El Paso County Court Records

Certain paperwork is typically submitted to a courthouse to initiate a legal proceeding in El Paso County. As the case progresses through the county's legal system, the court submits, generates, and maintains other documents to document the entire legal process. These items are collectively referred to as El Paso County Court records.

In El Paso County, Colorado, court records contain legal information and specifics regarding court cases (civil and criminal). They allow for transparency of the county judicial system, ensuring that courts act fairly. These records also serve as evidence in future legal proceedings. Some common information typically found in El Paso court records includes and is not limited to:

• A case's parties' information (such as their full name or company name),
• Case filings
• Judgments
• Dockets
• Court orders
• Details of any attorney in a case, such as the attorney bar number

Are Court Records Public in El Paso County?

El Paso County court records are subject to the provisions of the Chief Justice Directive (CJD) 05-01, the Supreme Court Rule on Public Access to Information and Records (P.A.I.R.R.), and the Criminal Justice Records Act (C.J.R.A.) § 24-72-301. The CJD determines access to civil cases court records, the P.A.I.R.R. governs access to administrative court records, and the C.J.R.A. addresses access to criminal court records.

Under these laws, most court records in Colorado, including El Paso County, are public and accessible by anyone for inspection and copying. However, the provisions of these laws restrict public access to certain types of court records. For instance, per CJD Section 4.60, public access to court records of certain case classes and types may be restricted. Some restricted records include those pertaining to:

• Adoption
• Dependency & Neglect
• Judicial Bypass
• Certain Juvenile Delinquency cases
• Mental Health
• Paternity
• Certain Probate Protected Proceedings
• Relinquishments
• Truancy

CJD Section 4.60 also outlines several other examples of publicly restricted court records. Additionally, court rules, orders, or the requirements of federal or state statutes may also limit the public's access to specific court records.

El Paso County Court Records Search

To conduct El Paso County court records searches, inquirers can visit the courthouse where the court case of interest was handled to make an in-person request for a case's court records. They may also utilize the El Paso County record request form to facilitate county court record search by mail or email.

Online options for conducting El Paso County court record searches are also available. Interested persons can utilize the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form or El Paso County Docket search portal. Alternatively, some third-party aggregate websites provide services that allow record seekers to search for El Paso County Court Records online. Some examples of these websites are listed on the Colorado Judicial Court Record search page.

El Paso County Court Records Search by Name

One of the most common search parameters when requesting El Paso County court records searches is the full names of parties involved in the case. Record seekers must provide the full names of parties when requesting an El Paso County court records search using the El Paso County record request form. Similarly, record seekers can use the full names of a case's parties as search criteria when conducting an El Paso County Court Records Search using the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form or the El Paso County Docket search portal.

El Paso County Courts

El Paso County's court system comprises three types of courts; the district, county, and municipal courts. Each type of court has unique jurisdiction over specific types of cases. These courts also have shared jurisdiction over certain types of cases. In total, there are six (6) courthouses situated in El Paso County. The addresses and contact information of these courthouses are as follows:

District and County Court
El Paso County Judicial Building
P.O. Box 2980,
270 South Tejon St,
Colorado Springs, CO 80901
Phone: (719) 452-5000
Fax: (719) 452-5006

Municipal courts
Colorado Springs Municipal Court
224 East Kiowa Street,
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 385-5928

Fountain Municipal Court
116 South Main Street,
Fountain, CO 80817
Phone: (719) 382-5561

Green Mountain Falls Municipal Court
P.O. Box 524,
Green Mountain Falls, CO 80819
Phone: (719) 684-9414

Manitou Springs Municipal Court
606 Manitou Avenue,
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Phone: (719) 685-2544
Fax: (719) 685-2607

Monument Municipal Court
645 Beacon Lite Road,
Monument, CO 80132
Phone: (719) 481-3253

El Paso County Superior Court Case Search

Colorado's court system consists of the appellate courts and trial courts. Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals make up the appellate courts. Meanwhile, trial courts consist of district courts, county courts, and water courts. Municipal courts are also found in Colorado; El Paso County is home to five (5) municipal courts. However, there are no Superior courts in Colorado as well as in El Paso County.

