- Arrest Records
- Judgments
- Bankruptcies
- DUIs & DWIs
- Felonies
- Warrants
- Jail Records
- Lien Records
- Sex Offenses
- Misdemeanors
- Criminal Records
- Federal Dockets
What are Colorado Court Records?
Colorado has a population of about 6 million, making it the 20th most populous state in the United States. The state's court structure is four-tiered: County Courts, District Courts, Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
According to the Colorado Judicial Department, a court record may be any document, information, audio or video recording, or other item created, collected, received, or maintained by a clerk of court related to a judicial proceeding or a probation department related to a defendant or probationer. These records include the following:
Index
An index is a list or catalog that helps locate specific case files or documents within the court's record system. It typically includes information such as the names of parties involved, case numbers, dates, and sometimes the nature of the case.
Transcripts
These are verbatim records of everything said during court proceedings, including testimonies, arguments, and rulings. Transcripts are typically prepared by court reporters and are essential for appeals and legal reviews.
Case Files
These are collections of all documents related to a specific legal case. They include pleadings, motions, evidence, orders, and other relevant paperwork filed with the court.
Calendars
Court calendars list the dates and times of court hearings, trials, and other judicial proceedings. They help manage the court's docket and inform parties of upcoming events.
Orders
These are official directives issued by a judge that require parties to take specific actions or refrain from certain activities. Orders can address procedural matters, interim decisions, or final rulings.
Judgments
Judgments are the final decisions made by a court regarding the rights and obligations of the parties in a case. They can include monetary awards, injunctions, or declarations of legal status.
Decrees
Similar to judgments, decrees are formal and authoritative orders issued by a court, often in matters of equity, such as divorce or probate cases. They outline the court's final decision and any required actions.
Minutes
These are summaries of what transpired during court sessions, including motions made, orders issued, and other significant actions. Minutes are typically recorded by the court clerk.
Registers of Actions
These are chronological logs of all actions taken in a case, from the initial filing to the final disposition. They provide a comprehensive overview of the case's progress and procedural history.
Types of Court Cases
Colorado courts have jurisdiction to decide two types of disputes: civil and criminal.
Civil Cases
Civil cases typically involve disputes between private individuals or entities, such as disagreements over contracts, wills, personal injuries, or family law issues. Government agencies, departments, and officials may also be involved in civil cases.
When deciding civil cases, judges often need to interpret laws promulgated by the legislative branch or rules established by government agencies within the executive branch of the Colorado government. While court proceedings are a common way to resolve legal disputes, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods exist. ADR encompasses two main types: negotiation, where the parties involved control the decision-making, and adjudication, where a neutral third party makes the final decision.
Mediation is the most widely used form of negotiation-based ADR. In mediation, a trained neutral third party assists the disputing parties in resolving, but the parties themselves make the final decision. Arbitration, on the other hand, is the most common form of adjudication-based ADR. In arbitration, a neutral third party listens to the evidence and arguments presented by both sides and then makes a binding decision, known as an award. This award can only be appealed in court under limited circumstances.
Criminal Cases
Criminal cases in Colorado trial courts involve charges of violating the laws passed by the Colorado General Assembly. These charges are typically filed by government attorneys, known as district attorneys, who act on behalf of the people of Colorado. Although some criminal charges, called indictments, are brought by grand juries, this method is relatively rare in Colorado.
The Colorado General Assembly defines what constitutes a crime and determines the range of penalties that trial judges may impose on those convicted. The Judicial Branch oversees state courts and probation services, while the Colorado Department of Corrections, part of the executive branch, manages the state prison system and community corrections facilities. Parole also falls under the Department of Corrections. Additionally, the Governor has the constitutional authority to alter the sentences of convicted individuals.
City or municipal governments are organized similarly to the state government. City councils enact ordinances that regulate behavior within city limits. When these ordinances are violated, city attorneys may file charges, leading to trials in municipal courts before municipal judges. Although municipal courts operate outside the state court system, their procedures resemble those used in state courts.
