Find Colorado Civil Court Records
Colorado civil court records are public. Anyone can search them. These records cover lawsuits, judgments, small claims, and other civil filings from courts across the state. Colorado has 64 counties and 23 judicial districts that each keep their own case files. District courts handle civil cases with no dollar limit. County courts hear claims up to $25,000. Small claims courts take disputes up to $7,500. You can search for civil court records online, in person at any courthouse, or through a mail request. This page walks you through how to find and get copies of civil court records from any county in Colorado.
Colorado Civil Court Records Quick Facts
Where to Find Colorado Civil Court Records
The Colorado Judicial Branch is the main source for civil court records in the state. It runs trial courts in all 64 counties. These courts form 23 judicial districts. District courts hear civil cases with no dollar cap. County courts take claims up to $25,000. Small claims go up to $7,500. Each county has a Clerk of Court who keeps all civil case files. The clerk stores the original documents and can make copies for you. You can visit a courthouse in person or file a request online through the state system. In Colorado, civil court records are held at the county level rather than by one central state office.
The state also offers an Access Guide to Public Records page that shows how to request court records in Colorado. It covers both current and older civil cases. The guide lists third-party vendors that give online access to Colorado civil court data. It also provides email contacts for different kinds of data requests. Court data goes to one email address. Financial data goes to a separate one. You can also submit a request through the state's online form to ask any court in Colorado for specific documents from a civil case file.
Most civil court records in Colorado are open to the public. You do not need to be part of the case to see the file. Anyone can ask the Clerk of Court for access at any time.
Search Colorado Civil Records Online
Online access to Colorado civil court records comes through third-party vendors. The state does not run its own case search on the Judicial Branch website. Instead, it works with companies like CoCourts to give the public access to civil case data. CoCourts is the best-known search tool for Colorado courts. It was created as a project of the Colorado Judicial Branch and pulls real-time data from the state court database. You can search by name to find civil cases, small claims, and other filings from county and district courts. A statewide search costs $10. State courts without Denver cost $5. Denver courts alone cost $5. The site shows the Register of Actions for each case but does not provide copies of actual court documents. For document copies, you must contact the court where the civil case was filed in Colorado.
The Colorado Judicial Branch also runs a docket search portal on its website. This free tool lets you look up scheduled court hearings. You can search by case number or party name. It shows when hearings are set and what motions have been filed. It does not show the full case file. But it helps you follow a civil case as it moves through the courts in Colorado. For a more thorough search, try using CoCourts to find the case number first, then use the docket tool to check the hearing schedule for that civil case in Colorado. Each tool fills in what the other one lacks.
CoCourts search results stay open for 24 hours after you pay. You can look up to four first names with the same last name in one search. For older civil cases, some courts may only have five years of data on the site. Contact the Clerk of Court for records that go back further in Colorado.
Colorado Civil Case Types
Civil court records in Colorado cover a broad range of disputes. The most common are contract cases, debt collection, and personal injury claims. Property disputes and foreclosures go through civil court as well. In district court, there is no cap on the claim amount, so large contract disputes, insurance claims, and complex cases all end up there. A plaintiff in district court pays $235 to file. County courts handle smaller civil matters with a $25,000 limit. These courts see lots of debt cases and property damage claims. Small claims court is the simplest path in Colorado. It handles disputes up to $7,500 and does not require a lawyer. The case type determines which court hears it and what civil records get created. District court files tend to be larger because the cases are more involved and take more time to resolve across Colorado.
Colorado civil court records may include the following types of cases:
- Contract disputes and breach of agreement claims
- Personal injury and property damage lawsuits
- Debt collection and creditor actions
- Foreclosure and eviction proceedings
- Protection orders and restraining orders
- Small claims up to $7,500
- Water rights cases in designated water courts
Colorado also has water courts. These handle disputes over water rights, which are unique to western states. Water court records are kept separately but are still part of the civil court system in Colorado. The type of case determines which court has jurisdiction and where you need to go to search for those civil records.
