard sensitive items protocol — photograph, bag, tag, deliver to landlord. Firearms and drugs follow their respective protocols with the on-site deputy as the immediate law enforcement contact.

What If the Tenant Doesn’t Leave?

It happens. Here’s the reality:

The sheriff handles it. If the tenant refuses to leave, becomes confrontational, or barricades themselves inside, the deputy calls for backup. This is a law enforcement matter, not a cleanout matter.
Our crew stays in vehicles. We do not approach, intervene, or interact with the tenant in any confrontational situation. Our crew is trained to stay clear and wait.
The eviction may be rescheduled. In rare cases, the situation escalates to the point where the eviction is postponed. If this happens, there’s no charge from JSD — we reschedule when the sheriff reschedules.
Most tenants comply. In our experience, the vast majority of tenants leave without incident when the sheriff arrives. The writ of restitution is a court order — resisting it leads to arrest. Most tenants understand this.

Eviction Cleanout Pricing

Studio / 1BR

$495–$895

2-3 Bedroom

$895–$1,500

Full House

$1,500–$2,500

Sheriff-present service adds: $150/person, 2-hour minimum, deposit required.

The additional cost covers crew staging time (waiting for the sheriff), the larger crew size required for speed, and the specialized coordination involved.

Full eviction cleanout pricing breakdown here.

How to Schedule a Sheriff-Present Cleanout with JSD

Here’s the checklist for coordinating with us:

1.Get the sheriff’s scheduled date and time from the county civil process unit

2.Call JSD at (303) 324-6014 — tell us the county, address, unit size, and expected condition

3.Provide at least 24 hours notice — sheriff-present jobs require larger crews and specific scheduling

4.Pay the deposit — required for all sheriff-present cleanouts to secure the crew and time slot

5.Meet us on-site — the landlord or property manager (or authorized representative) must be present for the sheriff

6.Have a locksmith scheduled — locks should be changed immediately after the cleanout

Sheriff-Present Eviction Cleanout FAQ

Do I always need a sheriff for an eviction cleanout?

No. You only need a sheriff-present cleanout when the tenant hasn’t left voluntarily and you’ve obtained a writ of restitution from the court. If the tenant has already vacated — moved out, abandoned the unit, or left after the initial court order — you can schedule a standard eviction cleanout without the sheriff. Most of our eviction cleanouts are post-vacancy, not sheriff-present.

How much does a sheriff-present eviction cleanout cost?

The base cleanout cost is the same as a standard eviction cleanout ($495-$2,500 depending on unit size). The sheriff-present surcharge is $150/person with a 2-hour minimum. For a typical 4-person crew, that’s $600 additional. A deposit is required to secure the crew and time slot. The deposit is applied to the total cost.

What happens if the sheriff cancels or reschedules?

Sheriffs reschedule evictions for various reasons — weather, staffing, emergencies, last-minute tenant bankruptcy filings, or court stays. If the sheriff cancels, we reschedule at no additional charge. Your deposit rolls to the new date. We understand this is frustrating for landlords who’ve been waiting weeks — but we’ve been through this process hundreds of times and adapt quickly.

Do I need to be there on eviction day?

Yes. The landlord or an authorized representative (property manager with written authorization) must be present when the sheriff executes the writ. The sheriff needs someone to accept possession of the property. You can leave after the sheriff departs and the cleanout begins — but someone needs to receive the sensitive items we set aside and sign the documentation at the end.

How long does the whole process take on eviction day?

From sheriff arrival to broom-clean unit, plan for 3-5 hours total. The sheriff portion (tenant removal, initial clearing) typically takes 30-60 minutes. The cleanout portion depends on unit size and condition — a 1BR is typically 1-2 hours, a full house 3-4 hours. We bring larger crews to sheriff-present jobs specifically to minimize the total time.

What if the tenant comes back during the cleanout?

Once the writ is executed and the locks are changed, the tenant has no legal right to enter the property. If they return during the cleanout and become disruptive, we call law enforcement. Our crew does not engage with the tenant — we continue working or pause and wait for law enforcement depending on the situation. This is another reason we recommend having the locks changed immediately.

Can the tenant get their stuff back after the sheriff eviction?

It depends on the county and the specific process followed. If a curb set-out was done, the tenant can take items from the curb during the allowed period (usually 24 hours). For items retained by the landlord (sensitive items our crew set aside), Colorado’s CRS 38-12-126 abandoned property statute applies — the landlord must provide written notice and store items for the statutory period. Our documentation proves what items were found and retained.

Do you handle multi-unit eviction days?

Yes. Large apartment communities sometimes schedule multiple evictions on the same day with the sheriff. We can provide crews for back-to-back or simultaneous units — just give us advance notice so we can staff appropriately. Multi-unit days get volume pricing. Call (303) 324-6014 to discuss your multi-unit needs.

Sheriff-Ready Crews. Every County. Same Day.

Court-compliant eviction cleanout from the moment the sheriff clears the unit.

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