Examples of criminal cases in Colorado include:
Felonies
- Violent Crimes: Murder, assault, robbery, and kidnapping
- Property Crimes: Burglary, arson, and grand theft
- Drug Offenses: Possession, distribution, and manufacturing of controlled substances
Misdemeanors
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Simple Assault
What Are the Different Courts in Colorado?
Colorado's unified court system is run by the Judicial Branch, which had a fiscal year 2024-25 budget of $766.2 million for the courts, State Court Administrator's Office and probation. Cases move through county and district trial courts, then to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
| Court Level | Court Name | Jurisdiction | Key Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appellate | Colorado Supreme Court | Statewide; seven justices | Reviews Court of Appeals decisions, hears certain direct appeals, and regulates attorneys |
| Appellate | Colorado Court of Appeals | Statewide; 22 judges | Hears appeals from district courts, Denver Probate and Juvenile Courts, and state agencies |
| General Jurisdiction | District Courts | 23 judicial districts covering all 64 counties | Handle felonies, civil claims in any amount, divorce, juvenile, probate and mental health cases |
| General Jurisdiction | Water Courts | Seven river-basin divisions of the district courts | Decide water rights applications and administration without juries |
| General Jurisdiction | Denver Probate and Juvenile Courts | City and County of Denver | Handle probate and juvenile matters that district courts hear elsewhere |
| Limited Jurisdiction | County Courts | Each of the 64 counties | Hear misdemeanors, traffic cases, felony advisements and civil claims up to $25,000 |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Small Claims Courts | Divisions of county courts | Resolve civil disputes up to $7,500 without lawyers or juries |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Denver County Court | City and County of Denver | Runs as a municipal and county court funded by Denver |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Municipal Courts | Individual cities and towns | Handle local ordinance violations and minor offenses |
How Many Federal Courts Are in Colorado?
Colorado has only one federal court, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. However, the federal district court has locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Durango. There are currently seven active judges in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
These federal courts handle various cases, including civil disputes over federal laws and constitutional issues, criminal cases such as drug trafficking, and specialized matters like bankruptcy filings. Appeals from the federal district courts in Colorado are reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in downtown Denver at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.
How Many Court Cases Are Filed Each Year in Colorado?
Colorado's district and county courts (excluding Denver County Court) received 580,506 new filings in fiscal year 2025, which ran from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. Case-type splits other than domestic relations are estimated, and the overall clearance rate, dispositions divided by filings, is about 99%.
| Case Type | Annual Filings | % of Total | Common Offense/Subtype | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic | ~162,500 | ~28.0% | Traffic offenses and civil infractions in county court | ~100% |
| Criminal | ~105,900 | ~18.2% | Felonies in district court; misdemeanors in county court | ~98% |
| Civil | ~232,600 | ~40.1% | Contract and debt claims, evictions, distraint warrants, Rule 120 proceedings | ~98% |
| Small Claims | ~5,400 | ~0.9% | Civil disputes up to $7,500 in county court | ~96% |
| Domestic Relations | 31,228 | 5.4% | Divorce, custody and support | ~100% |
| Juvenile | ~16,800 | ~2.9% | Delinquency, dependency and neglect, adoption, paternity | ~98% |
| Other | ~26,078 | ~4.5% | Probate and mental health | ~100% |
| Total | 580,506 | 100% | — | ~99% |
How Do I Look Up Court Cases in Colorado?
The public can inspect court records during reasonable hours, as outlined in Chief Justice Directive 05-01 and the Supreme Court Rule on Public Access to Information and Records.
The Colorado Judicial Branch website does not provide direct access to trial court case documents or files, nor can you obtain copies of court documents through the site. To access information about a specific case, you must visit or contact the court where the case was filed.
Alternatively, you may use commercial websites offering a real-time search of the register of actions of state court records. However, such sites do not provide copies of court records. You must contact the court (where the case was filed) for copies of Colorado court records. Commercial sites offer access to a register of actions for various case types, including civil, civil water, small claims, domestic, felony, misdemeanor, and traffic cases.
Records can be accessed online from approved commercial vendors (Background Information Services, LexisNexis, or Tessera Data). Note that the information accessed from these commercial vendors does not constitute official records of Colorado courts.
