How to Search Washington County Court Records
Washington County court records are not searched through a county-made case portal. The free official starting point is the Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search, which shows court calendar and docket information. For Washington County, select the 13th Judicial District, Washington County, Washington Combined Court, and County Court or District Court if known. The docket tool is useful for hearing dates, case number checks, party searches, attorney searches, and basic case class filtering.
A docket search is not the same as a full court file. The Colorado Judicial Branch access guide says online court-record access is limited, and official copies must be requested from the court or through the online court-record request route. For Washington County, case documents, divorce decrees, dispositions, probate papers, and certified copies come from Washington Combined Court. Commercial vendors may show a register of actions for a fee, but they do not issue official copies.
- Open the Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search and choose Washington County filters when available.
- Add a non-date filter, such as party name, business name, case number, attorney name, or attorney bar number.
- Use the case class if known: CR for criminal, M for misdemeanor, T for traffic, DR for divorce, PR for probate, and CV or C for civil.
- Review the docket entries for hearing date, court type, case number, and party information.
- Request documents from Washington Combined Court if a certified copy, decree, disposition, or filed pleading is needed.
The official county directory lists Combined Courts, the Justice Center, the Sheriff, the County Clerk, and Inmate Information phone lines in one place.
That directory helps separate court-record questions from sheriff, jail, clerk, and county administrative record requests.
Washington County Court Search Fields
The docket form is field driven. It works best when the searcher has at least one detail beyond the date range. For rural Washington County searches, narrowing to the Washington Combined Court and the correct court type can reduce false matches from other Colorado counties.
| Field | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Judicial District | Narrows the court system | Washington County is in the 13th Judicial District. |
| County | Limits results by county | Select Washington County when searching local cases. |
| Courthouse | Limits by court location | Use Washington Combined Court for local state cases. |
| Court Type | Separates County Court and District Court | Use Both if the level is not known. |
| Case Number | Searches by year, class, and sequence | Classes include CR, M, T, DR, PR, CV, and related codes. |
| Party or Attorney | Searches people, businesses, or counsel | At least one filter besides date is required. |
Note: Docket results should be confirmed with the court before relying on them for appearance, payment, or certified-copy needs.
Washington County Judicial System
Washington County is part of Colorado's unified state trial-court system. The local court location is Washington Combined Court in Akron, where District Court and County Court functions share one public counter and clerk contact. District Court is the general jurisdiction trial court for felony, divorce, probate, juvenile, mental health, and civil cases in any amount. County Court handles misdemeanors, traffic infractions, civil cases under $25,000, small claims, protection orders, and felony complaints before transfer.
Appeals follow the Colorado court structure. County Court decisions may be reviewed by District Court. District Court decisions usually go to the Colorado Court of Appeals, with further review by the Colorado Supreme Court in selected matters. Water Courts also exist in Colorado, but they are organized by river basin instead of by a Washington County courthouse counter.
The Colorado trial courts overview explains how District, County, Water, and appellate courts fit together statewide.
That statewide structure matters because Washington County users often search state tools first, then contact the Akron court location for local file copies.
| Court or Office | Local Role | Records or Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Combined Court | Shared local court counter | District Court and County Court case access |
| District Court | General jurisdiction trial court | Felony, divorce, probate, juvenile, civil, mental health |
| County Court | Limited jurisdiction trial court | Misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, civil under $25,000 |
| Washington County Sheriff | Justice Center and jail records | Custody, incident, civil process, sheriff-held warrant questions |
| County Clerk and Recorder | County records office | Marriage licenses, recording, elections, motor vehicle, CORA routing |
Washington County Courthouse Contacts
The most important local split is physical as well as legal. Court and sheriff functions are at the Justice Center campus on Highway 34. County Clerk and Recorder functions are at the county administrative building in Akron. A person who needs a divorce decree, criminal case disposition, traffic case copy, or probate file should start with Washington Combined Court. A person who needs a marriage license, recorded deed, election record, motor vehicle service, or county administrative record should start with the Clerk and Recorder.
The Washington Combined Court location page lists the local court address, phone, fax, email, hours, jury line, and courthouse information.
The court location page is the best source for day-of-hearing contact details and public counter information.
