Search Arapahoe County Court Dockets

What Is a Court Docket in Arapahoe County

A court docket is a chronological list of every filing and event in a case. Each time something happens, a docket entry is added. The entry records the date, the type of event, and often the party or attorney involved. In Arapahoe County, docket entries come from both the District Court, which sits at the Justice Center in Centennial, and the County Court, which operates at both the Justice Center and the Littleton Courthouse. Together these courts produce thousands of docket entries each week across civil, criminal, family, traffic, and small claims matters.

The word "docket" has two common uses in Colorado courts, and it matters which one you mean. The first is a case docket, meaning the running list of everything filed or ordered in a single case. The second is a court calendar or docket schedule, meaning a list of matters set for hearing on a given day in a specific division or courtroom. The free tool at coloradojudicial.gov/dockets returns calendar schedules, not full case histories. If you want the full register of actions for a case, that requires either an authorized vendor or a direct records request from the 18th Judicial District.

Arapahoe County became the sole county in the 18th Judicial District after 2025, when Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties moved to the new 23rd Judicial District. That means every state trial-court docket in Arapahoe County, whether District Court or County Court, is now filtered under one district label in the docket search tool.

The Free Arapahoe County Docket Schedule Search

The Colorado Judicial Branch docket search at coloradojudicial.gov/dockets is free and open to the public. It covers all Colorado trial courts, including both Arapahoe County locations. The tool returns hearing schedules, not court files. You can see when a case is set, in which division, and on what date. You cannot download filed documents or read orders through this tool.

The search form requires a date range plus at least one additional filter before it will return results. Setting the Judicial District to the 18th, or choosing Arapahoe County in the County field, or picking a courthouse from the Courthouse dropdown, qualifies as that additional filter. From there you can add a party name, case number, attorney name, attorney bar number, or division number to narrow results further. The form supports both individual and company name searches and lets you search by attorney bar number if you only have that identifier.

The screenshot below shows the Colorado Judicial Branch docket search interface available at coloradojudicial.gov/dockets.

The docket search covers both Arapahoe County Justice Center and Arapahoe County Courthouse - Littleton, letting you filter results to a specific location when the courthouse is known.

Note: The docket search tool displays schedules in real time from the Colorado Judicial Department electronic database but is not the official court record and does not represent all case types.

Docket Search Fields for Arapahoe County

The docket search form at coloradojudicial.gov/dockets has a specific set of fields. Knowing what each one does helps you find the right hearing fast. For Arapahoe County searches, the most useful filters are Judicial District set to 18th, County set to Arapahoe County, and either a party name or case number to narrow from there.

How to Search Arapahoe County Dockets Step by Step

The steps below follow the free Colorado Judicial Branch docket search. It takes less than two minutes once you know what you are looking for. Have the case number or the party name ready before you start.

1. Go to the docket search page. Open coloradojudicial.gov/dockets in your browser. No account or login is needed.
2. Set the date range. Enter a start date and end date for the hearing window you want to check. A two-week window works for most upcoming hearings. The search requires a date range as the base filter.
3. Filter to Arapahoe County. Open the Judicial District dropdown and select 18th Judicial District, or open the County dropdown and select Arapahoe County. Either one qualifies as the required second filter. If you know the courthouse, also select Arapahoe County Justice Center or Arapahoe County Courthouse - Littleton in the Courthouse field.
4. Add a name or case number. Enter the party last name, party first name, or the case number in the matching fields. If you have an attorney bar number, switch the attorney type radio to Bar Number and enter it. Leave fields blank if you want all scheduled matters for the date range and location.
5. Click Find Dockets. The results list shows hearing dates, times, divisions, case numbers, and party names for each scheduled matter that matches your filters.
6. Read the schedule entry. Note the division number. Division numbers match the judge or magistrate tables on the official Arapahoe judges and staff page. For example, Division 201 is Chief Judge Michelle Amico; Division 306 is County Court Judge Garen Gervey.
7. Confirm if needed. Docket schedules can change. If the hearing is critical, call the court at 303-645-6600 to confirm the date, time, and room before you appear.

District Court vs County Court Dockets in Arapahoe County

Arapahoe County has two types of state trial courts that generate their own docket calendars. Knowing which court handles a case tells you where to look and who to contact.

