Search Pitkin County Civil Records

Pitkin County civil court records are open to the public and cover a wide range of legal disputes. You can find records for contract cases, debt collection, personal injury claims, property disputes, and small claims. The Pitkin County Combined Court sits in Aspen and serves the 9th Judicial District. District court handles civil cases with no dollar limit. County court takes claims up to $25,000. Small claims go to $7,500. Anyone can search for civil records online through third-party tools or visit the courthouse in person to view case files. Most civil records are public unless a judge has sealed them. This page explains how to access Pitkin County civil court records and what information you can find in those files.

Pitkin Combined Court Contact

The Pitkin County Combined Court is at 506 E. Main Street in Aspen. This courthouse handles all civil filings for the county. It serves both district and county court cases. District court has no cap on the claim amount. County court hears cases up to $25,000. Small claims cap at $7,500. The Clerk of Court keeps all civil case files at the courthouse. Call 970-925-7635 if you have questions about a case or need to request records. The clerk can tell you what records are public and how to get copies.

The Pitkin County Court page on the state judicial website lists contact information and office hours. It also names the judges who hear civil cases in Pitkin County. You can find links to state court forms on that page, including the JDF forms used for civil filings. The site is the official source for courthouse details. It also links to payment options and other resources for people who have cases in Pitkin County courts.

Aspen is the county seat. The courthouse is open weekdays. You can walk in to file a new civil case or ask to view records from an existing case. Bring the forms you need and any required copies when you file. Staff at the clerk's office can answer questions about the process for civil cases in Pitkin County. If you need help with forms, check the court's website or call ahead to ask what documents you need.

Online Civil Court Records Search

Civil court records in Pitkin County are searchable through online tools. The Colorado Judicial Branch does not offer a free name search. You can use CoCourts to search by party name or case number. CoCourts is a commercial tool that pulls data from the state court system. A statewide search is $10. A search of all courts except Denver is $5. The tool shows the Register of Actions, which lists all motions, orders, and hearings for a case. It does not give you copies of documents. For those, contact the Pitkin County Clerk of Court. CoCourts results stay active for 24 hours, so you can run multiple searches in that time.

Colorado also has a docket search portal that is free. You can look up hearing schedules by case number or party name. This tool tells you when a case has a court date. It does not show the full file. But it helps you track a case as it moves through the Pitkin County courts. Use the docket search if you already have a case number from CoCourts or from a prior filing. Together, these tools give you good coverage of civil court records in Pitkin County.

For older cases, you may need to call the clerk's office directly. Online data may only go back five years. Historical case files are stored at the courthouse. The clerk can tell you if a record is available and how to get a copy from Pitkin County civil court records.

Note: Online search tools show case summaries but do not replace the full court file kept by the clerk.

Pitkin County Filing Fees

Filing fees for civil cases in Pitkin County follow state law. District court cases cost $235 if you file as the plaintiff. The defendant pays $192 to file an answer. County court fees depend on how much you claim. A case under $1,000 costs $85. A claim from $1,000 to $14,999 is $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 rates are set in the JDF 1 fee document published by the Colorado Judicial Branch. Check that document for any updates before you file a civil case in Pitkin County.

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

If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may qualify for a waiver. Ask the clerk's office about the waiver form before you file your civil case in Pitkin County.

Access to Civil Records

Public access to court records in Colorado is governed by the Colorado Open Records Act, or CORA. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-200.1, public records must be open for review by any person. You do not need to be part of the case. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The record custodian must respond within three business days. CORA applies to civil court records in Pitkin County. The Colorado Judicial Branch also has Chief Justice Directive 05-01, which sets rules for what records can be sealed or restricted. Most civil case files are fully public. Only records a judge has ordered sealed are closed to the public.

You can file a records request through the Colorado online records request form on the state judicial website. This form goes to the court you select. For Pitkin County, you can also call the clerk's office directly at 970-925-7635 to ask about civil records. Staff will tell you what is available and how to get copies. If a record is sealed, the clerk will inform you. Protected information like Social Security numbers may be redacted from public copies, but the rest of the file is open for civil cases in Pitkin County.

Types of Civil Cases Filed

Civil court records in Pitkin County cover many types of disputes. Contract cases are common. So are debt collection cases. Personal injury claims that exceed the county court dollar limit go to district court. Property disputes, foreclosures, and eviction actions are also civil matters. Protection orders and restraining orders are civil filings. Small claims handle disputes up to $7,500 without requiring a lawyer. Water rights cases are heard in Water Court, which is separate from the county's main civil docket but still falls under the 9th Judicial District.

Common civil case types in Pitkin County include:

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

The type of case determines which court hears it and what civil records get created. District court files are often larger because the cases are more complex. Small claims files are shorter and simpler. Each case generates a Register of Actions that lists all filings and orders. You can search civil court records in Pitkin County to find the Register of Actions for any public case.

Pitkin County Communities

Pitkin County has no cities over the 25,000 population threshold. All civil court records for the county are handled at the Combined Court in Aspen. Residents of smaller towns in Pitkin County file their civil cases at the courthouse in Aspen. The same applies if you need to search for records or get copies. The clerk's office serves all residents of Pitkin County.

Nearby Counties

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