El Paso County District Court Records

District courts in El Paso County have general jurisdiction over civil, criminal, domestic relations, juvenile, probate, and mental health cases. Hence, most of the aforementioned types of court cases are handled by the District Court that serves the county. The 4th Judicial District Court, situated in the El Paso County Judicial Building, is the district court that serves El Paso and Teller County in Colorado.

Interested persons can access and request copies of District Court records from the 4th Judicial District Court in person, online, by mail, or by email. Record seekers can make an in-person request for El Paso County District Court records by visiting Room S101 in the El Paso County Judicial Building. Note that while in-person searches for district court records may be free, record seekers are typically charged fees for copies of court records as well as certification of record (if requested).

On the other hand, record seekers can request El Paso County District Court records by email or mail, utilizing the El Paso County court record request form. Requesters must appropriately complete the form and submit it either by emailing or mailing it to the mail or email address provided at the bottom of the request form. Depending on the type of court records being requested (public or sealed), the requester may also need to send a copy of their I.D. along with the request form. Following the proper submission request form and required I.D. (if required), the requester would be sent a Notice of Fee detailing their request's cost. After receiving the notice, the requesters can make the required fee payment outlined in the notice using a check or money order. Note that these fees must be paid within 30 days of receiving the notice, or the requester will need to resubmit their request.

Meanwhile, record seekers can access certain El Paso County District Court Records online through the 4th Judical District Dockets portal. The portal can be used to review El Paso County District Court case dockets. Searches can be conducted on the portal by case number, a case's party name or company name, or the bar number of an attorney involved in a district court case. Alternatively, record seekers can request copies of El Paso County District Court records online utilizing the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form.

El Paso County Criminal Records

Criminal records maintained by law enforcement agencies in El Paso County provide information about an individual's interaction with those agencies. These records include instances where an individual has been arrested and specific information about the arrest, such as the reason, date, and location of the arrest and the name of the arresting agency.

Although most El Paso County criminal records are public per the provisions of the Colorado Open Records Act and other relevant statutes, there are certain exceptions. For instance, El Paso County Arrest records such as juvenile arrests (17 years or younger), traffic arrests of individuals 16 years or younger, and arrest records sealed by court order are all inaccessible to the general public.

Interested persons can obtain El Paso criminal records maintained by law enforcement agencies by requesting a local background record check on an individual from a local law enforcement agency. For instance, interested persons can request a check from the Colorado Springs Police Department through the city's dedicated permits, license, and record portal. Note that requesters would need to have a registered account to access the portal. It is also worth noting that the Colorado Springs Police Department charges requesters a $7.50 fee for background checks, according to the Schedule of fees.

Keep in mind that a local criminal record check would only contain information about an individual's arrest history with the local law enforcement agency where the record was requested. The result would not include all of an individual's El Paso arrest records or information about their contact with other law enforcement agencies in El Paso. Interested persons can contact the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to conduct a state-wide criminal record check.

El Paso County Criminal Court Case Lookup

In El Paso County, most criminal cases fall under the jurisdiction of the county District Court. Meanwhile, some misdemeanors and felony complaints cases are heard by the County Court. As previously stated, El Paso District and County courts are located in the same building the El Paso County Judicial Building.

The following are some of the ways interested persons can search for criminal court cases in El Paso:

• Visit El Paso County Judicial Building Room S101 to make an in-person request for criminal case records
• Complete the Record Request form and either mail or email it to the email or mail address outlined at the bottom of the form (as previously explained)
• Search the El Paso County docket portal online.

Get El Paso County Civil Court Records

El Paso County Court and District Court have shared jurisdiction over civil cases in the county. The former handles civil cases under $25,000, and the latter handles civil cases of any amount. As previously stated, both courts are located within the El Paso County Judicial Building, which has a record room (Room S101) where interested persons can visit to make an in-person request for different court records, including civil court records.

