Court records in Arapahoe County, Colorado are maintained by the clerk of the district court and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. ArapahoeCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Arapahoe County. You can also search records through the Colorado Judicial Branch's Arapahoe County page, the statewide docket search, and the clerk's office at the Arapahoe County Justice Center. The Arapahoe County public records portal provides additional government resources.
Arapahoe County Court System Overview
Arapahoe County is part of Colorado's 18th Judicial District, which also includes Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties. The 18th Judicial District is one of the largest in the state by population. The Arapahoe Combined Court operates as a single administrative unit that includes both district court and county court divisions, with district judges hearing major cases and county court judges and magistrates handling lower-level matters. Court operations are housed at two locations: the Arapahoe County Justice Center in Centennial and the Littleton County Courthouse.
Courts Serving Arapahoe County
Several courts at the state and federal level serve Arapahoe County residents:
Arapahoe Combined Court (District and County Court)
Littleton County Courthouse
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado
Municipal Courts
Several municipalities within Arapahoe County operate their own municipal courts for ordinance violations and minor offenses. These include courts in Aurora, Centennial, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Littleton, and Sheridan. Contact the individual city for municipal court details.
What Types of Cases Arapahoe County Courts Hear
Courts in Arapahoe County handle a wide range of case types across both the district and county court divisions:
- Felony criminal cases
- Misdemeanor criminal cases and petty offenses
- Traffic infractions and DUI/DWAI
- Civil litigation (all dollar amounts)
- Small claims
- Family law — divorce, custody, child support, paternity
- Probate — estates, guardianships, conservatorships
- Juvenile — delinquency and dependency/neglect
- Adoption and termination of parental rights
- Civil protection orders
- Mental health proceedings
District Court Cases in Arapahoe County
The Arapahoe County District Court hears felony criminal cases, civil cases exceeding the county court jurisdictional limit, domestic relations matters, probate, juvenile cases, and mental health proceedings. Felony cases typically begin with a filing by the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office and proceed through advisement, preliminary hearing, and arraignment before a district court judge. Civil cases above $25,000 are filed directly in district court. Cases are assigned to individual judges through an automated system. District court also hears appeals from county court decisions.
Magistrate Court Cases in Arapahoe County
In Colorado, county courts — including magistrates — handle misdemeanors, petty offenses, traffic violations (including DUI and DWAI), civil cases up to $25,000, and small claims up to $7,500. Felony preliminary hearings may also be conducted at the county court level before cases are bound over to district court. In Arapahoe County, the high volume of cases means county court judges and magistrates are often assigned to specific dockets such as traffic, DUI, or small claims. Small claims cases follow simplified procedures and do not require an attorney.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Arapahoe County
Family Law
Divorce, legal separation, custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, and civil protection order cases are filed in the district court division. Divorce records are maintained by the court, not by Arapahoe County government. The Arapahoe County Child Support Services office can assist with child support enforcement and case information. Historical divorce records may also be available through the Colorado State Archives.
Probate
Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust disputes are handled by the district court's probate division. Filings are made at the Arapahoe County Justice Center. A magistrate may preside over certain uncontested probate matters.
Juvenile
Juvenile delinquency cases and dependency and neglect (child protective) proceedings are heard in district court. Juvenile court records are confidential under Colorado law and are not available through public docket searches. Contact the clerk's office for information about accessing juvenile records when authorized.
How Cases Move Through the Arapahoe County Court System
- Filing / Initiation: Criminal cases begin with a complaint or information filed by the District Attorney. Civil cases start with a complaint or petition filed by the plaintiff or petitioner at the clerk's office.
- Case Assignment: Cases are assigned to a judge through the court's automated system.
- Initial Hearing: Criminal defendants appear for advisement or arraignment. Civil cases receive a scheduling conference or case management order.
- Pre-Trial Phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and may participate in mediation or plea negotiations.
- Trial or Resolution: Cases are resolved by plea agreement, bench trial, jury trial, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Judgment: Criminal cases proceed to sentencing. Civil cases may involve enforcement of judgments or appeals. Appeals from county court go to district court; appeals from district court go to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Arapahoe County
The 18th Judicial District's administrative judge and trial court administrator oversee court operations in Arapahoe County. Local rules for the 18th Judicial District govern practice and procedure beyond the statewide Colorado Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. These local rules are available through the Arapahoe County page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website.
Public access to court records is governed by Colorado Chief Justice Directive 05-01 and the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA). Most court records are generally public, but certain records — including juvenile cases, sealed cases, mental health proceedings, and some domestic relations filings — are restricted. You can request records through the Colorado Judicial Branch Record/Document Request Form.
Attending hearings: Hearings at the Arapahoe County Justice Center and Littleton County Courthouse are generally open to the public. Some proceedings are available via Webex virtual courtrooms; check the Colorado Judicial Branch website for virtual courtroom links. The Arapahoe Combined Court does not accept faxed documents.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Arapahoe County
- Court Docket Search: Search Arapahoe County case dockets through the Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search. You can filter by the Arapahoe County Justice Center or Arapahoe County Courthouse – Littleton.
- Court Records Search: The Courts Records Search portal provides additional access to public court records statewide.
- Record/Document Requests: Use the Record/Document Request Form to request copies of court filings, orders, or other documents from the clerk's office.
- District Attorney Records: Request records from closed criminal cases through the 18th Judicial District Attorney's records request page, subject to the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act.
- Arapahoe County Public Records: The Arapahoe County Public Records page provides links to Sheriff's Office records, accident reports, and other county-level records. Note that court documents are maintained by the Judicial Branch, not by county government.
- Inmate Lookup: Search for inmates held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility using the Sheriff's Office Inmate Charges and Bonds search.
- Colorado Department of Corrections Inmate Search: For individuals sentenced to state prison, use the Colorado DOC inmate locator.
- Criminal Background Checks: The Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Internet Criminal History Check (ICHC) provides name-based Colorado criminal history reports.
- Vital Records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder handles real estate records, marriage licenses, and other recorded documents.
- Sheriff's Office Civil and Warrants Unit: For civil process, evictions, protection order service, and warrant information, contact the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Civil and Warrants Unit.
- Property Records: Search property assessment and tax information through the Arapahoe County Assessor's property search or the Treasurer's property tax search.