Washington Combined Court
26861 Hwy 34
P.O. Box 455
Akron, CO 80720
970-345-2756
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Washington County Sheriff's Office
26861 Hwy 34
Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-2244
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
County Clerk and Recorder
150 Ash Avenue / P.O. Box L
Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-6565
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Washington County Court Record Types
Washington County court records include civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, juvenile, mental health, and protection-order matters. Civil cases may be in County Court or District Court based on amount and subject. Criminal court records split by stage and severity, with misdemeanor and traffic matters commonly in County Court and felony cases in District Court after filing or transfer. Domestic relations cases, including divorce and separation, are District Court records.
Probate matters are not handled by a separate local probate court. Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust registration matters are District Court probate matters. Traffic records are court records when they concern a citation, hearing, plea, fine, or disposition, but they are different from Colorado DMV driver records. Juvenile and mental health files are more restricted than ordinary adult civil files.
- Civil records: complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments, garnishments, and satisfaction documents.
- Criminal records: advisements, complaints or informations, bonds, pleas, motions, dispositions, sentences, probation, and restitution.
- Family records: divorce petitions, responses, financial statements, parenting plans, support worksheets, decrees, and permanent orders.
- Probate records: wills, estates, letters, inventories, accountings, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust filings.
- Traffic records: citation number, charge, court date, plea, fine, costs, disposition, and payment status.
What Washington County Records Show
Colorado docket and court records use case numbers, party names, court location, court type, case class, dates, event entries, and financial information. The docket may show a hearing or status entry, while the official court file may hold the pleading, motion, order, decree, judgment, probate letter, or sentence. Certified copies must come from the court, not from a commercial search result.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Year, class, and sequence used to identify the court file. |
| Court Location | Judicial district, county, courthouse, and court type. |
| Parties | Names and roles such as plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent. |
| Events | Advisement, hearing, arraignment, motion, trial, sentencing, review, or status entries. |
| Financial Terms | Fines, fees, costs, restitution, bond, payment plans, and payment eligibility. |
| Restrictions | Redactions for minors, protected addresses, financial accounts, sealed cases, or juvenile matters. |
Washington County Public Access Laws
Public access in Washington County depends on the custodian and the kind of record. Colorado court records are governed by Judicial Branch access rules and court policy. County administrative records are generally handled under the Colorado Open Records Act. Sheriff's Office, jail, incident, arrest, and criminal justice records are handled under Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act rules and custodian decisions.
Key access rules:
Colorado Open Records Act supports public inspection of many government records unless an exception applies.
Colorado Judicial Branch public-records guidance explains court-record requests, vendor access, court data requests, CCJRA, CJD 05-01, and P.A.I.R.R. rules.
C.R.S. section 13-3-117 sealed-case search is a defendant-only path for confirming certain automatically sealed conviction records.
C.R.S. section 19-1-301 et seq. controls juvenile record access and should not be treated like adult case access.
Restricted Washington County Records
Not every Washington County court record is public. Juvenile delinquency, dependency and neglect, adoption, mental health, protected-address, minor, sealed, and some victim-related information may be closed, redacted, or available only to parties, attorneys, agencies, or by court order. The Colorado Judicial Branch sealed-case page warns that sealed records still exist, but they are not accessible to the public.
A person checking whether an eligible conviction was automatically sealed must use the official sealed-case search as the defendant. Other sealing paths may require court forms, a petition, a motion, or a review of the exact case outcome and waiting period. Washington Combined Court can explain copy eligibility, but it cannot provide legal advice.
Washington County Sheriff and Jail
The Washington County Sheriff's Office and Justice Center share the Highway 34 campus with the court. The sheriff homepage names Sheriff Robbie Furrow and gives the non-emergency office line. The county directory also lists a separate Inmate Information number. No official Washington County online jail roster was located in the research, so custody checks rely on phone, in-person contact, records requests, and state resources where appropriate.
County jail custody is different from state prison custody. People arrested locally, held pretrial, serving local sentences, or awaiting court may be handled by the sheriff. People sentenced to state prison are searched through the Colorado Department of Corrections inmate locator. HomeWAV is used for jail visitation, video, and phone communication, but no separate sheriff app with app-only warrant or inmate lookup was found.
Marriage Divorce and Probate Records
Marriage and civil union licenses are handled by the Washington County Clerk and Recorder, not by the court clerk. The local license fee is $30. At least one party must apply in person before the clerk or deputy, both parties must complete and sign the application, and valid ID is required. A completed certificate must be returned to the issuing Clerk and Recorder within 63 days or late fees apply.
