| Clerk of Court (District Court) | Douglas County Clerk of Court (23rd Judicial District) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Douglas County Courthouse, 4000 Justice Way, Suite 2009, Castle Rock, CO 80109 |
| Phone | (720) 437-6200 (main); 720-437-6112 (Self-Help Center); 720-437-6227 (Collections) |
| Hours | Clerk's Office: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed state holidays. Self-Help Center: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-4:00 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.25 per page ($0.50 if double-sided), per Chief Justice Directive 06-01 |
| Certified copy fee | $20.00 per certified document, per Chief Justice Directive 06-01 |
Douglas County, the fast-growing suburban county between Denver and Colorado Springs, is the anchor of Colorado's newest judicial district. On January 14, 2025 the 23rd Judicial District (Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties) split off from the 18th Judicial District it had long shared with Arapahoe County. For records purposes the change is mostly administrative: Douglas County cases, old and new, are still kept by one combined district/county Clerk of Court at the Douglas County Courthouse in Castle Rock, and the statewide search tools still treat Douglas County as a single county filter.
Because Colorado's trial courts are run by the state Judicial Branch, there is no Douglas County-only case-search site. Scheduled hearings and basic case data are on the Judicial Branch's free docket search filtered to Douglas County; a fuller register of actions, including closed cases, is available through the paid CoCourts service. Neither tool covers the municipal courts operated by Castle Rock, Parker, or Lone Tree, which handle their own ordinance and traffic tickets.
The courthouse also houses a Self-Help Center for people filing without a lawyer, and the court accepts non-attorney e-filing for domestic relations and eviction cases.
Search Douglas County court records online
Clerk of Court (District Court)
Douglas County Clerk of Court (23rd Judicial District)
- Cost
- Free case search via the statewide docket tool; $0.25 per page for plain copies and $20 per certified document under Chief Justice Directive 06-01
- Coverage
- All district- and county-court case types for Douglas County — felonies, civil, domestic relations, probate, misdemeanors, traffic, and small claims — kept by one combined clerk's office in Castle Rock
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Records requests go to douglasrecords@judicial.state.co.us or the Judicial Branch's online Record/Document Request Form. Cases filed before 2025 under the old 18th Judicial District are held by the same office.
Other courts
Castle Rock Municipal Court
- Coverage
- Violations of Town of Castle Rock ordinances, including traffic, parking, animal, and municipal misdemeanor offenses inside town limits
- Records
- Traffic
A town court, not part of the state Judicial Branch or its docket search. 100 Perry St, Castle Rock, CO 80104; 303-663-6133; Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. No online case lookup is listed; contact the court directly for records.
What is available online
The free statewide docket search shows upcoming hearings and basic case data for Douglas County district and county courts but not full case histories or filed documents. CoCourts, the Judicial Branch's paid vendor, returns a register of actions that includes many closed cases. Douglas County cases filed before the 23rd Judicial District was created in January 2025 remain searchable under Douglas County; you do not need to search Arapahoe County or the 18th Judicial District to find them. Municipal tickets from Castle Rock, Parker, and Lone Tree are not in either state tool.
Which clerk has your record
In Colorado, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Colorado page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts (22 judicial districts) | Felony criminal cases; Civil claims of any dollar amount; Divorce, custody, and other domestic relations | Clerk of Court for the judicial district (Colorado Judicial Branch) |
| County Courts | Misdemeanors and petty offenses; Traffic infractions; Civil claims up to $25,000 | Clerk of Court for the county (same office as the district clerk in most counties) |
| Denver County Court | Denver municipal ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued in Denver; State misdemeanors filed in Denver | Denver County Court Clerk (City and County of Denver, not the state Judicial Branch) |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Douglas County clerk offices
Douglas County Courthouse, 4000 Justice Way, Suite 2009, Castle Rock, CO 80109
Phone: (720) 437-6200 (main); 720-437-6112 (Self-Help Center); 720-437-6227 (Collections)
Hours: Clerk's Office: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed state holidays. Self-Help Center: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-4:00 p.m.
