Flag of the State of Colorado

The Guide to Colorado Courts


The Colorado trial court system consists of District Courts, County Courts, Municipal Courts, Water Courts, The Denver County Probate Court, and The Denver County Juvenile Court.
 
District Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases but typically only handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. County Courts and Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain types of civil and criminal cases. Water Courts have limited and exclusive jurisdiction over most cases related to water rights and water use.

Find court records by county Find court records by town or zip code Find court resources by category Find court records in other states
Please select a Colorado county below to view directory of all courts with links to court record resources for each court. Find Colorado court pages by Town or Zip Code. Select a court record or online resource category below to view all resources at both the statewide and county level. Go to the court records pages for another state.
 


 
WeCanSolveIt.org

Colorado District Courts

District Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, and typicaly handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other courts.

Criminal cases heard by District Courts include felonies and lesser-included offenses.

Civil cases heard by District Courts include general civil claims without financial limits. District Courts also handle domestic relations, probate matters, juvenile matters, adoptions, paternity and mental health cases.

Cases typically handled by District Courts include divorce and related cases such as child custody, child support and division of marital property.

District Courts share jurisdiction over domestic violence protection orders with
County Courts and Municipal Courts.

Denver County has a separate Probate Court and a separate Juvenile Court that handle probate matters and juvenile cases.

Colorado County Courts

County Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain types of cases.

Criminal cases heard by County Courts include misdemeanors, petty offenses and preliminary hearings for all types of criminal cases. County Courts share criminal jurisdiction with District Courts.

Civil cases heard by County Courts include most general civil cases for less than $15,000. Cases typically heard by County Courts include the foreclosure of liens and actions for forcible entry or unlawful detainer when there is no dispute over the boundary or title to real property.

Landlord-tenant cases are heard by County Courts if claims for damages are less than $15,000, if the case also involves a monthly rental value of less than $15,000.

Each County Court has a Small Claims division for most general civil cases with less than $7,500 in dispute. The Small Claims division cannot handle certain types of cases, including claims for defamation, libel, slander, forcible entry, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, class action lawsuits, most types of injunctive relief, some types of contract cases, traffic violations and criminal matters. There is no right to a jury trial in the Small Claims division.

County Courts share jurisdiction with District Courts over name changes and requests for temporary and permanent civil restraining orders, including protection orders.

County Courts do not have jurisdiction over cases involving probate issues, mental health (including commitment, restoration to competence and the appointment of conservators), divorce, annulment, legal separation, matters involving children (including custody, child support, guardianship, adoption and delinquency) and matters involving disputes over boundaries or title to real property.

Colorado Municipal Courts

Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over violations of city and town ordinances.

Municipal Courts share jurisdiction with District Courts and County Courts over cases involving civil Protection Orders.

Colorado Water Courts

Water Courts have specialized jurisdiction over certain types of civil cases related to water rights.

Water Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over many cases related to water, including the use and administration of water.

Water Courts are located at each of the seven major river basins in Colorado.

Colorado The Denver County Probate Court

In Denver County, a separate Probate Court exists and handles probate cases instead of District Court.

Colorado The Denver County Juvenile Court

In Denver County, there is a separate Juvenile Court that handles most juvenile matters instead of District Court.

Where to find court cases in Colorado

The chart below gives general information on the types of cases heard in each type of court in Colorado.
 

Most Cases = Most or all cases.     Some Cases = Some cases.

Case Type Court Type
CivilDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
General Civil - Unlimited
Most or all General Civil - Unlimited cases can be found in the District Courts
  
General Civil - Limited
Some General Civil - Limited cases can be found in the District Courts
Most or all General Civil - Limited cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Small Claims 
Most or all Small Claims cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Civil Equity
Most or all Civil Equity cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Civil Equity cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Complex Commercial
Most or all Complex Commercial cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Foreclosures and Liens
Some Foreclosures and Liens cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Foreclosures and Liens cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Real Estate Title and Boundary
Most or all Real Estate Title and Boundary cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Landlord / Tenant
Some Landlord / Tenant cases can be found in the District Courts
Most or all Landlord / Tenant cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Ordinance Violations 
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the County Courts
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders
Some Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the County Courts
Some Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Administrative Agency Appeals
Most or all Administrative Agency Appeals cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Administrative Agency Appeals cases can be found in the County Courts
 
CriminalDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Felony
Most or all Felony cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Felony Preliminary Hearings
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Misdemeanors
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the District Courts
Most or all Misdemeanors cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Ordinance Violations 
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the County Courts
Most or all Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Juvenile
Most or all Juvenile cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Traffic and Infractions 
Some Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the County Courts
Most or all Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Domestic RelationsDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Divorce
Most or all Divorce cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Child Custody and Visitation
Most or all Child Custody and Visitation cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Child Support
Most or all Child Support cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Paternity
Most or all Paternity cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Domestic Violence Protection Order
Most or all Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the County Courts
Some Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
JuvenileDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Adoptions
Most or all Adoptions cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Juvenile Delinquency
Most or all Juvenile Delinquency cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Child Abuse and Neglect
Most or all Child Abuse and Neglect cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Termination of Parental Rights
Most or all Termination of Parental Rights cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Children in Need of Supervision
Most or all Children in Need of Supervision cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Mental HealthDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Involuntary Commitments
Most or all Involuntary Commitments cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Other Mental Health Cases
Most or all Other Mental Health Cases cases can be found in the District Courts
  
ProbateDistrict CourtsCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Wills & Estates
Most or all Wills & Estates cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Name Changes
Some Name Changes cases can be found in the District Courts
Some Name Changes cases can be found in the County Courts
 
Trusts
Most or all Trusts cases can be found in the District Courts
  
Guardianships and Conservatorships
Most or all Guardianships and Conservatorships cases can be found in the District Courts
  

Note: Some courts in Colorado are not included in the chart above. Please use the following links for descriptions and types of cases heard:
 
  Water Courts  The Denver County Probate Court  The Denver County Juvenile Court


© Online Searches, LLC 2008 - 2010. Your use of this site indicates agreement to the terms of use.
We strive to provide accurate information, however, Courtreference.com is not an official source of information for any court or court clerk.
No legal advice is offered here and this site is not an alternative to competent legal counsel.