The Arapahoe County District Court is a general-jurisdiction court. It hears felony criminal cases, civil cases of any dollar amount, domestic relations and divorce matters, probate, juvenile, and mental health cases. District Court cases show division numbers in the 200 and 300 range at the Justice Center. The District Court page has the full list of judges and their division numbers. The District Court is the main court for divorce decrees, custody orders, major civil judgments, and felony sentencing records.

The Arapahoe County Court is a limited-jurisdiction trial court. It handles civil cases under $25,000, misdemeanors, traffic infractions and violations, small claims, and protection orders. County Court cases run in divisions labeled 301, 304, 306, 401, 404, 405, and others, as well as the A1 and A2 courtrooms at the Littleton location. Small claims petitions must be filed at the Littleton Courthouse specifically. The County Court is also the starting point for felony complaints that may be bound over to District Court.

Both courts appear in the same free docket search tool. Use the Court dropdown after selecting a courthouse to filter to just District Court or just County Court results.

Arapahoe County Docket Schedule vs Full Case Record

These are two different things. A docket schedule shows when hearings are set. A full case register of actions shows everything that has ever happened in a case. The Colorado Judicial Branch free tool gives you the schedule. The full history requires either an authorized vendor or a direct request from the court.

The official Judicial Branch access guide explains that limited online case-record access is available through authorized third-party vendors. Vendors listed in that guide include Background Information Services, LexisNexis Colorado Courts Record Search (CoCourts at cocourts.com), and Tessera Data. Vendor access covers civil, small claims, domestic, felony, misdemeanor, and traffic case registers. Vendors charge fees; contact each vendor for current pricing. Document copies, meaning the actual pleadings, orders, and transcripts, cannot be obtained from vendors and must come from the court directly.

For a divorce decree, certified disposition, or other document with legal weight, submit a records request to the Arapahoe Court Records Team at 18records@judicial.state.co.us or by mail to 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. The team responds within 3 business days. Phone inquiries go to 303-645-3814. See the Arapahoe County court records page for the full request process.

Sample Arapahoe County Docket Entry Types

Every docket entry in an Arapahoe County case has a date, an event type, and usually a party or filing label. The entry types below are drawn from the Colorado court record field inventory and represent what appears in both District Court and County Court registers. Not every case has every entry type; the list varies by case class.

For Arapahoe County criminal records, docket entries also include advisements, plea entries, and probation violation filings. For traffic court records, common entries include citation, plea, fine/costs, failure-to-appear, and disposition.

Types of Hearings on Arapahoe County Docket Calendars

Arapahoe County District Court and County Court run dozens of different hearing types each week. The type of hearing tells you what stage the case is at and what is likely to happen that day. The division number on the docket schedule tells you which judge or magistrate is presiding.

• Advisement: Early criminal hearing where the judge informs the defendant of the charges, rights, and conditions of bond. Often the first appearance after arrest.
• Arraignment: Criminal hearing where the defendant enters a formal plea. May follow the initial advisement in felony cases.
• Preliminary hearing: Felony hearing where the prosecution must show probable cause that the crime was committed and that the defendant did it. If probable cause is found, the case is bound over to District Court.
• Motions hearing: The court hears arguments on one or more pending motions, such as a motion to suppress evidence or a motion for summary judgment.
• Status conference / case management: Short check-in where the parties update the court on discovery, settlement talks, or readiness for trial.
• Pretrial conference: Final preparation hearing before trial; parties often narrow issues and try to reach a resolution.
• Trial: The full hearing where evidence is presented and a verdict is reached. Bench trials are decided by the judge; jury trials require jury selection first.
• Sentencing: Criminal hearing after a conviction where the judge imposes the sentence.

Family and domestic-relations divisions add hearing types such as temporary orders hearings, permanent orders hearings, modification hearings, and contempt hearings. Probate divisions hold hearings on estate filings, guardianship petitions, and conservatorship reviews. All of these appear on the docket calendar and are searchable through the free tool when the division and date range are set.

Weekend Bond Hearings in Arapahoe County

Arapahoe County holds weekend bond hearings on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. These hearings are conducted via Webex and are listed on the official Arapahoe County court page as a standing calendar item. The hearing allows defendants who were arrested before the weekend to have their bond reviewed without waiting until Monday for regular court to open.

Bond hearings are short. The judge reviews the charges, the defendant's background, and any flight-risk or public-safety factors, then sets or modifies the bond amount and conditions. Under Colorado law, a defendant held on a money bond has the right to bond paperwork showing the next court date. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Detention Facility, located at 7375 South Potomac Street in Centennial, is where defendants are held pending the bond hearing. The facility is open 24 hours and can be reached at 720-874-3500.