In person. Visit the Clerk of Court at the Douglas County Courthouse, 4000 Justice Way, Suite 2009, Castle Rock, CO 80109, Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Bring the case number if you have it, or the party names and an approximate filing date, and say whether you need plain or certified copies. Plain copies are $0.25 per page and certified copies $20 per document under Chief Justice Directive 06-01; research time beyond the first hour is billed at $30 per hour.
By mail or email. Send a completed Judicial Branch Record/Document Request Form to douglasrecords@judicial.state.co.us, or mail it to the courthouse address above with payment or a request for a fee quote. The Judicial Branch aims to respond within three business days absent unusual circumstances. Suppressed, juvenile, and probate records may require a government-issued photo ID.
Online. Use the statewide docket search filtered to Douglas County for hearing dates and basic case data, or CoCourts for a paid register of actions. Filed documents are not available through either tool. Self-represented parties can e-file domestic relations and eviction cases through the Judicial Branch website.
Municipal tickets. Ordinance and traffic tickets written by Castle Rock police are handled by Castle Rock Municipal Court at 100 Perry St; Parker and Lone Tree run their own municipal courts as well.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Colorado |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.25 per page ($0.50 if double-sided), per Chief Justice Directive 06-01 |
| Certified copy | $20.00 per certified document, per Chief Justice Directive 06-01 |
Fees set by Chief Justice Directive 06-01 as listed on the Judicial Branch's Record/Document Request Form: $0.25 per page for plain copies (parties and their attorneys are capped at $15 per request), $20.00 per certified document, $25.00 for a transcript of judgment, and $30.00 per hour for research or redaction time after the first hour, billed in 15-minute increments. Denver County Court and municipal courts set their own fee schedules.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Colorado court records are open to the public by default, but several categories are removed from public view:
The Colorado guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Did the new 23rd Judicial District move Douglas County's court records?
No. The 23rd Judicial District, created January 14, 2025, changed which district administers the court, but Douglas County files stayed with the same Clerk of Court at the Castle Rock courthouse. Search the docket tool or CoCourts by Douglas County regardless of when the case was filed.
Is there a Douglas County-specific case search website?
No. Douglas County uses the statewide Colorado Judicial Branch docket search (filter to Douglas County) and the paid CoCourts register of actions, like every other county in the state system.
How do I request copies of a Douglas County court file by email?
Fill out the Judicial Branch's Record/Document Request Form and send it to douglasrecords@judicial.state.co.us. Plain copies are $0.25 per page and certified copies $20 per document; the clerk will tell you how to pay before releasing the copies.
Are Castle Rock or Parker traffic tickets in the county court system?
Only tickets issued by county or state agencies such as the sheriff or State Patrol. Tickets written by town police go to that town's municipal court, which keeps its own records outside the state docket search.
Sources
- Douglas County | Colorado Judicial Branch — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/douglas-county
- Douglas County Courthouse | Colorado Judicial Branch — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/location/douglas-county-courthouse
- Record/Document Request Form | Colorado Judicial Branch — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form
- Castle Rock Municipal Court — https://www.crgov.com/1671/Municipal-Court
- Colorado Judicial Branch — Trial Courts by County — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/trial-courts-county
- Colorado Judicial Branch — Docket Search — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/dockets
- Colorado Judicial Branch — Access Guide to Public Records — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/access-guide-public-records
- CoCourts (Colorado Courts Data Access, LexisNexis) — https://www.cocourts.com/cocourts/
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation — Records and Background Checks — https://cbi.colorado.gov/records-and-background-checks
- Internet Criminal History Check (CBI) — https://www.cbirecordscheck.com/
- Colorado Case Law Search — https://research.coloradojudicial.gov/
- Chief Justice Directive 06-01 — Fees and Costs — https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/CJD%2006-01%20Signed%20%20effective%20July%201,%202022%20WEB.pdf
- Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 24, Article 72, Part 7 — Criminal Justice Record Sealing — https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.pdf
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado — https://www.cod.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Colorado counties.