Commerce City Civil Court Records

Commerce City civil court records are managed by the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton. All civil lawsuits, judgments, small claims, and related filings for Commerce City residents go through Adams County courts in the 17th Judicial District. The courthouse is about 10 miles northeast of Commerce City. You can search these records online, request them by mail, or visit the clerk in person. This page walks you through the options for finding and getting copies of civil court records tied to Commerce City cases.

Where Commerce City Civil Cases Are Filed

Commerce City sits in Adams County. Civil cases for Commerce City go to the Adams County Justice Center at 1100 Judicial Center Drive in Brighton, CO 80601. The clerk's main line is 303-659-1161. For record requests specifically, call 303-654-3239 or email AdamsRecordRequest@judicial.state.co.us. The courthouse is a short drive from Commerce City along Highway 85. District court handles civil cases with no cap on the amount. County court takes claims up to $25,000. Small claims court covers disputes up to $7,500.

Commerce City has its own Municipal Court at 7887 East 60th Avenue with a phone line at 303-289-3650. That court deals with traffic matters and city ordinances. It does not hear civil lawsuits. If someone owes you money or you have a contract dispute, you file at the Adams County courthouse in Brighton. The municipal court in Commerce City has no civil jurisdiction and does not keep civil court records.

The 17th Judicial District covers both Adams and Broomfield counties. Commerce City falls on the Adams County side. All civil records for Commerce City stay with the Adams County Clerk of Court. The Adams County court page on the state judicial branch website shows current hours and contact details.

Searching Commerce City Civil Records Online

You can search Commerce City civil court records online without visiting the Adams County courthouse. The CoCourts commercial search tool connects to the state court database. A statewide search costs $10. A search without Denver costs $5. Enter a name or case number and the system returns the Register of Actions, which logs every filing, hearing, and ruling in the case. CoCourts does not give you copies of the documents themselves. For that, you contact the Adams County clerk. But the Register of Actions is enough to see what happened and when in a Commerce City civil case.

The state also runs a free Adams County docket search tool. This shows scheduled hearings and upcoming court dates for active cases. It only covers future events. If you need the full history of a Commerce City civil case, CoCourts is the better option. The docket search is useful when you want to check a hearing date or see if a motion has been set for a specific case at the Adams County courthouse.

The Colorado Judicial Branch provides an access guide that explains how public records searches work across all Colorado courts, including the Adams County courts that handle Commerce City civil cases.

The access guide walks through each step of the records request process, from identifying the right court to understanding the fees you will pay for copies of Commerce City civil records.

Note: CoCourts shows the Register of Actions only, not scanned document images or full text of court filings.

Commerce City Civil Court Filing Fees

Filing fees for Commerce City civil cases match the statewide schedule. District court is $235 for the plaintiff and $192 for the defendant. County court fees depend on how much the claim is worth. Cases under $1,000 cost $85 to file. Claims from $1,000 to $14,999 cost $105. The $15,000 to $25,000 range costs $135. Small claims run $31 for disputes under $500 and $55 for amounts up to $7,500. You pay at the Adams County Justice Center when you submit the filing.

Other costs come up during a Commerce City civil case. Copies of documents from the file cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $20 each. A name search by the clerk is $5. A transcript of judgment costs $25. The full fee list is in the JDF 1 fee schedule from the Colorado Judicial Branch. After your case has a number, you can pay court costs online through the Colorado Judicial Online Payment system.

The Adams County clerk accepts fee waiver requests if you cannot afford to file. You fill out a financial disclosure form and submit proof of income. The court reviews it and decides whether to waive the fee for your Commerce City civil case. The waiver covers court filing fees but not third-party search costs.

Public Access Laws for Commerce City Records

Civil court records from Commerce City cases are public documents under Colorado law. The Colorado Open Records Act, or CORA, gives anyone the right to inspect and copy court records without being involved in the case. The Adams County Clerk must respond to records requests within three business days. The law limits what the clerk can charge for time spent pulling and preparing documents. These protections apply to every civil case filed through the Adams County courthouse, including those from Commerce City.

Chief Justice Directive 05-01 adds specifics about what is open and what is restricted in court records. Most civil case files are public in full. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other sensitive financial data get redacted before the clerk releases copies. Sealed records require a court order to view. Sealing is uncommon in regular civil disputes. Domestic relations cases sometimes have tighter access rules, but those are different from general civil filings at the Adams County courthouse.

How to Get Commerce City Court Documents

Three options exist for getting copies of civil court records from a Commerce City case. You can go to the Adams County Justice Center at 1100 Judicial Center Drive in Brighton. Bring photo ID and the case number. Without a case number, the clerk runs a name search for $5. You can also send a written request by mail to the same address. Include your contact information, the case number, and a list of what you want. The online records request form on the Colorado Judicial Branch website is the third option and works for Adams County records.

The clerk responds within three business days. Plain copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies with the court seal cost $20 per document. If you are a party to the case, the state caps copy costs at $15 total. For requests that take more than one hour to prepare, the clerk may add $30 per hour for research time. The Adams County clerk can also be reached by email at AdamsRecordRequest@judicial.state.co.us for Commerce City civil record requests. This is often the fastest way to start the process if you already have the case number.

Note: Commerce City residents file civil cases in Brighton at the Adams County courthouse, not at the Commerce City Municipal Court on 60th Avenue.

Nearby Cities with Civil Court Records

Commerce City borders several cities in the Denver metro area. Civil cases in each city are handled by their county courthouse. Check the pages below for court records from neighboring locations.