Boulder County Dissolution Records
Dissolution of marriage records in Boulder County are maintained by the Combined Court in the 20th Judicial District. The Boulder County Justice Center at 1777 6th Street in Boulder handles all domestic relations cases including divorce, legal separation, and allocation of parental responsibilities for the county. You can request records online through the state records request form, visit the clerk's office in person, or use authorized third-party search databases to view case information and public docket entries for Boulder County cases.
Boulder County Quick Facts
Boulder County Justice Center
The Boulder County Justice Center is a combined court that handles both district and county court cases. District Court takes dissolution of marriage cases, felony criminal matters, and large civil claims. County Court deals with misdemeanor crimes, traffic violations, small claims, and protection orders not related to domestic relations. When you need to file for dissolution, you file with the District Court division of the combined court.
Boulder County is part of the 20th Judicial District. This district only includes Boulder County, which makes it simpler than districts that cover multiple counties. The court's main page is at coloradojudicial.gov/courts/trial-courts/boulder-county and provides contact information, local forms, and details about filing procedures for all case types in Boulder County.
Filing fees in Boulder County match the statewide schedule. A petition for dissolution costs $260 under C.R.S. § 13-32-101. A response costs $146 if the other party files one. These fees went up in January 2025 when new legislation took effect. If you cannot afford the fees, you can ask for a fee waiver by filing an affidavit. The court will review your income and expenses to decide if you qualify.
The clerk's office can answer questions about the filing process. Call the main number or stop by the Justice Center during business hours. Staff can tell you what forms you need and explain local procedures. They cannot give legal advice, but they can help you understand court rules and deadlines.
Start A Dissolution Case
To file in Boulder County, at least one spouse must meet the 91-day residency requirement. This rule is in C.R.S. § 14-10-106. You need to live in Colorado for 91 days before you can file. The purpose is to make sure Colorado has a real connection to the case.
Colorado uses a no-fault standard for dissolution. The only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You do not need to prove adultery, abuse, or abandonment. If one spouse says the marriage is irretrievably broken, that is enough. The court does not assign blame. It focuses on dividing property, determining support, and making parenting plans if there are children.
When you file a petition, an automatic temporary injunction takes effect. This injunction is required by C.R.S. § 14-10-107 and applies to both spouses right away. It prevents either party from selling assets, taking children out of state, or changing beneficiaries on insurance policies without court approval. The injunction stays in place until the case is resolved or a judge modifies it. The goal is to protect both parties and keep things stable while the case proceeds.
After filing, the other party must be served with the petition and summons. They have time to file a response. The court cannot enter a final decree until at least 91 days have passed since the respondent was served or filed their first paper in the case. This waiting period gives both sides time to work out agreements on property, support, and parenting. Some cases settle quickly. Others take longer if the parties cannot agree on major issues.
Request Boulder County Records
Boulder County dissolution records are public unless sealed by court order. Most decrees and orders are available to anyone who requests them. You can use the online records request form at coloradojudicial.gov/recorddocument-request-form to submit a request. Fill in the case type, party names, and case number if you know it. The clerk's office will contact you about fees and how to get the documents.
Email requests also work. Send your request to the records email for the court with details about the case. Include full names of both parties, approximate dates, and the case number if available. Staff typically respond within three business days. They will let you know what records are available and what the cost will be.
In-person requests are handled at the Justice Center. Visit during business hours and ask the clerk's office for help finding a case. You can search by party name or case number. Staff can tell you if the file is available on-site or if it is stored elsewhere. If you are a party to the case, bring a government-issued photo ID to access restricted documents that are not available to the general public.
Third-party databases like CoCourts.com provide online access to the register of actions for Boulder County cases. These sites show case activity, filed documents, and hearing dates. They do not provide copies of the actual documents. For full case files or certified copies, you must contact the court directly.
Fees For Copies And Records
Boulder County uses the state fee schedule for copying court documents. Regular copies cost $0.25 per single-sided page and $0.50 per double-sided page. Parties to the case pay a maximum of $15 for copies regardless of the number of pages. Non-parties pay per page with no cap.
Certified copies are $20 per document. A certified copy has a seal and the clerk's signature. Use certified copies when you need to prove the document's authenticity for legal or official purposes. Regular copies are fine if you just need the information for personal reference and do not have to submit them to another agency or court.
Some requests cost more if extra work is involved. If the court must retrieve a file from off-site storage, you pay the actual cost of retrieval. If the request takes more than one hour of staff time for research or redaction, the court charges $30 per hour in 15-minute increments. Ask the clerk for a cost estimate before submitting a complicated request so you know what to expect.
Historical Boulder County Divorce Records
Boulder County has some historical divorce records stored at the Colorado State Archives. According to the Archives, Boulder County Court has records from 1904 to 1918 and Boulder County District Court has records from 1904 to 1912. These old records are available for research and genealogy purposes.
If you need a divorce record from that time period, contact the State Archives at 303-866-2358 or visit archives.colorado.gov/collections/legal-records/divorce-records for more information. The Archives has restrictions on records under 100 years old. Only the decree is publicly accessible for records less than 100 years old. Full case files are restricted until they reach 100 years.
For records outside the time frames held by the Archives, contact the Boulder County Justice Center. The court maintains more recent records and can tell you what is available for the time period you need.
Divide Property In Boulder County
Property division in Boulder County follows C.R.S. § 14-10-113, which requires equitable division of marital property. Equitable means fair but not always equal. The court looks at many factors. How long were you married? What did each spouse contribute? What is the economic situation of each party? Did one spouse stay home to care for children while the other worked?
Separate property is not divided. Separate property includes assets owned before the marriage or received as a gift or inheritance during the marriage. Marital property includes most things acquired during the marriage. The court divides marital property based on what seems fair given the circumstances of the case. Each case is different.
Spousal maintenance may be awarded if one spouse needs financial support after the dissolution. The rules are in C.R.S. § 14-10-114. The statute includes advisory guidelines that help judges calculate the amount and duration of maintenance payments. The guidelines are not mandatory but most judges use them as a starting point. The final decision depends on the income of both spouses, the length of the marriage, and the financial needs of each party.
Cities In Boulder County
Boulder County includes several cities. Residents of these cities file dissolution cases with the Boulder County District Court. The following cities in Boulder County have pages with additional information:
Nearby Counties
Boulder County is adjacent to several other counties. If you are unsure which county to file in, file where you or your spouse lives. Adjacent counties include: