Colorado Court Records

Colorado's court system consists of various courts tasked with attending to a broad range of legal matters. Together, these courts handle approximately 600,000 cases annually.

At the top of the court system is the supreme court, which is the highest court in the state. It serves as the court of last resort, handling final appeals and interpreting both state laws and the Colorado Constitution. Below the supreme court is the Colorado Court of Appeals, the intermediate appellate court. It hears appeals from the state's district courts and administrative agencies. However, certain high-stakes cases, such as those involving the death penalty, life imprisonment, or constitutional challenges, bypass the court of appeals and go directly to the supreme court.

Colorado is divided into 23 judicial districts. Within these districts are district courts, which are courts of general jurisdiction. These courts handle cases including criminal, civil, domestic relations, probate, juvenile, and mental health matters. Also, each of Colorado's 64 counties has a county court. County courts have limited jurisdiction and primarily hear misdemeanors, traffic violations, felony advisements, civil cases under $25,000, and small claims matters.

In addition, Colorado has seven water courts, each aligned with one of the state's major river basins. These are specialized divisions of the district court dealing exclusively with water rights and water-related disputes. There are also 215 municipal courts across Colorado, which handle violations of local ordinances, including petty offenses and traffic infractions.

What Are the Types of Court Records In Colorado?

Court records in Colorado include information and documents filed or generated during the course of judicial proceedings in the state courts or other documents created in the course of court operations. These records serve as the official account of what transpired in court and may include case filings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts, and other related materials.

Each level of the Colorado court system maintains its own records (through the clerk in each court), and the type of documents maintained varies depending on the court's jurisdiction and the nature of the case handled.

The following are record types maintained in each court type in the Colorado court system:

• Colorado Supreme Court
• Opinions and decisions on appeals from the Colorado Court of Appeals.
• Disciplinary actions against attorneys (handled by the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel).
• Rules of procedure and administrative orders.
• Petitions for certiorari (requests for the Court to review lower court decisions).
• Judicial discipline cases.
• Attorney admissions and bar exam results.
• Case dockets related to death penalty reviews or constitutional matters.
• Colorado Court of Appeals
• Appellate briefs, oral argument recordings, and court opinions for appeals from District Courts and some administrative agencies.
• Case dockets and motions filed in appeal cases.
• Rulings on post-conviction relief.
• Administrative review cases, such as decisions from state agencies like workers' compensation.
• Colorado District Courts
• Criminal Records: Felony and high-level misdemeanor cases, including indictments, plea agreements, and sentencing.
• Civil Records: Cases involving disputes over contracts, personal injury, property damage, with values above $25,000.
• Domestic Relations Records: Divorce, custody, child support, and protection orders.
• Juvenile Records: Dependency and neglect, delinquency, and truancy cases
• Probate Records: Wills, estates, guardianship, and conservatorship matters.
• Mental Health Records: Proceedings related to mental health commitments.
• Appeals from County Courts: District Courts also maintain appellate records from cases originally heard in County Courts.
• Colorado County Courts
• Traffic Infractions: Speeding tickets, driving without a license, DUIs.
• Misdemeanors: Low-level criminal offenses, petty theft, disorderly conduct.
• Civil Cases: Cases involving monetary disputes of $25,000 or less.
• Small Claims Records: Civil disputes typically involving less than $7,500.
• Landlord-Tenant Cases: Evictions, rent disputes, lease violations.
• Preliminary Hearings: For felony charges before being transferred to the District Court.
• Water Courts
• Water Rights Applications: Original and change applications for water rights.
• Decrees and Rulings: Court orders confirming or modifying water rights.
• Objections and Responses: Filed by parties affected by changes to water use.
• Water Court Case Files: Including engineering reports, usage documentation, and legal arguments.
• Municipal Courts
• Municipal Code Violations: Ordinance violations such as curfews, noise complaints, and local animal control infractions.
• Traffic Violations: Local traffic issues within the municipality.
• Misdemeanor Offenses: Local misdemeanors like shoplifting, public intoxication.
• Juvenile Offenses: Low-level offenses involving minors.
• Code Enforcement: Nuisance properties, zoning disputes.

Are Colorado Court Records Public?

Court records in Colorado are generally considered public records. While the Colorado Open Records Act provides public access to government records in the state, the Colorado Supreme Court Rule on Public Access to Information and Records (P.A.I.R.R) governs public access to records of the state courts.

However, some court records are restricted from public access. These records include:

• Juvenile records
• Cases where disclosure would violate privacy rights or be contrary to public interest
• Adoption records
• Some family law cases
• Records protected by protective orders
• Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers
• Mental health proceedings
• Sealed or expunged records

Colorado courts seal records for specific reasons, including protecting the privacy of individuals and confidential or sensitive information, especially in cases involving minors or victims.

How Do I Search Colorado Court Records?

Colorado court records are generally accessible to the public online and offline. You may find Colorado court records online in the following by:

• Visiting the Colorado Judicial Branch's website
• Use the Docket Search tool on the site to find case information. At least one filter in addition to the date filter on the tool is required to perform this search. The filters available on the tool include location or county, party name, case number, and attorney name or bar number.

