Douglas County was created as one of the original counties in the State of Colorado. As of 2020, about 357,978 individuals resided in the county. The county has five municipalities, including Castle Rock, which serves as the county seat.

Courts in Douglas County

Douglas County is part of the 18th Judicial District of the Colorado Judicial Branch. The county’s District Court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving any amount in disputes that concern property damage, breach of contract, landlord-tenant issues, or equitable claims. This court also handles different cases, including criminal matters, domestic relations, juvenile justice, probate proceedings, and mental health cases.

The County Court's jurisdiction includes misdemeanor crimes, felony complaints, protective orders, and civil cases in which the amount in dispute is $25,000 or less. Small claims matter where the monetary compensations do not exceed $7,500 are also heard by the County Court.

The Municipal Courts in Douglas County are located in Parker, Castle Rock, Castle Pines, and Larkspur. These courts handle cases involving violations of local ordinances, such as traffic offenses, parking violations, animal complaints, and misdemeanors that have occurred within their territorial jurisdictions.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Douglas County

Public court records in Douglas County are available at the Court Clerk's Office, which is located at the Douglas County Courthouse. The Clerk serves as the custodian of court records and makes them available to individuals who wish to inspect them. Anyone interested in obtaining copies of court records can request them from the Clerk’s Office in person or by mail. Public court records in Douglas County are also accessible online.

Types of Public Court Records in Douglas County

Unless sealed, anyone can access the following types of public court records in Douglas County:

• Criminal Court Records - Including felony and misdemeanor case records, such as dockets, charges, and judgments
• Civil Court Records - Including details of civil court cases involving any amount, such as personal injury claims, property damage, and breaches of contract
• Probate Court Records - Documents and other court information of decedent estates, wills, trusts, and other probate matters
• Small Claims Court Records - Including court details of minor civil disputes that involve claims up to $7,500
• Family Court Records - Non-confidential documents and information of domestic relation cases, divorces, child custody and support, and other cases of family-related matters

Confidential Court Records in Douglas County

Colorado laws prohibit the disclosure of specified court records in Douglas County or anywhere else in the state. Such records are confidential and may only be accessed by the parties involved in the case or individuals with court orders that permit them to inspect such information. Unlike public court records, confidential records in Douglas County are not available to the general public.

Some examples of confidential court records in Colorado are:

• Adoption records
• Sealed criminal records
• Juvenile records
• Mental health records
• Medical records
• Sexual offense victims’ identifying information
• Records containing Social Security numbers
• Financial information, such as bank account numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Douglas, CO

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Douglas County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Colorado often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 455 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Douglas County. Of that total, 88% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 400 court cases. Another 12% were dependency cases that accounted for 55 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Douglas County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Douglas County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Douglas County, CO

https://www.colorado.gov/

County Seat:	Castle Rock
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1861
Total Square Miles:	843
2019 Population:	335,299
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	100 Third Street County Administration Building Castle Rock , CO 80104-2425 http://www.douglas.co.us/

Douglas County, CO Courts