Divorce records and decrees are District Court records. For a Washington County divorce decree, contact Washington Combined Court. Colorado vital records can provide verification of marriage, civil union, or dissolution, but a divorce decree itself comes from the court file. Probate matters, including estates, wills, guardianships, and conservatorships, are also District Court matters in Washington County.
| Item | Fee or Rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage or civil union license | $30.00 |
| Late certificate return | $20.00 plus $5.00 per additional day, maximum $50.00 |
| Court case documents | Costs may apply through court records request channels |
| Commercial court-record vendor search | Charges apply and official copies are not supplied by the vendor |
Washington County Clerk Records
The elected Washington County Clerk and Recorder is Annie Kuntz. Her office handles elections, voter registration, motor vehicle and driver license services as an agent for the Colorado Department of Revenue, marriage and civil union licenses, liquor licensing, recording, and clerk duties for the Board of County Commissioners. The Recording Department keeps real estate and other legal documents for public reference, including records maintained through microfilm and optical images.
The Clerk and Recorder office says some records date back to 1865 and that records are open to the public. Certified copies are available for a fee, although the research did not locate a specific certified-copy amount. These county records are separate from District Court and County Court case files.
The Washington County homepage identifies local government context, while the county directory lists the county clerk, court, sheriff, justice center, and inmate information contacts.
The county homepage adds local context, including Akron's role as county seat and the split between county administration and the court campus.
Washington County Record Limits
Online information can lag behind the official court file. Docket search may show hearing dates before a document copy is available. A payment made after 4:00 p.m. through the Colorado Judicial online payment system may apply the next business day. A warrant may not clear from all systems at the same moment the court recalls it. A sheriff record may be withheld in part when active investigation, juvenile, medical, victim, or sealed information applies.
The safest approach is to use online tools for leads, then confirm with the custodian. For court records, contact Washington Combined Court. For sheriff and jail records, contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office. For county recording, marriage, elections, and county CORA routing, contact the Clerk and Recorder. For state prison custody, use CDOC.
Note: Colorado court fraud alerts warn that courts do not call to demand payment for missed jury service.
Washington County Court History
Washington County was created by an act of the Colorado General Assembly on February 9, 1887, and was named for George Washington. Akron is the county seat. The county describes itself as a large rural eastern Colorado county with farming, ranching, wheat production, and local landmarks such as Fremont's Butte and Rocking Chair.
That geography shapes records access. Visitors may travel long distances across agricultural roads, and the court and sheriff campus is not the same place as the county administrative office. Recent Colorado Judicial Branch notices also placed 13th Judicial District nominating commission activity at Washington Combined Court for a new district judgeship created by SB25-024, effective July 1, 2026. That is district-wide context, not a new Washington-only court.
The Washington County trial court page carries current local court notices, including payment-plan contact information and public defender routing.
Local notices are especially important for court dates, collections, public defender applications, and fraud alerts tied to jury or appearance scams.
Washington County Court Terms
Case records use terms that mean specific things in Colorado court practice. A few definitions help avoid treating an arrest, a charge, a docket entry, and a conviction as the same event.
- Complaint
- The first pleading that states civil claims or criminal charges.
- Information
- A charging document filed by the prosecutor in a criminal case.
- Disposition
- The final outcome of a charge or case.
- Advisement
- An early hearing where rights and possible charges are explained and bond is often addressed.
- Mittimus
- A court order committing a person to custody after sentence.
Washington County Court Records FAQ
Can I search Washington County court cases online?
Yes, docket and calendar information can be searched through the Colorado Judicial Branch Docket Search. The tool does not provide the full official case file. Certified copies, decrees, dispositions, and filed documents must be requested from Washington Combined Court or through the Judicial Branch records request process.
Where do I get Washington County divorce records?
Divorce decrees are District Court records. Contact Washington Combined Court for Washington County divorce paperwork or decree copies. Colorado vital records may verify a dissolution, but it does not replace the court decree.
Does Washington County have an online jail roster?
No official Washington County online jail roster was located in the research. Call the Sheriff's Office or the county directory's Inmate Information line for custody questions. Use CDOC only for state-prison inmates.
Which office handles marriage records?
The Washington County Clerk and Recorder handles marriage and civil union licenses, certified record requests, and recorded county documents. That office is separate from the court clerk at Washington Combined Court.
Are sealed cases public?
No. Sealed records are not available to the public, although the records still exist. Colorado's sealed-case search is limited and may be used only by the defendant for the automatic-sealing path described by the Judicial Branch.
Can online payment clear a warrant?
Only the court or sheriff can confirm warrant status. Paying fines or costs online does not necessarily clear a warrant unless the court says that payment resolves the issue and recalls or quashes the warrant.