Arapahoe County Court Records
Arapahoe County court records are official materials generated, received, or maintained in connection with criminal and civil cases. They comprise pleadings, motions, briefs, orders, evidence, judgments, and other filings, collectively detailing how Arapahoe trial courts administer justice.
Clerks of court serve as the primary custodians of court records in Arapahoe. These offices maintain files related to criminal cases (felonies and misdemeanors) and to civil cases, such as divorce, probate, and contract disputes.
CJD 05-01 specifies who can access Arapahoe court records, how access is provided, which records are excluded from general access, when the records can be viewed, and the required fees for duplication.
Arapahoe County court records often feed into or reference other public record systems. For example, criminal case files may contain arrest information from local law enforcement, while certificates of birth, death, or marriage from the local health department may be featured in probate court files.
Are Arapahoe County Court Records Public?
Yes. The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) permits public access to court records. However, that access to court records is specifically governed by CJD 05-01, as authorized by the Colorado Supreme Court Rule on Public Access to Information and Records (P.A.I.R.R.) Rule 1. CJD 05-01 § 4.10 provides the public with reasonable access to Arapahoe court records except those that a law or a judge says cannot be viewed.
For instance, CJD 05-01 § 4.60(g) instructs custodians to remove financial, medical, and personal information from legal documents before sharing them with a requester. In addition, CJD 05-01 § 4.60(b) empowers the court clerk to deny access to files featuring adoption, dependency, truancy, mental health, juvenile, paternity, and protected probate proceedings.
What Information is Available in Arapahoe County Court Records?
Court records in Arapahoe County typically feature three components. First is the case summary. This consists of the case number and the court division, the names of the plaintiffs, defendants, and lawyers, the assigned judge or magistrate, the status of the case, and case particulars.
Next is the Register of Actions (ROA). It works as a timeline of all events occurring from the initiation of the case, providing a chronological summary of the case’s history.
The final component is the case file. Case files vary in length and complexity, depending on the type of case. Examples of documents found in case files include complaints or petitions, motions, affidavits or pleas, and verdicts, sentences, judgments, and decrees.
Arapahoe County Court Records Search
Interested persons can retrieve open court records from the Arapahoe County justice system through online channels, in-person visits, or remote requests.
Online Access
The general public can access Arapahoe County case dockets through the Docket Search tool provided by the state judiciary. Searchers can filter by location, date, case number and type, name of litigant, and attorney involved. This medium provides case summaries but not copies of case documents.
To view a case register or timeline of actions online, searchers may contact the judicial branch’s approved third-party vendor for this service. While these vendors pool information from databases containing district and county court actions, the judiciary disclaims that search results are not official documents.
Lawyers and self-represented parties can use the Colorado Courts E-Filing (CCE) portal to view cases they are involved in.
Additionally, the state’s judiciary provides an online request form that allows members of the public to order case documents remotely.
In-Person Access
Physically viewing and copying court documents usually requires a direct visit to the Arapahoe courthouse at
Arapahoe County Justice Center
7325 South Potomac Street
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: (303) 645-6600
Individuals can also speak with personnel at the Records Department window to locate older files or obtain certified true copies of documents.
To obtain municipal case records, individuals can contact the specific city court that handled the case.
Postal and Electronic Access
Individuals who cannot visit in person can request copies of Arapahoe court records through postal or electronic mail. Any interested person using this medium must complete the record request form and send it by email to 18records@judicial.state.co.us or by mail to
Arapahoe Combined Courts
Attn: Records Department
7325 South Potomac Street
Centennial, CO 80112
Mailers are expected to self-calculate the required fee and enclose a check or money order payable to the Clerk of Court. Emailers are typically contacted with a fee assessment and instructions on how to pay online.
Fees for Court Records in Arapahoe County
State law (C.R.S. § 13-32-104, § 30-1-103) and judicial directives (CJD 06-01) set out a comprehensive fee schedule for court and local records in Arapahoe County.
The standard cost for court records is 25 cents per page, with an additional $20 per document for a certified or exemplified copy. Requests that require extra research incur a $30 fee, while a name search incurs a $5 fee.
Note: For those seeking vital records in Arapahoe, the county clerk and recorder maintains marriage records. Requesters typically pay 25 cents per page plus $1 per document for certification. Other vital records are available from the local health department, with a $25 fee for the first page and $20 for each additional copy of the same document requested at the same time.
