Weld County Civil Court Records

Weld County civil court records are maintained at the courthouse in Greeley, Colorado. The county is part of the 19th Judicial District. Civil cases in Weld County include contract disputes, personal injury claims, debt collection, property matters, and small claims. District court handles cases with no dollar limit. County court hears claims up to $25,000. Small claims court takes disputes up to $7,500. The Clerk of Court at 901 9th Avenue in Greeley keeps all civil case files for Weld County. You can search records in person, call 970-351-7300, or use online tools available through the Colorado Judicial Branch and third-party vendors. This page explains how to find and obtain copies of civil court records in Weld County, Colorado.

Weld County Courthouse Location

The Weld County Court is located at 901 9th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631. This courthouse serves the entire county and is part of the 19th Judicial District. District court handles civil cases with any claim amount, no matter how large. County court hears civil matters up to $25,000. Small claims court takes disputes up to $7,500. All civil records for Weld County are kept at the Greeley courthouse by the Clerk of Court. You can visit during business hours to search records or get copies. Call 970-351-7300 to ask about a specific civil case in Weld County.

Weld County makes up the entire 19th Judicial District on its own. District and county court judges work only in Weld County. For civil filings in Weld County, you must submit paperwork to the Greeley courthouse. All civil records for Weld County are kept in Greeley. The courthouse staff can help you find a case file if you know the case number or the parties' names. If you need to review a large file, ask the clerk for a space where you can take notes. Most civil court records in Weld County are open to the public unless a judge has sealed them. Bring photo ID when you visit the courthouse.

Weld County is one of the largest counties in Colorado by population. The courthouse handles a high volume of civil cases. Wait times for service may be longer than in smaller counties. Call ahead to check hours and availability. You can also use online tools to search for civil cases before visiting the courthouse in person.

Search Weld County Civil Records Online

You can search Weld County civil court records online through CoCourts. This is a third-party vendor that works with the Colorado Judicial Branch. CoCourts pulls case data from the state court system. You can search by name to find civil cases in Weld County. A statewide search costs $10. State courts without Denver cost $5. Results show the Register of Actions for each case but not copies of actual documents. For document copies, contact the Weld County Clerk of Court in Greeley.

The Colorado Judicial Branch also runs a free docket search portal on its website. This tool shows scheduled hearings and motions for civil cases. It does not show the full case file. But it helps you track a civil case as it moves through court in Weld County. Use CoCourts to find the case number, then use the docket tool to check the hearing schedule for that civil case. The docket search portal is free and does not require a subscription.

Online search results may not include older civil cases from Weld County. Some records go back only five years. For older files, contact the Clerk of Court at 970-351-7300. The clerk can search paper files and tell you if a record exists. You can also submit a records request through the online records request form on the Colorado Judicial Branch website. The court will usually respond within three business days to your request for Weld County civil records.

Note: CoCourts search results stay open for 24 hours after you pay, so you can look up multiple civil cases during that time.

Filing a Civil Case

To file a civil case in Weld County, submit a complaint to the Clerk of Court at the Greeley courthouse. Filing fees depend on the court level and the claim amount. District court costs $235 to file. The defendant pays $192 to answer. County civil fees are based on the claim amount. A claim under $1,000 costs $85 to file. Claims from $1,000 to $14,999 cost $105. Claims from $15,000 to $25,000 cost $135. Small claims are less. A claim under $500 costs $31. Claims from $500 to $7,500 cost $55. These fees are set by state law under C.R.S. § 13-32-101. The full fee schedule is in the JDF 1 fee document from the Colorado Judicial Branch.

You can pay court fees in person at the Greeley courthouse. You can also pay online through the state's online payments portal for civil cases in Weld County. If you cannot afford the filing fee, ask the clerk about a fee waiver. You must fill out a form and show that you lack the funds to pay. The judge will decide whether to grant the waiver for your civil case.

After you file, the clerk assigns a case number. You need this number for all future filings. The defendant must be served with a copy of your complaint. Service can be done by a process server, by certified mail, or by publication if the defendant cannot be found. The defendant has a limited time to answer. If they do not answer, you can ask for a default judgment in your civil case in Weld County.

Copy Costs and Certified Records

Weld County charges for copies of civil court records. Plain copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $20.00 per document. A transcript of judgment costs $25.00. A name search costs $5.00. A certificate of satisfaction costs $20.00. These rates are set by Chief Justice Directive 06-01 and apply to all Colorado courts. 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. The clerk can tell you the exact cost before making copies of your civil case file in Weld County.

To get copies, visit the courthouse at 901 9th Avenue in Greeley. Bring the case number or the names of the parties. The clerk will pull the file and make copies for you. You can also request copies by phone at 970-351-7300 or through the online records request form. If you request copies by mail, include a check for the estimated cost. The clerk will send the copies and a receipt.

Public Access to Civil Records

Most civil court records in Weld County are open to the public. The Colorado Open Records Act, known as CORA, is the main law that controls access to government records in the state. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-200.1, public records are open for review by any person. You do not need to give a reason. You do not need to be a party to the case. The record custodian must make records available within three business days of a request.

The Colorado Judicial Branch has its own rules on top of CORA. Chief Justice Directive 05-01 spells out which records are public, sealed, suppressed, or restricted. Most civil court case files are fully open. Sealed records are those a judge has ordered closed to the public. Suppressed records are hidden from view entirely. Protected details like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and information about minor children may be blacked out from public copies. But the rest of the civil court file is open to anyone in Weld County, Colorado.

If your records request is denied, you can appeal. The Colorado Attorney General's office has more details about CORA and how it applies to record requests across the state. For civil court records in Weld County, contact the Clerk of Court at 970-351-7300. Most requests are granted the same day if the file is available.

Cities in Weld County

Weld County has qualifying cities with populations over 25,000. Residents of these cities file civil cases at the Weld County courthouse in Greeley. Each city page below has local information about civil court records in that area.

Note: Longmont is partially located in Weld County. See the Longmont page for more details.

Nearby Counties

Weld County shares borders with Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer, Logan, and Morgan counties. Each county has its own courthouse and keeps its own civil court records. If you need records from a case filed in a neighboring county, contact that county's Clerk of Court.