Court records in Colorado come in two layers, and most people mix them up. The first layer is the docket: who has a hearing, where and when. The second is the case file: the actual filings, orders and decrees. In La Plata County, the docket is free and online. The file takes a request. This page covers the lookup paths the courts themselves publish. It is not legal advice.
How do I search the La Plata County court docket?
The Colorado Judicial Branch runs a public docket search for every county. You pick the 6th Judicial District, then La Plata County, then the La Plata County Courthouse. Next, choose a court type, either county or district, and a date range. The options run from Today up to 6 Months.
The form wants at least one more filter besides the date. Your options:
- Case number: the four-digit year, a case class code and a sequence number
- Party: an individual by first and last name, or a business by name
- Attorney: by name or by bar number
Results show hearing dates, times, how long each is set, and the name on the case. A docket tells you what is scheduled. It does not give you the paperwork.
Where is the La Plata County Courthouse, and when is it open?
The courthouse is at 1060 East Second Avenue, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301, in the 6th Judicial District. The state's courthouse page lists these hours:
- Building: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Clerk's Office: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays
- Phone: 970-247-2304
- Email: laplataclerk@judicial.state.co.us
Two schedule traps are coming up. The Clerk's Office closes at 3 p.m. on Nov. 19 for a staff meeting. It is closed all day Nov. 11, Nov. 26 and Dec. 25. Nov. 11 falls on a Wednesday this year, so plan around it.
How do I get a copy of a court document?
The state's guide to public records says to use its online records request form for things like a divorce decree, a case disposition or any record from a specific case. After you submit it, the court location contacts you. You can also call the court or the probation department handling the case.
Three limits to know, all from that same state guide:
- Access to court records is not available directly through the Judicial Branch website
- Limited online access runs through third-party vendors, which the guide names as LexisNexis and Tessera Data, and they charge fees
- Commercial sites show a register of actions, but copies of documents come only from the court, and the state says the data there is not the official record of the court
Are all court records public?
Not all. The state's guide explains that court records are open for inspection under Chief Justice Directive 05-01 and a Supreme Court rule on public access. Criminal case records fall under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, which lets a records custodian deny inspection when the law, a court rule or an existing order prohibits it. Juvenile records mostly follow the Children's Code. The Judicial Branch also runs a Sealed Case Search, so some cases exist but cannot be read. The clerk's office can confirm what is available for a particular case.
Can I watch a La Plata County hearing?
Often, yes. The Judicial Branch offers a livestream page where you choose the courthouse. One rule changed this fall. A Chief Justice Directive pauses the presumption of livestreaming criminal proceedings in state trial courts from Sept. 15 to Dec. 14, 2026. Parties are also expected to appear in person unless they were approved to appear by phone or Webex.
Who helps people without a lawyer?
The 6th Judicial District has a Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator, reachable at 970-385-6179 or 6thselfhelp@judicial.state.co.us. The coordinator can point you to forms and online pro se resources. For paid help, browse Durango's attorneys or read our guide to Durango attorneys. To search for property documents, which the Clerk and Recorder handles instead, see looking up property records in La Plata County.