Morgan County Court Records Search
ColoradoCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on ColoradoCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
Morgan County, Colorado, generates court records through a multi-court judicial system that handles the full range of criminal, civil, domestic, juvenile, probate, and traffic matters. These records document everything from initial filings and motions to final judgments and sentencing orders, and they serve as the official account of proceedings heard in the county’s courts. Whether you are researching a specific case, verifying a court outcome, or tracking an estate proceeding, knowing which court maintains the records you need and how to request them is essential.
Finding Court Records in Morgan County
In Colorado, court records can be accessed through several channels: in person at the clerk’s office, through an online records request submitted to the court, via public access terminals at the courthouse, or through state-authorized commercial vendors that provide real-time register-of-actions data. ColoradoCourts.us may help users identify where publicly available case information is held and point toward official Colorado Judicial Branch resources. For document copies, the court clerk remains the definitive source.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Morgan County?
Morgan County’s trial courts are consolidated under the Morgan Combined Court, part of Colorado’s 13th Judicial District. The Combined Court handles District Court matters (felonies, civil cases, domestic relations, juvenile, and probate) and County Court matters (misdemeanors, small claims, and civil cases up to $25,000) from a single location.
Morgan Combined Court — Clerk of Court
Address: 400 Warner Street, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
Phone: (970) 542-5200
Fax: (970) 542-7091
Email: MorganClerksOffice@judicial.state.co.us
Office Hours:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
There are three ways to request records from the Combined Court:
- In person — Visit the clerk’s office at the address above during business hours. Bring a government-issued photo ID and any case identifying information you have (case number, party names, or date of birth).
- Online request form — The Colorado Judicial Branch offers an online records request form that routes your request to the appropriate court location. The clerk will follow up with fee and fulfillment details.
- Approved commercial vendor search — The Colorado Judicial Branch’s Access Guide to Public Records lists state-authorized vendors (including Background Information Services, LexisNexis Colorado Courts Record Search, and Tessera Data) that provide real-time register-of-actions data for civil, small claims, domestic, felony, misdemeanor, and traffic cases. These vendors charge subscription or per-search fees. Importantly, document copies are not available through these vendors—only case summary data.
For court docket information, the Morgan County docket search on the Colorado Judicial Branch website allows searches by party name, case number, or docket date.
Standard court record fees established by the Colorado Judicial Branch:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain paper copies | $0.25 per page |
| Certified copy (per document) | $20.00 |
| Staff research time (first hour) | Free |
| Staff research time (subsequent hours) | $30.00 per hour |
| Transcript of Judgment | $25.00 |
| Certificate of Satisfaction | $20.00 |
Are Court Records Public in Morgan County?
Court records in Morgan County are presumptively open to the public under two primary authorities. The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) establishes a general right of access to government-held records, while Chief Justice Directive 05-01 (CJD 05-01) specifically governs how Colorado courts handle inspection and copying of court records. Together, these frameworks allow any member of the public to inspect and copy case files at reasonable times.
Several categories of records are either restricted or entirely exempt from public disclosure:
- Juvenile records — Access is primarily governed by the Children’s Code (C.R.S. § 19-1-301 et seq.) and CJD 05-01; most juvenile case records are not publicly available
- Sealed court records — Sealed by court order; available only to parties or by court authorization
- Expunged criminal records — Removed from public access following a qualifying court order
- Termination of parental rights records — Confidential
- Personally identifying information — Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and similar data are redacted from publicly accessible copies
- Financial account data — Account numbers and similar financial details are excluded from public records
- Contact details for parties in certain case types — Protected to prevent harassment or harm
The Criminal Justice Records Act (C.R.S. §§ 24-72-301 et seq.) separately governs criminal proceedings records, giving the custodian authority under C.R.S. § 24-72-305 to deny inspection when disclosure would be contrary to the public interest or is prohibited by law, court order, or Colorado Supreme Court rule. If a records request is denied, the clerk must identify the legal basis for the denial.
Morgan County Criminal Court Records
Felony criminal cases in Morgan County are heard by the District Court division of the Morgan Combined Court. County Court handles misdemeanors and petty offenses. Preliminary advisements and bond hearings for persons held on Morgan County cases occur daily at 2:15 p.m. and can be observed via livestream through the Colorado Judicial Branch.
Criminal case records available from the court clerk include charging documents, arrest warrants, plea agreements, sentencing orders, probation orders, and case dispositions. These can be requested using the online records request form or in person at the clerk’s office.
Arrest records are separate from court records. Booking information, custody status, and jail rosters are maintained by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office:
Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 801 E. Beaver Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
Phone: (970) 542-3445
The Morgan County Detention Division maintains an online inmate database that allows searches by name and booking date. This is the appropriate resource for current custody information rather than the court clerk’s office.
Expunged criminal records are not accessible to the public. Requests for official criminal history background checks should be directed to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, not the court clerk, as court records are not a substitute for a certified criminal history report.
Prosecution of felony cases in Morgan County is handled by the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which maintains offices at 830 E. Platte Avenue, Suite H, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 (phone: (970) 467-0105) and in Sterling, CO (phone: (970) 522-2973).