The Colorado Judicial Branch provides a form on its website for the public to request court records or documents. Note that the clerk of the court may restrict access to complete or portions of court files following the authority granted to the office of the clerk under the Colorado Revised Statutes. There is a fee of $0.25 per page per copy of a court record for available records, capped at $15 for parties to the case and their attorneys. A certified or exemplified copy costs $20 per document, while a transcript of judgment costs $25.
Also, you can find docket information for courthouses in any of the 22 judicial districts online via the docket search feature of the Colorado Judicial Branch. You may perform a search on the site using the location of the court, case filing date, case number, party to the case information, or attorney information. Furthermore, you may search for opinions of the Colorado Supreme Court and Colorado Court of Appeals online.
The Denver County Court allows members of the public to search case information via its website's case search feature. Users can perform a search by case number or name. They can also view upcoming dates by name and find upcoming cases by date and courtroom.
Number of Active Judges — State & Federal
Colorado has seven Supreme Court justices, 22 Court of Appeals judges, trial judges in district and county courts, and seven federal district judges. Trial court counts are approximate because judgeships were added in 2025 and 2026.
| Court | Jurisdiction | Active Judges | Selection Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Supreme Court | Statewide appeals and attorney regulation | 7 | Appointed by the Governor from nominating commission list; retention elections |
| Colorado Court of Appeals | Statewide intermediate appeals | 22 | Appointed by the Governor from nominating commission list; retention elections |
| District Courts | Felonies, major civil, domestic relations, juvenile, probate and water cases | ~220 | Appointed by the Governor from nominating commission list; retention elections |
| County Courts | Misdemeanors, traffic, small claims and civil claims up to $25,000 (outside Denver) | ~144 | Appointed by the Governor from nominating commission list; retention elections |
| U.S. District Court, District of Colorado | Federal civil and criminal cases | 7 | Nominated by the President; confirmed by the Senate; life tenure |
| Total Active Judges | — | ~400 | — |
What Court Records Are Not Available to the Public in Colorado?
The information contained in Colorado court records will not be accessible to the public if protected under federal law, state regulation, court rule, court order, case law, or the Colorado Judicial Department Policy. Some common court records excluded from public access include cases related to:
- Adoption
- Dependency and Neglect
- Judicial Bypass
- Juvenile Delinquency, except as stated in Section 19-1-304, CRS.
- Mental Health
- Paternity
- Probate Protected Proceedings:
- Conservatorship-Adult or Minor
- Conservatorship or Guardianship-Adult or Minor
- Foreign Protected Proceeding
- Guardianship-Adult or Minor
- Registration of Foreign Order
- Single Transaction
- Uniform Veterans' Guardianship Act
- Relinquishment
- Truancy
The Colorado Judicial Department Policy also outlines some court records that may be suppressed, protected, restricted, or sealed, making them inaccessible to the public.
Average Case Processing Time & Clearance Rates
Processing times in Colorado depend on case type: traffic and small claims cases resolve in weeks to a few months, while contested civil and felony cases can take a year or longer. The durations below are estimates of typical handling, and clearance rates compare dispositions with filings.
| Case Type | Court Level | Average Processing Time | Description | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic & Parking | Limited Jurisdiction | ~30–90 days | Most tickets are paid or resolved by plea or a short hearing in county court; contested cases get a brief bench trial | ~100% |
| Small Claims | Limited Jurisdiction | ~2–3 months | Heard by a county judge or magistrate without lawyers or juries; many cases settle or end by default | ~96% |
| Misdemeanor Criminal | Limited Jurisdiction | ~3–6 months | Most end in a plea at advisement or pretrial conference; contested cases go to a county court jury trial | ~98% |
| Civil Cases | General Jurisdiction | ~12–18 months | Cases move through disclosures and discovery, then settle, are decided on motion or go to trial; evictions and debt claims move faster | ~98% |
| Domestic Relations | General Jurisdiction | ~4–8 months | Divorces need at least a 91-day wait; uncontested cases finish soon after, while contested custody cases take longer | ~100% |
| Felony Criminal | General Jurisdiction | ~8–14 months | Cases start with a county court advisement, move to district court, and mostly end in plea agreements; trials add months | ~98% |