Conejos County Dissolution Records

Conejos County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Conejos County Combined Court in the town of Conejos. As part of Colorado's 12th Judicial District, this court handles all dissolution of marriage cases for county residents. The 12th District serves the San Luis Valley region, including Alamosa, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties along with Conejos. If you need to obtain a divorce decree or search for case information, the Combined Court Clerk's office in Conejos provides record retrieval and copy services.

Conejos County Combined Court

The Conejos County Combined Court serves as the official custodian for all divorce decree records filed in the county. Located in the town of Conejos, the courthouse maintains files for dissolution of marriage cases dating back many decades. The court operates as part of the 12th Judicial District, which covers six counties in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley.

District judges travel between the six counties to hear cases. However, each county maintains its own case files and clerk's office. For Conejos County divorce decrees, you must contact the Conejos courthouse directly. Staff can search by party names or case numbers. Most files are available on-site, though older cases may require retrieval from storage.

Contact the Conejos County Combined Court for information about obtaining divorce decrees. The courthouse is located in Conejos, the county seat. You can visit in person during business hours, call for information, or submit a records request through the Colorado Judicial Branch online portal.

Conejos County is one of Colorado's original counties, created in 1861. The long history means the courthouse holds some of the oldest divorce records in the state. The clerk's office has experience handling requests for both recent and historical cases.

Requesting Divorce Decrees

Conejos County offers several ways to request divorce decree records. In-person visits to the courthouse in Conejos work best when you need certified copies quickly. The clerk's staff can search for cases and make copies while you wait if the file is readily available. Bring photo ID and be prepared to pay copy fees.

The online records request system through the Colorado Judicial Branch allows remote requests. Fill out the form and select Conejos County. Include both parties' names and an approximate date range for the divorce. The court will contact you about fees and processing time. Most requests are fulfilled within three business days under standard procedures.

Mail requests are accepted at the Conejos County Combined Court. Send your request with as much case information as possible, including names, approximate dates, and any known case numbers. Include your contact information and a return address. The court will notify you of copy fees before processing your request. Allow extra time for mail requests compared to in-person visits.

Fees for Conejos County divorce decree copies follow the standard Colorado court fee schedule. Regular copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $20.00 per document regardless of length. If you are a party to your own divorce case, the maximum fee is $15.00 for copies no matter how many pages. Non-parties pay the full per-page rate. A name search fee of $5.00 applies if you need the court to locate a case without a case number. Research fees of $30.00 per hour apply for complex requests requiring extensive staff time.

Online Divorce Case Access

CoCourts.com provides online access to Conejos County divorce decree case information. This database covers all 12th Judicial District cases, including those filed in Conejos County. You can search by party name or case number to find dissolution of marriage cases. Searches cost $10.00 or less and return the Register of Action for each case.

The Register of Action displays case activity such as filing dates, hearing dates, and when the decree was entered. It does not provide copies of the actual divorce decree document. After locating a case on CoCourts, contact the Conejos County Combined Court to request the decree itself. The database helps confirm case numbers and basic information before making a formal records request.

Visit cocourts.com to search Conejos County divorce records. The site provides real-time data from the Colorado court system. Other services like Background Information Services also offer Colorado court record searches.

Filing for Divorce in Conejos County

Colorado law requires at least one spouse to live in the state for 91 days before filing a divorce petition. This residency requirement applies to all Conejos County dissolution cases under C.R.S. § 14-10-106. You file the petition at the Combined Court Clerk's office in Conejos. The filing fee is $230.00, which includes the displaced homemaker fee required by Colorado law.

After filing, a mandatory 91-day waiting period begins. The court cannot finalize a divorce until 91 days after obtaining jurisdiction over both parties. This wait applies to all cases, even when both spouses agree on all terms. During the waiting period, temporary orders for child support, parenting time, or spousal maintenance can be requested if needed.

Conejos County allows uncontested divorce procedures for couples who agree on property division, debt allocation, and parenting matters. Form JDF 1018 permits the court to enter a decree without a hearing when all requirements are met. The final decree must address all issues required by C.R.S. § 14-10-120, including property division and parental responsibilities if children are involved. The clerk notifies the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment when a decree is entered, creating a verification record.

Colorado provides self-help forms through the Judicial Branch website. The JDF form series covers dissolution petitions, responses, and final decrees. Conejos County residents can download these forms and bring them to the courthouse for filing. The clerk can answer procedural questions but cannot provide legal advice.

Historical Divorce Records

The Colorado State Archives holds historical Conejos County divorce records dating from 1896 to 1971. Both District Court and County Court records are available at the Archives for this time period. Conejos County has one of the most extensive historical divorce record collections at the State Archives, covering 75 years of cases.

Cases over 100 years old are fully public at the Archives. Newer records remain restricted until reaching the 100-year mark from the filing date. To access historical Conejos County divorce decrees, search the Archives database at archives.colorado.gov. You need the case number and approximate year. Submit a formal request through the Archives portal at archives.colorado.gov/request. Processing can take up to 10 business days.

For Conejos County divorce cases from 1971 to present, contact the Combined Court in Conejos directly. These records remain at the courthouse and have not been transferred to the State Archives. The court maintains all modern case files and can provide copies of decrees from any year after 1971.

Note: The Archives requires government-issued photo ID for access to restricted divorce records. If requesting by mail, include a copy of your ID with the request form.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Conejos County in the San Luis Valley region. Each maintains its own divorce records through the local District Court.