Alternatively, court records may also be accessed online via third-party services partnering with the Colorado judiciary. These third-party services include CoCourts or Background Information Services, Inc., which provide real-time access to state court records. Note that these services attract vendor-specific fees.

How To Retrieve Court Records Offline

If you need to obtain copies of court records from the state courts, you must visit the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed. This is also the required process to obtain certified copies of court documents in the state. To help the office of the clerk locate the needed records, you may be required to provide a case number, the full name of a party involved, the filing date, the case type, and a photo ID (in some instances). In addition, you will be required to pay fees for copies or certified copies.

Typically, copy fees are charged between $0.25 and $1 per page, while certified copies generally cost $20 per document. Copies of Colorado court records are usually provided to requesters within three to five business days after the office of the clerk receives the request. However, in circumstances where the record requested is stored off-site or there is a large volume of requests before the court, it may take a few weeks for a public court record request to be processed.

Can I Seal or Expunge a Colorado Court Record?

Sealing in Colorado refers to the process of preventing public access to an individual's criminal record. However, it does not prevent law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, and certain government agencies from accessing such records. On the other hand, expungement in Colorado refers to the legal procedure through which a court order is issued for the erasure and physical destruction of a record. The order instructs concerned record holders to treat the record as though it had never occurred. Under Colorado laws, the only cases that may be expunged are juvenile records, underage drunk driving records, and criminal arrest records where an individual was a victim of mistaken identity.

There are specific wait periods for individuals looking to seal a record in Colorado. As outlined in C.R.S. § 24-72-706(1)(b), the following crimes may be eligible for sealing based on the specified timelines:

• At any time:
• Records relating to offenses perpetrated by victims of human trafficking
• Cases in which one or more of the charges were related to psilocin or psilocybin and were unlawful at the time the offense was committed, but no longer unlawful
• After 1 year:
• Drug petty offenses and petty offenses.
• After 2 years
• Class 2 misdemeanors, class 3 misdemeanors, drug misdemeanors, and level 4 drug felonies.
• After 3 years
• Class 4 felonies, class 5 felonies, class 6 felonies, level 3 drug felonies, level 4 drug felonies (with certain exceptions), and class 1 misdemeanors
• After 5 years:
• All other offenses

Note that the waiting period is calculated from the conclusion of all criminal proceedings or from the petitioner's release from supervision, whichever occurs later

Conviction records that may not be sealed include:

• DUIs
• Class A and B traffic infractions
• Sex rimes
• Level 1 drug felony offense
• Class 1, 2, and 3 felonies
• Domestic violence convictions (with some exceptions)
• Crimes involving a commercial driver's license

You may apply for sealing a record in the following ways:

• Obtain case records: The first step in the sealing motion is to obtain proper case report numbers, arrest numbers, and court case numbers from the original arrest or criminal records. These records may be found at the county and district court or the arresting agency.
• Get a verified criminal history report: Obtain a verified copy of your criminal history report and file it with the court no later than 10 days after you file the sealing motion with the court. This report is available online via the CBI Records Check System.
• Complete the appropriate forms: Download the appropriate forms from the Colorado judiciary website and complete them.
• File the case with the court: Submit the motion and supporting documents with the district court of the county where the case was handled and pay the filing fee. It costs $65 to seal a charge or conviction, $224 for arrest records where no charges exist, and $235 for multiple convictions. You must also provide a copy of the Motion to Seal to the prosecuting attorney.
• Court review: The court will review the document submitted and determine if a hearing should be scheduled, motion granted without a hearing, or motion denied without a hearing.
• Attend the hearing: Attend the hearing to defend yourself or hire an experienced attorney to represent you. You must also be present at the hearing
• Approval: If your request is approved, the court will send an order to the relevant agencies to seal your records. The sealing typically happens within 30 days of receiving the order. Note that you must contact the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and pay the required fee to seal your records.

For more information on sealing records in Colorado, see the Colorado judiciary guide to sealing criminal conviction records.

How To Search Federal Court Records in Colorado

You may obtain court records from the only federal court in the state (the United States District Court for the District of Colorado) online or offline. Records of this court include documents relating to the types of cases heard in the court. These include matters relating to bankruptcy, patent and copyright disputes, admiralty law, and cases involving the federal government as a party.

To access federal court records online, use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. However, you must create an account on this system to use it to find court records. Also, you will need to provide important information, such as the case number or party name, to search. Also, accessing records through PACER generally costs $0.10 per page.

If you prefer to access the records offline, visit the office of the courthouse to submit a request at the office of the clerk. To locate the desired records, supply case details such as the case number or party names. Note that fees may apply for obtaining copies of the records, so it is advisable to contact the courthouse ahead of your visit to confirm availability and associated costs.

How To Get Colorado Court Records Online for Free?

Persons seeking free online access to Colorado court records may access them online through two main official portals: the Colorado Judicial Branch's court docket search tool and the Colorado Court of Appeals opinions archive. The docket search tool provides free access to records from the state's trial courts, including county and district courts, while the court of appeals opinions archive allows users to view published appellate decisions from the Colorado Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Alternatively, the public may use third-party databases to access Colorado court records online for free. Websites such as PeopleRecords.us offer users free online access to a broad range of public data, including Colorado court filings, criminal case histories, and civil litigation records.