Located in Colorado, Jefferson County’s slogan is the “Gateway to the Rocky Mountain”. The County, formally organized in 1861, covers over 764.4 square miles. According to the United States Census Bureau, its estimated population as of 2020 is 582,910.

Courts in Jefferson County

There are three courts in Jefferson County, Colorado: the District Courts, County Courts, and Municipal Courts.

District Courts in Jefferson County have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. The court’s criminal division handles cases relating to felonious offenses and lesser-included offenses. The civil division, on the other hand, deals with general civil claims. These courts have no financial limit on the types of civil claims they can handle.

Like District Courts, County Courts in Jefferson handle criminal and civil cases. However, they have limited jurisdiction in the type of cases they can handle. Some of the criminal cases heard in the courts include cases related to petty offenses and preliminary hearings for all types of criminal cases. The civil cases heard in the courts include cases related to breach of contract, personal injury, and general civil claims. However, the court can only handle civil cases where the amount in dispute is $15,000 or less.

In Jefferson County, Municipal Courts share jurisdiction with District and County Courts in some cases. The courts handle cases of violations of county ordinances and issue warrants for city code violations.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Jefferson County

Public court records are documents emanating from the court and made available to the public upon request. To get access to these records, interested members of the public can visit the County Clerk’s Office to submit a records request. Requests submitted to the clerk must be submitted in writing and will typically be responded to within three business days. Alternatively, any interested person can search for the records online.

Types of Public Court Records in Jefferson County

The records that are made available to interested members of the public in Jefferson County include:

• Divorce Records
• Birth and Death Certificates
• Criminal Justice Records
• Property Records
• Historical Records

Confidential Court Records in Jefferson County

Confidential, as the name implies, means that these records are not accessible to members of the public. Only the parties involved are privy to these cases, along with their legal councils. Some confidential records in Jefferson County, Colorado, include:

• Juvenile Cases
• Cases Involving Sexual Assault Victims
• Domestic Violence Cases
• Mental Health Cases
• Adoption Cases

Juvenile Delinquency in Jefferson, CO

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Jefferson 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 895 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Jefferson County. Of that total, 88% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 791 court cases. Another 12% were dependency cases that accounted for 104 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Jefferson County, CO

https://www.colorado.gov/

County Seat:	Golden
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1861
Total Square Miles:	774
2019 Population:	574,613
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	100 Jefferson County Pkwy County Government Center Golden , CO 80419-5550 https://www.jeffco.us/

Jefferson County, CO Courts