Fortunately, other alternatives are provided for record seekers who can not visit the record room in person. They can utilize the courthouse's Records Request form to request El Paso County civil court records by email or mail. The form must be appropriately completed and sent to the email or mail address indicated.

There are also online avenues record seekers can use to access certain civil court records or request copies. Interested persons can use the El Paso County Docket search portal to search and access the court docket of civil cases. Record seekers can also complete and submit the Record/Document Request Form to make an online request for El Paso County civil case records.

El Paso County Family Court Records

In El Paso County, family cases, also known as domestic relations cases, fall under the jurisdiction of the County District Court. Family cases include, but are not limited to, divorce, child support or custody, alimony, annulment, and visitation rights cases.

Like any other El Paso County District Court records, family case records are usually accessible to the general public unless they have been sealed by a court order or made confidential by a federal or state statute. As previously explained, interested persons can access or request copies of El Paso County District Court records, including family case records, in person, online, by mail, or by email.

In-person requests can be made by visiting the El Paso County Judicial Building record room (Room S101). For online requests, record seekers can use the 4th Judicial District Dockets portal to search and review family cases court dockets. Alternatively, record seekers can request copies of a family case's court records using the Record/Document Request Form online. Record seekers can also appropriately complete the El Paso County court record request form and submit it by mail or email to request copies of a family case's court records.

El Paso Dissolution of Marriage Records

El Paso's dissolution of marriage records are part of the county's family court records. "dissolution of marriage" is another term used by Colorado courts and law to mean "divorce". Individuals interested in reviewing or obtaining copies of El Paso Dissolution of Marriage court records can visit El Paso County Judicial Building record room (Room S101) to make an in-person request. Alternatively, they can utilize the Record/Document Request Form, El Paso County court record request form, or the 4th Judicial District Dockets portal, as previously explained.

El Paso County Marriage and Divorce Records

In El Paso County, separate offices maintain marriage and divorce records. The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's office maintains the former, while the latter is held by the El Paso District Court. Both records (marriage and divorce records) are, by definition, public in Colorado. As a result, anyone can search and obtain copies of these records by querying their official custodians.

Interested persons can search and request copies of El Paso County marriage records online through the County Clerk's marriage/civil union portal. Users can search for marriage and civil union records by a subject's name through the portal. Record seekers can also request copies of an El Paso County Marriage certificate by emailing copyrequests@elpasoco.com. Alternatively, copies of county marriage records can also be requested in person by visiting the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Recording Department. The clerk's main office is located at:

1675 West Garden of the Gods Road,
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

On the other hand, record seekers can request El Paso County divorce records like any other family court case records through the County District Court. They can request county divorce records online by utilizing the Record/Document Request Form. An alternative is appropriately completing the El Paso County court record request form and mailing or emailing it to the address provided at the bottom of the form. Divorce records can also be searched in person by visiting the El Paso County Judicial Building record room (Room S101). Readers can review previous sections for more detailed information on accessing and requesting copies of family case records, including divorce records.

El Paso County Birth and Death Records

El Paso County birth and death records are obtainable through the El Paso County Public Health Vital Records office. Birth and death records are not public in Colorado. As a result, these records may only be issued to certain eligible persons. For El Paso County birth records, these eligible persons include:

• The registrant's (the individual named on the record)
• Their spouse
• Perant
• Parents/step-parents
• Adult children
• Grandparents/great-grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Siblings
• Legal guardian
• The legal representative of any of the aforementioned individuals

For death records, eligible persons include:

• The registrant's current spouse
• Ex-spouse
• Parent
• Step-parent
• Grandparents/great-grandparents
• Siblings/half-siblings
• Children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren
• Step-children
• The registrant's legal representative/paralegals
• Opposing counsel
• Genealogists
• In-laws/aunts/uncles/nephews/nieces/ cousins
• Probate researchers
• Creditors
• Employers
• Beneficiaries
• Insurance companies
• Hospital/Nursing home/Hospice/Physician
• Funeral directors
• Informant
• Persons who can provide proof of a direct and tangible interest when a death record is needed for determination or protection of a personal or property right

Eligible persons can request El Paso birth or death records (specifically a birth certificate or death certificate) from the County's Public Health Vital Records office by mail or in person. To request an El Paso County birth certificate by mail, eligible persons must complete a Birth Certificate Application (also available in español). The completed application must be mailed with the requester's identification/proof of eligibility and the non-refundable application fees to the address listed on the application.

