Rio Blanco County Civil Records

Rio Blanco County civil court records are public documents that cover lawsuits, contract disputes, debt collection, property claims, and small claims. The Rio Blanco County Combined Court sits at 555 Main Street in Meeker and serves the 9th Judicial District. 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 court records online, visit the courthouse in person, or submit a written request. Most civil records are open unless a judge sealed them. This page explains where to find Rio Blanco County civil court records, how to get copies, and what fees you will pay when you file or request documents.

Rio Blanco Combined Court

The Rio Blanco County Combined Court is at 555 Main Street in Meeker. This courthouse handles all civil filings for the county. It serves both district and county court cases. District court has no dollar limit. County court hears cases up to $25,000. Small claims cap at $7,500. The Clerk of Court keeps all civil case files. Call 970-878-5622 if you need to ask about a case or request copies of records. The clerk can guide you through the process of getting civil court records in Rio Blanco County.

The Rio Blanco County Court page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website lists contact information, office hours, and the names of judges who hear civil cases. 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 in Rio Blanco County. It also provides links to payment options and other resources for people with cases in the county.

Meeker is the county seat. You can visit the courthouse in person to file a new civil case or view records from an existing case. Bring the forms you need and any required copies when you file. Court staff can answer questions about the filing process for civil cases in Rio Blanco County. The courthouse is open weekdays during regular business hours.

Search Civil Records Online

Rio Blanco County civil court records are available through online search tools. The Colorado Judicial Branch does not offer a free name search on its website. You can use CoCourts to search by party name or case number. CoCourts pulls data from the state court system. A statewide search costs $10. A search of all courts except Denver costs $5. The tool shows the Register of Actions for each case, which lists motions, orders, and hearings. It does not provide copies of the actual documents in the file. For those, contact the Rio Blanco County Clerk of Court at 970-878-5622. CoCourts search results stay available for 24 hours after you pay.

Colorado also runs a docket search portal that is free. You can look up scheduled hearings by case number or party name. This tool shows 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 Rio Blanco County courts. Use the docket search if you already have a case number from CoCourts or from a prior filing. The two tools work well together to give you a complete view of civil court records in Rio Blanco County.

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

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

Fees and Copy Costs

Filing fees in Rio Blanco 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 listed in the JDF 1 fee document published by the Colorado Judicial Branch.

Copies of court documents cost $0.25 per page for plain copies. Certified copies are $20 per document. A transcript of judgment is $25. A name search costs $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 copy fees apply to all Colorado courts under Chief Justice Directive 06-01. You can pay fees online through the Colorado online payments portal for civil cases in Rio Blanco County.

If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may be able to get a waiver. Ask the clerk's office about the waiver form before you file your civil case in Rio Blanco County.

Public Access Rules

Colorado law gives broad public access to court records. The Colorado Open Records Act, or 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 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 Rio Blanco 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 ordered sealed are closed to the public in Colorado. You can file a records request through the Colorado online records request form on the judicial website. This form goes to the court you select. For Rio Blanco County, you can also call the clerk's office at 970-878-5622 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 Rio Blanco County.

Civil Case Types

Civil court records in Rio Blanco County include many types of disputes. Contract cases are common. So are debt collection cases and personal injury claims. Property disputes, foreclosures, and eviction actions are also civil matters. Small claims handle disputes up to $7,500 and do not require a lawyer. Protection orders and restraining orders are civil filings as well. Each type of case generates its own set of records in Rio Blanco County. District court files tend to be larger because the cases are more complex. Small claims files are shorter and simpler.

Common civil case types include:

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

For water rights disputes, Rio Blanco County is part of the White River basin. Water cases are heard in the Water Court for Division 6, which covers the White River basin. Water court records are kept separately from civil court records but are still public under Colorado law. You can search civil court records in Rio Blanco County to find the Register of Actions for any public case.

Rio Blanco County Communities

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

Nearby Counties

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