Access Grand Junction Civil Court Records

Grand Junction civil court records are held at the Mesa County Justice Center on Spruce Street in downtown Grand Junction. As the largest city on Colorado's Western Slope, Grand Junction is the center for civil court activity in the 21st Judicial District. All civil lawsuits, small claims, judgments, and related court filings for the area pass through this courthouse. You can search Grand Junction civil records online, visit the clerk in person, or send a written request. This guide covers the process, fees, and tools for finding civil court records in Grand Junction.

Grand Junction Courthouse and Civil Court

The Mesa County Justice Center is at 125 North Spruce Street in Grand Junction, CO 81501. Call 970-257-3620 to reach the clerk. This building handles all civil court matters for Mesa County, which includes Grand Junction and the surrounding area. District court hears civil cases with no dollar cap. County court handles claims up to $25,000. Small claims court takes disputes up to $7,500. The court level you use depends on how much money is in dispute, not on where you live in Grand Junction.

Grand Junction Municipal Court operates at 250 North 5th Street. The phone is 970-549-5850. That court covers traffic tickets and city code violations. It does not hear civil lawsuits, so skip it if you need to file a civil claim or search civil records. All civil case files for Grand Junction go through the Mesa County Justice Center. The Clerk of Court keeps all records and provides public access.

The 21st Judicial District includes Mesa County along with several smaller Western Slope counties. Grand Junction is the district's population center. Most of the civil caseload for the 21st District originates here. The Mesa County court page on the state judicial website has current contact information and office hours for the Grand Junction courthouse.

Note: The Justice Center on Spruce Street is the only location that handles civil filings for Grand Junction residents.

Searching Grand Junction Civil Records Online

The primary online tool for searching Grand Junction civil court records is CoCourts. This commercial service connects to the state court database and lets you look up cases by party name or case number. A statewide search costs $10. Excluding Denver brings it down to $5. The results show the Register of Actions for each case. That is a list of all filings, motions, hearings, and orders. CoCourts does not provide copies of the actual documents. For those, contact the Mesa County Clerk. The data refreshes in real time, so Grand Junction civil cases appear as soon as the clerk logs them.

A free alternative is the Mesa County docket search on the state website. This shows scheduled hearings and court dates for active Grand Junction civil cases. It is limited to upcoming events and does not show the full case history. But if you need to know when a hearing is set or whether a motion has been scheduled, the docket tool does the job without any cost.

The docket search portal on the Colorado Judicial Branch site lets you filter by county, making it easy to find Grand Junction civil case hearings specifically.

The portal gives you a calendar view of upcoming hearings for any county. Select Mesa County from the dropdown to see Grand Junction civil cases on the schedule.

Civil Court Fees in Grand Junction

Filing fees for Grand Junction civil cases follow the statewide schedule. District court costs $235 for the person who starts the case. The other side pays $192 to file a response. County court fees range from $85 to $135 depending on the dollar amount at stake. Here is how the county court tiers break down:

• Claims under $1,000: $85 filing fee
• Claims from $1,000 to $14,999: $105
• Claims from $15,000 to $25,000: $135
• Small claims under $500: $31
• Small claims from $500 to $7,500: $55

The JDF 1 fee schedule covers every possible cost. Beyond filing, you may need to pay for copies at $0.25 per page, certified copies at $20 each, or a $5 name search if you lack the case number. Grand Junction residents can pay ongoing court costs through the online payment portal after the case is filed and has a number assigned by the Mesa County clerk.

Fee waivers are available if you show financial hardship. The clerk at the Mesa County Justice Center has the form. Submit it with income documentation and the court will decide on the waiver for your Grand Junction civil case.

Public Access to Grand Junction Court Records

Grand Junction civil court records are open to the public. Colorado law guarantees this through the Open Records Act, or CORA. Anyone can inspect and copy court records. You do not need to be a party to the case. The Mesa County Clerk must respond to requests within three business days. The law limits what the clerk can charge for research and preparation time, and it protects your right to access. These rules apply to every civil case filed through the Grand Junction courthouse.

Chief Justice Directive 05-01 spells out which records are public and which carry restrictions. Most civil files are completely open. The court redacts Social Security numbers and bank account details before releasing copies. Sealed records exist but are uncommon in standard civil disputes. The directive covers all Colorado courts, including the 21st Judicial District that serves Grand Junction.

The access guide to public records on the judicial branch website is a good starting point. It explains what you can request, the fees involved, and how to submit your request for Grand Junction civil records. Read it before you contact the clerk so you know what to expect.

Getting Copies of Grand Junction Civil Records

Three options exist for getting copies. First, visit the Mesa County Justice Center at 125 North Spruce Street. Bring photo ID and the case number. The clerk pulls the file and makes copies on the spot. If you do not have the case number, the clerk does a name search for $5. Second, mail a request to the Mesa County Clerk of Court at the same address: 125 N. Spruce St., Grand Junction, CO 81501. Include your name, phone number or email, the case number, and which documents you want. Third, use the online records request form through the Colorado Judicial Branch website.

Copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $20 per document. Case parties get their copy costs capped at $15 under state rules. The clerk responds within three business days. For large requests, a $30 per hour charge may apply for research time beyond the first hour. Grand Junction is somewhat isolated on the Western Slope, so the mail and online request options can save you a trip to the courthouse if you are not in the area.

Note: Grand Junction is the only city on the Western Slope with a population over 25,000, so most civil court records in the region funnel through the Mesa County courthouse here.

Other Colorado Cities for Civil Records

Grand Junction is the largest city on the Western Slope and no other qualifying cities are nearby. For civil court records in other parts of Colorado, visit the full cities listing to find the location closest to your needs.