Phillips County Civil Court Records

Civil court records in Phillips County are public documents that anyone can access. These records cover lawsuits, debt claims, property disputes, and small claims filed in the county. The Phillips County Combined Court serves the 13th Judicial District and handles both district and county civil cases. District cases have no dollar limit. County cases go up to $25,000. Small claims cap at $7,500. You can search for civil records online, visit the courthouse in person, or file a written request. Most records are open to the public unless a judge sealed them. This page shows you where to find Phillips County civil court records and how to get copies.

Phillips County Combined Court

The Phillips County Combined Court is the main source for civil court records in the county. It sits at 221 S. Interocean Avenue in Holyoke. The courthouse handles all civil filings for both district and county court. District court takes cases with no dollar cap. County court handles civil claims up to $25,000. Small claims go to $7,500. The Clerk of Court keeps all civil case files. Call 970-854-3279 if you need to ask about a case or request records. The clerk can tell you how to get a copy of any public civil record in Phillips County.

The Phillips County Court page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website has contact info and hours. It lists the names of judges who hear civil cases. The page also links to state forms you may need if you plan to file a civil case in Phillips County. You can find the JDF forms and other court documents through the state site. This is the best place to start if you need official courthouse information for Phillips County civil records.

Holyoke is the county seat. The courthouse is open weekdays during business hours. You can go in person to view civil records or file a new case. For most civil filings, you pay at the counter when you submit your papers. Bring a copy of the complaint or petition and the original plus enough copies for service. Staff at the clerk's office can guide you through the process for civil cases in Phillips County.

Search Civil Records Online

Phillips County civil court records are available through third-party search tools. The Colorado Judicial Branch does not offer a free name search tool on its website. Instead, you can use CoCourts to search for civil cases by party name or case number. A statewide search runs $10. If you search only courts outside of Denver, the fee drops to $5. CoCourts pulls data from the state court system and shows the Register of Actions for each case. This tells you what motions were filed, what orders the judge issued, and when hearings took place. It does not provide copies of the actual documents in the file. For those, you need to contact the Phillips County Clerk of Court.

The state also runs a docket search portal that is free to use. You can look up scheduled hearings by case number or party name. This tool shows you when a case has a hearing set. It does not show the full case file. But it helps if you need to track a civil case as it moves through the Phillips County courts. The docket search is useful if you already know the case number from a prior CoCourts search. Each tool gives you a different piece of the puzzle when you search civil court records in Phillips County.

CoCourts search results stay available for 24 hours. You can run multiple lookups during that time. For older records, you may need to call the clerk's office. Some online data only goes back five years. Historical civil case files are kept at the courthouse in Phillips County.

Fees for Civil Court Cases

Filing fees in Phillips County follow the state schedule set by Colorado law. District court cases cost $235 to file if you are the plaintiff. The defendant pays $192 to answer. County court fees depend on the claim amount. A case under $1,000 costs $85. A claim from $1,000 to $14,999 costs $105. Claims from $15,000 to $25,000 run $135. Small claims are cheaper. Under $500, you pay $31. From $500 to $7,500, the fee is $55. These amounts are in the JDF 1 fee document from the Colorado Judicial Branch. Fees can change, so check before you file a civil case in Phillips County.

If you need copies of court documents, the cost is $0.25 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $20 per document. A transcript of judgment runs $25. A name search is $5. These copy fees apply to all Colorado courts under Chief Justice Directive 06-01. If you are a party to the case, your copy cost is capped at $15 for the whole file. Research and redaction fees are $30 per hour after the first hour, which is free. You can pay fees online through the Colorado online payments portal for civil cases in Phillips County.

Public Access Rules in Colorado

Colorado law gives the public broad access to court records. The Colorado Open Records Act, known as CORA, is the main statute. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-200.1, public records are open for review by any person. You do not need to explain why you want the record. You do not need to be a party to the case. The record custodian must respond within three business days of your request. CORA applies to civil court records in Phillips County. The state also has Chief Justice Directive 05-01, which sets rules for what court records can be sealed or restricted. Most civil case files are fully public. Only records a judge has sealed are closed to the public in Colorado.

You can file a records request through the Colorado online records request form. This form goes to the court you select. For Phillips County, you can also call the clerk's office to ask about civil records. Staff will tell you what documents are available and how to get copies. If a record is sealed, the clerk will inform you of that. Sealed records are not common in civil cases unless the judge found a legal reason to close the file. Protected information like Social Security numbers may be redacted from public copies of civil records in Phillips County.

Note: If your request is denied, you can appeal under CORA by contacting the Colorado Attorney General's office.

Types of Civil Cases

Phillips County civil court records include a range of case types. Contract disputes are common. So are debt collection cases. Personal injury claims may be filed in district court if the damages exceed county court's $25,000 limit. Property disputes, foreclosures, and eviction actions are also civil matters. Small claims handle disputes up to $7,500 and do not require an attorney. Protection orders and restraining orders are civil filings as well. Each type of case generates its own set of records in Phillips County. District court files tend to be larger and more detailed. Small claims files are shorter and simpler. The type of case determines which court hears it and what records get created.

Civil cases may include:

• Contract and breach of agreement claims
• Debt collection and creditor lawsuits
• Personal injury and property damage cases
• Foreclosure and eviction actions
• Protection orders and restraining orders
• Small claims up to $7,500

For water rights disputes, Phillips County is part of the South Platte River basin. Water cases are heard in the Water Court for Division 1, which covers the South Platte basin. Water court records are kept separately from civil court records but are still public under Colorado law.

Civil Records in Phillips County

Phillips County has no cities over the 25,000 population threshold. All civil court records for the county are handled at the courthouse in Holyoke. If you live in a smaller town in Phillips County, you file your civil case at the Combined Court in Holyoke. The same applies if you need to search for records or get copies. The clerk's office serves all residents of Phillips County.

Nearby Counties

Phillips County borders several other counties in northeastern Colorado. Each county has its own courthouse and Clerk of Court. If you need civil records from a nearby county, use the links below.