Weld County
Weld County was established in 1861 after the Territorial Assembly created the first seventeen counties in the state. It was named after Lewis Ledyard Weld, a territorial secretary and lawyer. Weld is the third largest county in Colorado, encompassing 4017. The current population of Weld County is 350,176, and its main economic activities are agriculture, manufacturing, and oil and gas exploration.
Weld County is within the 19th Judicial District, one of 22 in Colorado. The county has a District, County, and twenty-two municipal courts. The District Court is the county's highest-ranking trial court, dealing with significant civil and criminal cases. Municipal courts, though, handle lower-level disputes like civil, small claims, and traffic cases. They do not usually hear criminal cases. The United States District Court for the District of Colorado also has jurisdiction within Weld County.
Court records are documentation concerning cases brought before the courts. They are generated during proceedings and include pleas, decrees, witness testimonies, statements, appeals, case minutes, or judgments. Court records are open for inspection per the Colorado Court Records Policy. That is, provided the records are considered public and the requestor has met the criteria for their access. Some records, though, are not accessible as they are legally restricted or confidential. These include juvenile cases, domestic relations, and some criminal cases where the investigation is ongoing. Court records in Weld County can be accessed from the 19th Judicial District Clerk in person or via mail. Those who request via mail have to send a written request including case numbers, names, title of the document requested, self-addressed stamp, and appropriate fees.
The clerk of the courts provides access to the following types of cases
- Criminal Cases
- Civil Cases
- Probate Cases
- Small Claims Cases
Court records may also be accessed from the court dockets portal. Section 4.20 of the Chief Justice Directive 5-01 also avails access to public court records. Upon accessing the 19th District Court docket portal website, click the Dockets tab and perform searches by case numbers, party last name, or company names.
