Otero County Civil Records Search

Civil court records in Otero County are public in Colorado. Anyone can search them. The county is part of the 16th Judicial District. Its courthouse is at 13 W. 3rd Street in La Junta. The Clerk of Court keeps all civil case files for both district court and county court. District court handles civil cases with no dollar cap. County court takes claims up to $25,000. Small claims go to $7,500. You can search for civil records in person at the courthouse in La Junta or use an online search tool like CoCourts to find case numbers and view the Register of Actions. This page walks you through how to get civil court records in Otero County, Colorado, and what to expect when you search or request documents from the Clerk of Court.

Otero County Courthouse

The Otero County courthouse is at 13 W. 3rd Street in La Junta, Colorado. You can call the court at 719-383-3100. The courthouse serves the 16th Judicial District. The Clerk of Court manages all civil case files for Otero County. You can visit the office during business hours to ask about a case or make a copy request. The clerk can search by case number or by party name. If you know the case number, bring it with you. Name searches cost $5 under the state fee schedule in Colorado.

District court hears civil cases that have no dollar cap. County court takes cases up to $25,000. Small claims court is the simplest path in Colorado and handles disputes up to $7,500. To file a civil case in Otero County, you go to the courthouse on 3rd Street in La Junta. The filing fee depends on the court level. District civil cases cost $235 to file. County cases range from $85 to $135 based on the claim amount. Small claims run from $31 to $55. All fees are set by state law under C.R.S. § 13-32-101. You can find the full fee schedule in the JDF 1 document from the Colorado Judicial Branch. The filing fee is the same across Colorado, but local copy costs or other services may vary slightly by county.

Access Civil Court Records in Otero County

Civil court records in Otero County are public under Colorado law. The Colorado Open Records Act, or CORA, gives anyone the right to view public records. You do not need to explain why you want them. You do not need to be part of the case. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-200.1, public records are available for inspection by any person at a time fixed by the custodian. The record custodian must respond to your request within three business days. That includes civil court records from the Otero County courthouse in La Junta. You can request records in person, by mail, or online through the state's records request form.

Most civil court records in Otero County are open to the public. Some records are sealed by court order. Protected information like Social Security numbers and bank account details may be redacted from public copies. But the bulk of the case file is available. Chief Justice Directive 05-01 is the main rule for court records access in Colorado. It spells out which records are public, sealed, suppressed, or restricted. For Otero County, most civil cases fall under the public category. If a record is sealed, the clerk cannot release it without a court order.

The Colorado Judicial Branch runs a docket search portal on its website. This free tool lets you look up scheduled court hearings in Otero County. 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 track a civil case as it moves through the courts in La Junta.

Search Otero County Civil Cases Online

Online access to Otero County 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 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 in Otero County. A statewide search costs $10. State courts without Denver 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 courthouse in La Junta.

The CoCourts pricing page shows what you pay to search civil court records through their site. 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 in Otero County, some data may only go back five years. Contact the Clerk of Court for records that go back further. The Access Guide to Public Records page from the Colorado Judicial Branch covers both current and older civil cases. It lists third-party vendors that give online access to Colorado civil court data and provides email contacts for different kinds of data requests.

Note: The Colorado Attorney General's office has more details about CORA and how it applies to record requests across the state.

Otero County Civil Filing Fees

Filing fees for civil cases in Otero County match the state schedule. District court cases cost the most. A plaintiff pays $235 to file. The defendant pays $192 to answer. County civil fees vary by claim amount. A claim under $1,000 costs $85. Claims from $1,000 to $14,999 cost $105. Claims from $15,000 to $25,000 cost $135. Small claims are cheaper. A claim under $500 costs $31. Claims from $500 to $7,500 cost $55. These fees are standard across all Colorado courts.

Copy fees in Otero County are $0.25 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $20 per document. A transcript of judgment is $25. 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. These rates are set by Chief Justice Directive 06-01 and apply to all Colorado courts. You can pay court fees online through the state's online payments portal for civil cases in Otero County. The portal lets you pay filing fees, fines, and other court costs with a credit card or bank account.

Note: Fee waivers may be available for people who can show they cannot afford to pay.

Types of Civil Cases in Otero County

Civil court records in Otero County cover a range of disputes. Contract cases are common. Debt collection actions show up often. Property disputes and personal injury claims go through civil court as well. In district court, there is no cap on the claim amount, so large lawsuits end up there. County courts handle smaller civil matters with a $25,000 limit. Small claims court is the simplest path 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.

Colorado civil court records may include contract disputes, personal injury lawsuits, debt collection cases, foreclosure actions, protection orders, and small claims. Water rights cases in Colorado go to water court, which is a separate division. The type of case determines which court has jurisdiction and where you need to go to search for those civil records in Otero County.

Nearby Counties

If you need civil court records from counties near Otero County, check these links: