Colorado Court Records

Colorado Court Record Lookup 

There are multiple courts of limited jurisdiction within the Colorado judicial system. Although Colorado court records are public documents and any individual can perform Colorado court records search, their availability varies. The state makes Colorado CO court records searchable online through outside vendors by Colorado court case lookup, but individuals may contact the court where their case was heard to request records from the clerk.

Limited Jurisdiction Courts

Water rights are a significant legal issue in Colorado as the state has limited resources for its agricultural concerns and growing population. There are seven water districts, each with an associated court.

There is one dedicated juvenile court within the Denver district. Records of mentioned Colorado courthouses are not generally public documents due to the age of those involved. An exception to the juvenile records restriction is when a minor is prosecuted as an adult, Colorado court records online can be accessed via Colorado court record lookup.

Denver has a probate court separate from its district court, handling all cases of estates, guardianships, cases involving the mentally ill, and more. In all other jurisdictions, probate issues are handled by district court judges.

County courts in Colorado oversee cases valued under $15,000, preliminary arraignments, restraining orders, domestic abuse, misdemeanor cases, and search warrants. 

State Trial Courts

District courts are the trial courts in Colorado, which are responsible for all civil and criminal proceedings, family court (Colorado child support, custody, adoption, neglect, divorce, and more), juvenile matters, probate, and water rights issues.

Colorado criminal records show a 12 percent increase in the number of criminal cases filed in Colorado district courts recently, for a total of over 52,000 cases. At the same time, civil cases were down to a little more than 80,000. In all categories, the Colorado courthouses handle more than 215,000 cases per year.

Appellate Courts

Decisions of state administrative agencies, as well as disputed judgments from lower courts, may be appealed to the state’s intermediate court of appeals.

The supreme court of Colorado has jurisdiction over appeals from lower courts, the ability to review state laws for constitutionality, and purview over water rights cases and the Public Utility Commission. It also oversees issues concerning the state bar and conduct of attorneys and judges.

Colorado Federal Court Records

Individuals who declare bankruptcy in Colorado are heard by the U.S. District Court with jurisdiction in the state. This court is also responsible for cases involving violations of federal law and cases that cross state lines. Records of federal court proceedings can be accessed online.

Colorado Notable Court Cases

The Colorado Board of Health rejected Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a disorder that can be treated by medical marijuana, prompting four military veterans and an assault survivor to appeal the decision to a higher court in 2016. Plaintiffs pointed out that many other states include PTSD in qualifying conditions that allow individuals access to medical marijuana, but a Colorado district court judge disagreed, affirming the Health Board's decision. The plaintiffs are appealing to the next level, state appeals court. The state has not expanded the list of ailments treatable by medical marijuana since the treatment was approved in 2000.

Despite bans at the local level and voter support, bans on fracking in Fort Collins and Longmont were struck down by the state Supreme Court in 2016. The five-year moratorium in Fort Collins and four-year voter-supported ban in Longmont had prohibited natural gas and oil recovery using the controversial method that injects the earth with a high-pressure mix of water and chemicals to free the desired materials. A judge threw out the fracking prohibitions when the laws were challenged in court by the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, saying they were preempted by state law. When citizens appealed, the case went to the state Supreme Court. The state Attorney General was quoted in a newspaper account as saying the decision to allow fracking is in the state's best interest.