Divorce Decree Records in Denver County

Denver County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Denver District Court, which serves as the 2nd Judicial District. Unlike all other Colorado judicial districts, Denver operates four separate constitutionally independent courts: District Court, County Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court. The District Court handles all dissolution of marriage cases and issues divorce decrees for Denver County residents. Civil and domestic matters, including divorce decrees, are processed at the City and County Building at 1437 Bannock Street in downtown Denver.

Denver District Court

The Denver District Court Clerk maintains all divorce decree records filed in Denver County. The Clerk's Office is located in Room 256 of the Denver City and County Building. Staff handle record requests, provide copies of decrees, and assist with case searches. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Denver County has a unique court structure. The Second Judicial District includes only Denver County, making it different from other districts that cover multiple counties. This means all divorce cases for Denver residents go through one court system. The District Court at the City and County Building processes all domestic relations cases, while criminal matters go to the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse at 520 West Colfax Avenue.

You can reach the Denver District Court to find out more about obtaining a divorce decree or search for case information. The records request email is denverdcrecordsrequest@judicial.state.co.us. For phone inquiries, call (303) 606-2300. Mail requests should be sent to Attn: Records Dept., 1437 Bannock St., Room 256, Denver, CO 80202.

Requesting Divorce Decrees

Denver County offers several ways to request divorce decree records. In-person visits to Room 256 work best when you need certified copies quickly. Staff can search for cases and provide copies while you wait if the file is readily available. Bring photo ID and be ready to pay copy fees.

Online requests can be submitted through the Colorado Judicial Branch records request form. Select Denver County and indicate you need divorce records. Provide the names of both parties and approximate date range. The court will contact you about fees and processing time. Most Denver requests are fulfilled within three business days under standard procedures.

Mail and email requests also work for Denver County divorce decrees. Email your request to denverdcrecordsrequest@judicial.state.co.us with case details and contact information. For mail, send your request to the Records Department at 1437 Bannock Street, Room 256, Denver, CO 80202. Include a check or money order for copy fees if you know the document length.

Fees follow the standard Colorado court schedule. Regular copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $20.00 per document. Parties to their own divorce case pay a maximum of $15.00 regardless of page count. Non-parties pay the full per-page rate. If you need a name search because you lack a case number, the fee is $5.00. Research fees of $30.00 per hour apply for complex requests.

Denver County Court Records

Denver County Court operates separately from the state court system. This court handles traffic, small claims, and misdemeanor cases but not divorce. All dissolution of marriage cases go through Denver District Court, not County Court. If you contact Denver County Court by mistake, they will redirect you to the District Court at the City and County Building.

For Denver County Court records on other matters, contact them at coradatarequests@denvercountycourt.org. Their website is denvercountycourt.org. But remember, divorce decrees come from the District Court only.

Finding Denver Divorce Records Online

CoCourts.com provides online access to Denver County divorce decree cases. This database covers the 2nd Judicial District and shows case filings, court dates, and decree entry dates. Searches cost $10.00 or less and return a Register of Action for each case. You can search by party name or case number to locate dissolution cases in Denver.

The Register of Action shows case activity but not the actual decree document. You see when the petition was filed, hearing dates, and when the final decree was entered. To get a copy of the decree itself, contact the Denver District Court after finding the case on CoCourts. The database helps you confirm the case number and filing date before making a records request.

Visit cocourts.com to search Denver County divorce records now. Denver County is included in the standard search at no extra charge. Background Information Services at bisi.com and Tessera Data at tesseradata.com also provide Denver court record searches, though Tessera is business-to-business only.

Denver Dissolution Process

Filing for dissolution in Denver County follows Colorado state law. Under C.R.S. § 14-10-106, one spouse must have lived in Colorado for 91 days before filing. The petition is filed at the District Court Clerk's office in Room 256 of the City and County Building. The filing fee is $230.00, which includes the displaced homemaker fee.

After filing, a 91-day waiting period begins. The court cannot enter a final decree until 91 days have passed since acquiring jurisdiction over the respondent. This wait applies to all Denver County dissolution cases. During this time, temporary orders for support or parenting time can be requested.

Denver County offers uncontested dissolution procedures. When both parties agree on all terms, the case can be finalized without a court hearing using form JDF 1018. The decree must still address all required elements under C.R.S. § 14-10-120. The clerk notifies the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment when a decree is entered, creating a verification record.

Denver provides local forms through their local forms page. These supplement the statewide JDF forms available through Colorado E-Forms. Self-represented parties can get help at the Self-Help Center in the courthouse.

Denver County Historical Records

The Colorado State Archives holds historical Denver County divorce records. Cases from 1862 to 1942 for District Court and 1867 to 1951 for County Court are available at the Archives. These older records are restricted for 100 years from the filing date. Cases over 100 years old are fully public.

To access Denver historical divorce decrees, search the Archives Search database. You need the case number and year. Submit a request through the Archives online portal at archives.colorado.gov/request. Processing takes up to 10 business days. The Archives is located at 1313 Sherman St., Room 1B-20, Denver, CO 80203.

For Denver divorce cases from 1942 to present, contact the Denver District Court directly. These cases remain at the courthouse and are not yet transferred to the Archives. The court maintains records indefinitely, so even older cases from the 1950s through 1990s are still available from the Clerk's office.

Denver City

The City of Denver is coterminous with Denver County. They share the same boundaries and government structure. All Denver residents file for dissolution at the Denver District Court. The city has a population over 715,000, making Denver County the most populous county in Colorado.

Nearby Counties

These counties surround Denver County. Each has its own District Court that handles divorce decrees for residents of that county. Make sure you file in the county where you or your spouse lives.