Filing Fees for Colorado Civil Cases
Filing fees for civil cases in Colorado depend on the court level and the amount in dispute. District court cases cost the most. A plaintiff pays $235 to file. The defendant pays $192 to answer. County civil fees are based on the claim amount. A claim under $1,000 costs $85. Claims from $1,000 to $14,999 cost $105 to file. Claims from $15,000 to $25,000 cost $135. Small claims are the cheapest option. A claim under $500 costs $31. Claims from $500 to $7,500 cost $55. These fees are set by state law under C.R.S. § 13-32-101. The full fee schedule is in the JDF 1 fee document from the Colorado Judicial Branch. Fees can change, so check the current schedule before you file a civil case in Colorado.
Costs for copies and other court services in Colorado include:
- Plain copies: $0.25 per page
- Certified copies: $20.00 per document
- Transcript of judgment: $25.00
- Name search: $5.00
- Certificate of satisfaction: $20.00
Chief Justice Directive 06-01 sets these rates for all Colorado courts. If you are a party to your own case, your copy cost is capped at $15. Research and redaction fees run $30 per hour after the first free hour. You can also pay court fees online through the state's online payments portal for civil cases across Colorado. The CoCourts pricing page shows what you pay to search civil court records through their site, which is separate from these court fees.
Note: Fee waivers may be available for people who can show they cannot afford to pay. Ask the court clerk about the waiver form before you file your civil case in Colorado.
Public Access to Court Records in Colorado
Colorado has strong public access rules for court records. The Colorado Open Records Act, known as CORA, is the main law that controls access to government records in the state. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-200.1, public records are open for review by any person. This includes civil court records. You do not need to give a reason. You do not need to be a party to the case. The record custodian must make records available within three business days of a request. If your request is denied, you can appeal. CORA also caps the research and retrieval fee that can be charged. The Colorado Attorney General's office has more details about CORA and how it applies to record requests across the state.
The Colorado Judicial Branch has its own rules that sit on top of CORA. Chief Justice Directive 05-01 is the main rule for court records access. It spells out which records are public, sealed, suppressed, or restricted. Most civil court case files are fully open. Sealed records are those a judge has ordered closed to the public. Suppressed records are hidden from view entirely. Protected details like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and information about minor children may be blacked out from public copies. But the rest of the civil court file is open to anyone in Colorado. The Criminal Justice Records Act under C.R.S. § 24-72-301 deals with criminal records specifically and does not apply to civil case files in Colorado courts.
You can submit a records request through the online records request form on the Colorado Judicial Branch website. The court will usually respond within three business days.
Colorado Courts by County
Each of Colorado's 64 counties has its own courthouse where civil court records are kept. The Trial Courts by County page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website lists every court in the state. You can find the address, phone number, and hours for each courthouse. Counties are grouped by judicial district. Some districts cover just one county. Others span several. The 17th Judicial District, for instance, covers Adams and Broomfield counties. The 1st Judicial District covers Jefferson and Gilpin counties. Knowing your judicial district helps when you need to locate the right court for civil records in Colorado.
For older civil court records, the Colorado State Archives holds historical case files from various county and district courts. Some records go back to the territorial period from 1862 to 1878. You need a case number and the name of the court to search these files. If you do not have a case number, call the county court first. The State Archives is for historical research on old civil cases. For current or recent civil court records in Colorado, contact the individual court where the case was filed. The Clerk of Court can search records and make copies for you.
Denver County Civil Court Records
Denver County Court is run on its own, separate from the rest of the Colorado state court system. This matters when you need civil court records in Denver. The Denver District Court is part of the state system and follows normal procedures. But the Denver County Court has its own staff, its own records, and its own contact information. It handles roughly 100,000 cases each year. The court covers city ordinance cases, misdemeanor matters, and civil cases up to $25,000. For civil cases above that amount in Denver, you go to Denver District Court. Record requests for Denver County Court go to coradatarequests@denvercountycourt.org rather than through the state system.
The Denver County Court public portal lets you search civil cases by case number. Name searches are not available through the public portal. For name-based searches in Denver, use a commercial vendor like CoCourts. In-person copies can be picked up at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse, Room 160, at 520 W. Colfax Ave. in Denver. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Email civil@denvercountycourt.org or call 720-337-0410 for traffic and civil record questions in Denver.
Browse Colorado Civil Records by County
Each county in Colorado has its own Clerk of Court who keeps civil case records. Pick a county below to find local courthouse info and civil court resources for that area.
Civil Records in Major Colorado Cities
Residents of major cities file civil cases at their county court. Pick a city below to learn about civil court records in that area of Colorado.