Similarly, eligible persons who wish to request a copy of an El Paso county death certificate by mail must complete the Death Certificate Application (also available in español). The completed application, a copy of the requester's identification/proof of eligibility, and the non-refundable application fees should be mailed to the address listed on the application.

Eligible persons who opt to request an El Paso County birth or death certificate in person can visit the County Public Health Vital Records office. The office permits walk-ins and appointment visits on weekdays (Monday to Friday) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Requesters should come with supporting documentation proving their eligibility to obtain the desired record and the required fees. Requesters can book an appointment online through the E.P.C. Vital Record Portal. The El Paso County Public Health Vital Records main office is located at:

1675 W. Garden of the Gods
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Eligible persons can also order El Paso County Birth and Death certificates online through certain third-party websites. Some of these third-party websites are listed on the El Paso County Public Health Vital Records website.

El Paso County Probate Court Records

Probate cases in El Paso County fall under the jurisdiction of the County's District Court. Hence, record seekers can query the El Paso County District Court to access or request copies of probate cases court records.

The El Paso County District Court is located within the El Paso County Judicial Building. Record seekers can visit the courthouse's record department (Room S101) to search and request copies of probate cases court records. Requesters would need to provide certain information about the record to facilitate their search, such as its case number, name of parties in the case, or other details that identify the probate case.

Alternatively, record seekers can complete the Record Request Form the courthouse provides and send it to the email or mail address outlined. Record seekers can also use the Record/Document Request Form to submit their record requests online. Certain information found on probate cases court dockets is also searchable and accessible online through the 4th Judicial District Dockets portal.

The Colorado State Archive also holds El Paso County probate records older than 1985. Interested persons can research these records through the Archive Search database. The probate case number is needed to facilitate their search. Requesters can also use the Archive's formal request form to submit their request.

El Paso County Property Records

In El Paso County, there are two main offices where record seekers can request county property records: the El Paso County Assessor's Office and the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Office. The formers maintain property ownership information, property legal description, recent sale history, and other valuable valuation information. Meanwhile, the latter maintains other types of real estate records, including liens and deeds.

Interested persons can view property records the El Paso County Assessor's Office maintains online through the office's Real Property Search Portal. On the portal, inquirers can search for a property by its schedule/parcel number, address, or owner's name. Inquirers can also view property data collected by the assessor through the office's View Parcel & Sale Data portal. For further inquiries, the El Paso County Assessor's office can be contacted or visited at:

1675 W. Garden of the Gods Road,
Suite 2300
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Phone: (719) 520-6600

On the other hand, record seekers can search property records the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's office maintains through the web access portal the office provides. On the portal, users can conduct a name-based search. The option to search by other criteria is also provided. The county clerk also offers in-person services at the main office's citizen service center during weekdays (Monday - Friday) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. At the main office, record seekers can request copies of public property records and plat maps. El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's main office is located at:

1675 W. Garden of the Gods Road,
Suite 2201
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Phone: (719) 520-6202

El Paso County Court Records Online

An alternative to searching for El Paso County Court records online is using certain third-party websites like Coloradocourtrecords.us. Generally, these websites are privately owned and offer services that allow record seekers to search for El Paso County Court records online for a one-time fee or a recurring subscription.

Some advantages of using third-party websites to search for court records over traditional government channels are their lack of geographic or general limitations and ease of use. For instance, most third-party websites allow their users to search different types of courts at the same time. However, users are advised to verify the information obtained from third-party sites by comparing them with records from official sources.