Morgan County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Morgan County are divided between District Court (general civil matters with no upper dollar limit) and County Court (civil claims up to $25,000). Small claims matters—those involving $7,500 or less in money or property, excluding interest and costs—are handled in the Small Claims Division of County Court under C.R.S. § 13-6-403.
Civil case records include complaints, answers, motions, discovery orders, judgments, and post-judgment enforcement documents such as writs of garnishment. All of these are maintained by the Morgan Combined Court Clerk and can be requested in person or via the online records request form.
For case summary information without needing full document copies, state-authorized vendors provide searchable registers of actions for civil and small claims cases. Contact information for approved vendors appears on the Access Guide to Public Records page of the Colorado Judicial Branch website. These services charge fees and require registration; they do not provide copies of filed documents.
Property records are maintained separately from court civil case records. The Morgan County Assessor provides an online property records search tool (EagleWeb) accessible at no cost for ownership, tax history, assessment, and parcel information. The Morgan County Recording Department holds indexed information for recorded deeds, liens, and other instruments, searchable online through the county’s recorded document search at no charge for index data. The Recording Department is located at:
Morgan County Clerk and Recorder — Recording Department
Address: 231 Ensign Street, P.O. Box 1399, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
Phone: (970) 542-3521
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Morgan County also has several municipal courts for ordinance violations and local traffic matters:
| Municipal Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Brush Municipal Court | 600 Edison Street, Brush, CO 80723 | (970) 842-5074 |
| Fort Morgan Municipal Court | 901 East Beaver Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 | (970) 542-3950 |
| Hillrose Municipal Court | 315B Emerson Street, Hillrose, CO 80733 | (970) 847-3761 |
| Log Lane Village Municipal Court | 109 Maine Street, Log Lane Village, CO 80705 | (970) 867-8027 |
| Wiggins Municipal Court | 304 Central Avenue, Wiggins, CO 80654 | (970) 483-6161 |
Morgan County Family Court Records
Domestic relations matters—including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, and maintenance—are handled by the District Court division of the Morgan Combined Court. These records are filed with and maintained by the Combined Court Clerk at 400 Warner Street, Fort Morgan.
Divorce records are part of the District Court case file. To obtain a copy of a divorce decree or related order, submit a written request to the clerk’s office in person or through the online records request form. You will need the case number or the names of both parties and the approximate filing date. The Colorado State Archives holds older divorce records and can be contacted when the court no longer retains them.
Marriage licenses are issued by the Morgan County Clerk and Recorder, not the court clerk. Key requirements for obtaining a marriage license in Morgan County include:
- Both parties must appear in person, or one party must appear with a notarized Absentee Affidavit for the absent party
- Valid original government-issued ID (passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, or military ID) is required from both parties
- Social Security numbers are required on the application (C.R.S. § 14-14-113); parties without an SSN must submit a completed Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number
- Marriage license fee: $30.00
- Applicants need not be Colorado residents
The marriage certificate must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office within 63 days of the ceremony. Late returns carry a $20.00 late fee, with an additional $5.00 per day up to a maximum of $50.00. Certified copies of recorded marriage certificates can be requested by mail or in person from the Clerk and Recorder; the postage and handling fee for mail requests is $5.00 for 1–10 pages, payable by check or money order.
Birth and death certificates for Morgan County events are available locally through the Northeast Colorado Health Department:
Northeast Colorado Health Department — Fort Morgan Office
Address: 228 West Railroad Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
Phone: (970) 867-4918
Hours: Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (for Vital Records)
Statewide, certified copies are also available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records office via VitalChek or GoCertificates online. Certified birth and death certificates cost $20.00 for the first copy and $13.00 for each additional copy per record. Under Colorado law, death records are restricted to immediate family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and grandparents) for 75 years following the date of death, after which they become publicly accessible.
Morgan County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Morgan County—including estate administration, distribution of assets to heirs, guardianships, and conservatorships—are handled by the District Court division of the Morgan Combined Court. There is no separate standalone probate court; all probate filings go through the clerk at 400 Warner Street, Fort Morgan.
Probate records may include wills offered for probate, petitions for letters testamentary or letters of administration, inventories of estate assets, tax liability documentation, accountings, and orders approving distributions to heirs. Most probate records are available to interested parties upon request. However, guardianship and conservatorship records may have access limitations to protect the privacy of incapacitated adults and minors.
To obtain probate records, follow these steps:
- Identify the case number if possible, using the decedent’s or ward’s name and approximate filing date.
- Submit your request in person at the Morgan Combined Court Clerk’s Office (400 Warner Street, Fort Morgan, CO 80701; phone: (970) 542-5200) or use the online records request form.
- Provide valid photo identification and any documentation establishing your interest in the case, if required.
- Pay applicable copy fees: $0.25 per page for plain copies, $20.00 per certified document.
Self-represented individuals navigating probate can access forms and guidance through the Colorado Judicial Branch self-help resources and Colorado Legal Services. The court also provides parenting class information for domestic-related probate matters such as contested guardianships—details are posted on the Morgan County court page.