Find Denver Divorce Decrees
Denver divorce decree records are kept by the Denver District Court in the 2nd Judicial District. Unlike all other Colorado counties, Denver has four separate courts that are not combined. The District Court handles all dissolutions of marriage for Denver residents. The clerk office at the City and County Building processes requests for divorce decrees and provides copies to anyone who needs them. Denver operates both the city and the county, which means the District Court serves only Denver and no other towns or cities. Most Denver divorce cases are filed downtown at the City and County Building on Bannock Street where civil and domestic matters are handled separately from criminal cases.
Denver Quick Facts
Denver District Court Divorce Records
All divorce filings in Denver go to the Denver District Court. This is the only court in Colorado that is not a combined court. Denver has a separate District Court, County Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court. For dissolution of marriage, you file at the District Court in Room 256 of the City and County Building. The clerk staff at this office maintains all divorce records for Denver and provides copies to parties and the public.
The Denver District Court is at 1437 Bannock Street in downtown Denver. Room 256 is where the clerk office for civil and domestic cases is located. They are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, except state holidays. The phone number is (303) 606-2300 if you need to call ahead. All divorce decree requests go through this office, not the criminal division at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse on Colfax.
| Court | Denver District Court, Civil and Domestic Division |
|---|---|
| Address | 1437 Bannock Street, Room 256 Denver, CO 80202 |
| Phone | (303) 606-2300 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| denverdcrecordsrequest@judicial.state.co.us | |
| Website | coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/denver-district |
You can send records requests by email to denverdcrecordsrequest@judicial.state.co.us or mail them to the address above. In-person requests are handled at the clerk office during business hours. Denver does not charge a maximum fee for parties to their case as some counties do, but copy fees follow the state schedule. Call ahead to ask about current fees for divorce decree copies in Denver.
Search Divorce Decrees Online
CoCourts.com is the fastest way to search for Denver divorce records online. This database covers the Denver District Court and all other Colorado county courts. You can search by name or case number. Each search costs $10 or less and returns the Register of Action for a case.
The Register of Action shows the case history with dates and filings. It does not include actual documents. You will see when the divorce was filed, when hearings took place, and when the final decree was signed. To get a copy of the decree itself, you must contact the Denver District Court directly at the address above or use the online records request form at coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form.
Visit cocourts.com to start a search. Enter a name or case number and select Denver County as the location. The site is run by LexisNexis and is an official partner of the Colorado Judicial Branch. All data comes straight from court files in real time. This lets you find a divorce decree in Denver without visiting the courthouse first.
For archived cases, the Colorado State Archives holds Denver divorce records from 1862 to 1942 for District Court and 1867 to 1951 for County Court. These older records can be searched at archives.colorado.gov/archives-search. Most archived divorce records are restricted for 100 years unless you have proof of direct interest. For cases from 1942 to the present, contact the Denver District Court directly in Denver.
How to File for Divorce in Denver
Denver residents file for divorce at the Denver District Court clerk office in Room 256. Filing creates a case that becomes part of the public record. You can later request a copy of the divorce decree from the same clerk office once the case is final.
You must meet the residency rule under C.R.S. § 14-10-106 before filing. Either spouse must have lived in Colorado for at least 91 days before you file the petition. You do not have to live in Denver the whole time. Living anywhere in the state for 91 days is enough. If both spouses are Denver residents, you file in Denver. If only one lives in Denver, you can still file here.
The filing fee for a divorce petition in Denver is $230, which includes the displaced homemaker fee required by C.R.S. § 14-10-120.5. A response to a petition costs $116. These fees apply statewide, not just in Denver. You pay at the clerk office when you file the papers. If you cannot afford the fees, you may request a fee waiver by showing proof of low income.
Colorado is a no-fault state, so you do not need to prove wrongdoing to get a divorce in Denver. The court only needs to find that the marriage is irretrievably broken. After you file, there is a mandatory 91-day waiting period before the court can enter a final decree under C.R.S. § 14-10-106. This means even an uncontested divorce in Denver takes at least three months from start to finish.