Arapahoe County Courthouse Locations
Arapahoe County is the sole county in the 18th Judicial District of Colorado. The county hosts a combined district and county court, a civil claims court, and 12 municipal courts.
Individuals can find their desired Arapahoe courthouse using the following directory:
County & District Courts
Arapahoe County Justice Center (Main Combined Court)
7325 South Potomac Street
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: (303) 645-6600
Arapahoe County Courthouse (Littleton)
1790 West Littleton Boulevard
Littleton, CO 80120
Phone: (303) 645-6600
Municipal Courts
14999 East Alameda Parkway
Aurora, CO 80012
Phone: (303) 739-6444
207 Muegge Way
Bennett, CO 80102
Phone: (303) 644-3249
13133 East Arapahoe Road
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: (303) 754-3380
Cherry Hills Village Municipal Court
2450 East Quincy Avenue
Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
Phone: (303) 783-2720
Columbine Valley Municipal Court
2 Middlefield Road
Columbine Valley, CO 80123
Phone: (303) 795-1434
555 Second Avenue
Deer Trail, CO 80105
Phone: (303) 769-4464
1000 Englewood Parkway
Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: (303) 762-2580
Foxfield Municipal Court (the Parker Municipal Court)
20120 East Mainstreet
Parker, CO 80138
Phone: (303) 805-3195
Note: Physically located in Parker County
950 South Birch Street
Glendale, CO 80246
Phone: (303) 639-4610
Greenwood Village Municipal Court
6060 South Quebec Street
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: (303) 773-6033
2069 West Littleton Boulevard
Littleton, CO 80120
Phone: (303) 795-3837
4101 South Federal Boulevard
Sheridan, CO 80110
Phone: (303) 762-2200
Arapahoe Combined Courts
Criminal Records Access in Arapahoe County
Inquirers can access criminal case records in the main courthouse building or by approaching the staff of specific municipal courts. Additionally, the public can use the Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search tool to find upcoming hearing dates or obtain case histories from a state-sanctioned provider.
Per CJD 05-01, the Arapahoe County Probation Officer is responsible for all documents and information related to pre-sentence investigations, probationers, and court-ordered supervisions. One can visit or call the office for these records.
For state-level criminal history checks, individuals may go through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a division of the Department of Public Safety. C.R.S. § 24-72-301 et seq. designates this agency as the main repository for statewide conviction history information.
Arapahoe County Probate Records
Arapahoe County probate records comprise the legal files and documents needed to administer the estate (assets and liabilities) left behind after someone dies. They also detail proceedings related to people who cannot (or can no longer) care for themselves.
The Arapahoe County District Court handles probate-related matters. The clerk of court maintains records of wills and probate filings, including estate administration, trusts, protective proceedings (such as guardianships and conservatorships), petitions for probate, petitions for appointment of executors or administrators, inventories and appraisements of estate assets, and creditor claims.
The general public can view dockets and case summaries of probate cases through the statewide judicial docket tool and the approved third-party provider. Accessing the physical will and testament or estate inventory generally requires a visit to the courthouse or a mail order to
Attn: Records Department
7325 South Potomac Street
Centennial, CO 80112
However, filings related to the custody of minors or people with mental health challenges are sealed to outsiders.
Arapahoe County Family Court Records
Family court cases (known as domestic relations in Arapahoe) are generally open to the public, excluding confidential details. For example, divorce cases and decrees are considered open records under CJD 05-01, while adoption and relinquishment records are not (C.R.S. § 19-5-305).
Any person who qualifies to inspect or copy a domestic relations record can complete the records form and submit it in person or by mail at the local court’s records division at 7325 South Potomac Street, Centennial, CO 80112, or email it to 18records@judicial.state.co.us.
Federal Court Records in Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County is part of the territory covered by the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Case records from this court are filed and maintained at the district court headquarters in downtown Denver.
The public can access federal court records online through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal. This medium requires a user account and a payment of 10 cents per page, up to a maximum of $3 per document. Searches can be conducted by name, filing date, or case number.
The public can obtain standard or certified true copies of federal court records by visiting the federal district courthouse at
Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse
901 19th Street
Room A105
Denver, CO 80294
Phone: (303) 844-3433