Weekend bond hearings appear in the docket search tool just like any other scheduled hearing. Filter to the 18th Judicial District, set the date to the Saturday in question, and search for the party name or case number. If bond is set and paid, the facility must release the defendant within six hours after all required payments are received, unless extraordinary circumstances apply or electronic monitoring fitting is required, in which case up to 24 hours is allowed.

Arapahoe County Courthouse Locations for Docket Searches

The docket search tool lists both Arapahoe County courthouses by their official names. Knowing which location handles which matters saves time when you filter the search.

The image below comes from the official Arapahoe County judges and staff page on the Colorado Judicial Branch website.

The judges and staff page lists every judge, magistrate, and key court officer by division number, which matches the division column in docket search results. Chief Judge Michelle Amico presides over Division 201 and leads the 18th Judicial District.

Court hours at both locations are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on state holidays. Protection orders must be filed before 4:00 p.m. for same-day processing. The court does not accept faxed documents. Interpreter services are available; contact the interpreter coordinator at 303-645-6857 or 18interpreter@judicial.state.co.us ahead of your court date.

Note: RTD bus route 66 stops near East Fremont Avenue and South Potomac Street, close to the Justice Center campus. Allow extra time for security screening before entering either courthouse.

How to Read an Arapahoe County Docket Entry

Docket entries use standard court terms that can be hard to parse if you have not seen them before. The definition block below covers the most common terms you will see in Arapahoe County dockets. Understanding these terms helps you know what stage a case is at and what each entry means.

Docket

The chronological schedule or list of filings and events in a case. In the free search tool, it refers to the calendar of scheduled hearings.

Register of actions

The full chronological log of every filing, order, and event in a case. More detailed than the docket schedule; available through authorized vendors or by direct court request.

Disposition

The final or current outcome of a charge or case. Examples: dismissed, guilty plea, not guilty verdict, judgment entered, case closed.

Continuance

A postponement of a hearing or deadline to a later date. Common in both civil and criminal matters.

Bond

Money or conditions set by the court to secure a defendant's release and guarantee future court appearances.

Mittimus

A court order committing a defendant to custody or directing the start of a sentence. The mittimus is the official order the detention facility receives.

Bench warrant

A warrant issued by the judge, usually because a party failed to appear at a scheduled hearing.

Personal recognizance (PR bond)

Release based on the defendant's promise to appear rather than payment of money. No cash is required upfront.

Case numbers in Colorado courts follow a pattern of year, case class, and sequence number. The case class tells you the court and case type at a glance. For example, "2024 CV 001234" is a civil case filed in 2024. When using the docket search, enter the case number in the split fields matching year, class, and sequence.

Requesting Copies of Arapahoe County Docket Entries and Court Records

The free docket schedule search does not give you copies of filed documents. For copies of orders, decrees, judgments, transcripts, or any filed pleading, you need to contact the Arapahoe Court Records Team directly. The court offers submission by email or U.S. mail and responds within 3 business days.

To request records, use the official Arapahoe records request form available through the 18th Judicial District records request PDF. Submit by email to 18records@judicial.state.co.us or by mail to Arapahoe Court, Attn: Records Requests, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. For phone inquiries call 303-645-3814. The court does not accept faxed requests.

Certified copies carry legal weight and are needed for things like proving a divorce decree or presenting a court order. Plain copies are suitable for most research purposes. The official Colorado Judicial Branch public records access guide explains the full framework, including what categories of records may be restricted and how to request access to sealed or confidential files when a party has standing to do so.

Some records are not available to the public. Juvenile case records, sealed criminal records, adoption records, mental health proceedings, and dependency/neglect files are restricted by statute and court rule. If you believe you have standing to access a restricted file, consult the self-help resources at the Arapahoe County self-help page or contact the Clerk of Court office directly.

Related Arapahoe County Court Resources

Court dockets connect to several other record types. The docket schedule shows when cases are set; the underlying records tell the full story. The resources below cover the most common next steps after a docket search.

For full case files, copies of orders, or certified records, the Arapahoe County court records page covers the request process in detail. For felony and misdemeanor criminal case records, including arrest history and disposition information, see Arapahoe County criminal records. Traffic citations and violations appear in County Court docket calendars; the traffic court records page covers how to search by citation number and what traffic case records contain. For court contact information, judicial officer lists, and the physical location of each court, the District Court page and the Clerk of Court page have the detailed breakdowns you need.