Divorce Forms for Denver Cases
All divorce forms used in Denver are the same statewide JDF forms from the Colorado Judicial Branch. You can download them at coloradojudicial.gov/self-help-forms at no cost. There are no city-specific forms for Denver since state law controls all divorce cases.
The main forms you need to start a divorce in Denver are:
- JDF 1010: How to File for Divorce (instructions)
- JDF 1011: Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
- JDF 1102: Summons for Dissolution of Marriage
- JDF 1099: Instructions for Service
If you and your spouse agree on all terms, you can file for a decree without a court appearance using JDF 1018 (Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance). The final decree itself is form JDF 1019. Denver also offers local forms for some matters at this page, but most divorce cases only need the standard statewide forms.
The Denver District Court Self-Help Center can answer questions about forms and filing. They do not give legal advice, but they can help you understand what documents you need. Visit them in person at the City and County Building or call the main clerk number at (303) 606-2300.
Legal Help in Denver
Several legal aid groups serve Denver residents who cannot afford a private lawyer. Colorado Legal Services has an office in Denver and provides free legal help to people who qualify based on income. They assist with family law cases, including divorce, custody, and support. Call (303) 837-1313 to see if you qualify or visit coloradolegalservices.org for more information.
The Metro Volunteer Lawyers program offers free legal clinics in Denver. They hold walk-in sessions where volunteer lawyers answer questions about divorce and family law at no charge. Check their website at denbar.org/mvl for clinic times and locations. You can also call the Denver Bar Association lawyer referral service at (303) 831-8000 for help finding a family law attorney in Denver.
The Family Law Self-Help Center at the Denver courthouse is a free resource for people handling their own divorce. They have computers, printers, and staff who can guide you through the forms. The center does not provide legal advice, but they can help you locate the right forms and explain court procedures in Denver. Visit them at the City and County Building in Room S-107 or call (720) 865-8622 for hours and availability.
Denver Divorce Decree Copy Fees
The cost to get a copy of a divorce decree in Denver follows the state fee schedule set by Chief Justice Directive 06-01. Regular copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $20 per document, not per page. This means a 10-page decree costs $20 to certify, not $200.
Denver does not cap the cost for parties to their own case at $15 like some counties. You pay the regular per-page fee or certification fee when you request a copy of your decree. Non-parties pay the same rates. If the court needs to retrieve a file from off-site storage, you may be charged the actual cost of retrieval. Call the Denver District Court records office at (303) 606-2300 to confirm current fees before you order copies in Denver.
Additional court fees that may apply include:
- Name search fee: $5.00
- Transcript of judgment: $25.00
- Research and redaction: $30 per hour after the first hour
These fees apply when the clerk must research files or redact confidential information from copies. Most simple requests for a divorce decree do not require these extra fees in Denver. If you just need a copy of the final decree and you know the case number, you only pay the copy or certification fee.
Divorce Verification in Denver
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment can verify that a divorce happened, but they do not provide copies of divorce decrees. Verification is different from a copy of the decree. A verification shows basic facts like names, date, and county. A decree shows all terms such as custody, property, and support.
If you only need proof that a divorce took place in Denver, you can order a verification from CDPHE at cdphe.colorado.gov/vitalrecords or through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. Most legal matters require the actual divorce decree, not just verification. For the full decree from a Denver case, contact the Denver District Court at the address above.
Note: Divorce verification from CDPHE does not include custody orders or other case details that appear in the decree.
Nearby Cities and Counties
Denver is the only city in Denver County. All other nearby cities are in different counties. Aurora is in Arapahoe and Adams counties to the east. Lakewood and Arvada are in Jefferson County to the west. Thornton is in Adams County to the north. Westminster spans both Adams and Jefferson counties. Each city uses the District Court in its own county for divorce filings.
Related city pages:
Denver County Divorce Records
Denver is both a city and a county. The Denver District Court handles all divorce cases for the city and county. For more on Denver County court procedures, fees, and historical records held by the Colorado State Archives, visit the Denver County divorce records page.