Moffat County District Court Overview
Moffat County is part of Colorado's 14th Judicial District with Grand and Routt counties. District Court is the broad trial court level in Colorado. The Judicial Branch describes District Courts as hearing civil cases in any amount, domestic relations cases, criminal cases, juvenile matters, probate cases, and mental-health matters. District Court also hears appeals from County Court. In Moffat County, District Court services are provided through Moffat Combined Court in Craig.
The court location is a state Judicial Branch court location rather than a county department. That matters for records because District Court case copies, certified orders, probate letters, domestic decrees, felony records, and civil judgments are requested through the Clerk of Court and Judicial Branch record channels. The elected County Clerk and Recorder handles county recording, elections, motor vehicle work, and marriage licenses.
The official Moffat County Judicial Branch landing page is the main local court source for District Court users. For contrast, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado homepage shows the separate federal court system.
The federal court image is included here because Moffat District Court records are state records, while federal case access uses a separate District of Colorado system.
Moffat County District Court Table
Moffat County does not have multiple numbered district courts like some states. The local table is therefore a court and office table for the state trial court location and related court offices documented in the research. Suite numbers matter because the courthouse corridor also includes probation, collections, and the District Attorney.
| Court or Office | Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moffat District Court | Felony, civil any amount, domestic, probate, juvenile, mental-health, appeals | 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625 | 970-824-8254 ext. 7 |
| Moffat County Court | Misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, protection orders, civil under $25,000, felony complaints | 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625 | 970-824-8254 ext. 7 |
| Moffat Clerk of Court | Court records, jury, probate registrar | 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 200/201, Craig, CO 81625 | 970-824-8254 |
| Moffat County Probation | Probation supervision and services | 1198 W. Victory Way, STE 208, Craig, CO 81625 | 970-824-7304 |
| 14th Judicial District Attorney | Prosecution for Moffat, Grand, and Routt | 1198 W Victory Way #210, Craig, CO | 970-824-7041 |
| Craig Municipal Court | City ordinance and municipal matters | 300 W 4th Street, Craig, CO 81625 | 970-826-2018 |
District Court vs County Court
Colorado's structure makes the court level part of the record search. A felony, divorce, probate, juvenile, mental-health, or high-value civil case points to District Court. A misdemeanor, state traffic infraction, small claim, protection order, or lower-value civil case may point to County Court. A Craig ordinance case may sit in Municipal Court rather than the state court docket channel.
| Point | District Court | County Court | Municipal Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil jurisdiction | Civil cases in any amount | Civil cases under $25,000 and small claims | City ordinance matters, not general civil jurisdiction |
| Criminal jurisdiction | Felony cases and major criminal proceedings | Misdemeanors, traffic infractions, petty matters, felony complaints before transfer | Municipal ordinance and local traffic cases inside city limits |
| Family and probate | Domestic relations, divorce, probate, juvenile, mental-health | Not the main venue for divorce or probate | Not the venue for state divorce or probate records |
| Appeals path | Usually Colorado Court of Appeals | Appeals go to District Court | Depends on municipal process and applicable law |
| Moffat records route | Moffat Combined Court and Judicial Branch request form | Same combined courthouse and request form | Craig Municipal Court Clerk for city cases |
Moffat County District Case Flow
District Court records develop as the case moves. A felony matter may start with law enforcement and a County Court felony complaint before reaching District Court. A civil or domestic case starts with a petition or complaint. A probate case may begin as informal or formal probate. Each track creates different docket events and documents, so the case number and class code help decide what to request.
Criminal flow: Arrest or summons › felony complaint or filing › advisement or bond hearing › District Court filing › arraignment › pretrial motions › plea or trial › disposition › sentencing › appeal.
Civil and domestic flow: Complaint or petition › service › response › setting or status conference › motions › hearing or trial › order or judgment › enforcement, satisfaction, or appeal.
Probate flow: Small-estate review or estate opening › informal registrar review or formal court review › appointment › notice and inventory › administration › closing or further orders.
Moffat County District Divisions
District Court division labels are reflected through case type and case class rather than separate public buildings. Felony cases use the District Court criminal path. Domestic relations cases include divorce, custody, support, and related family orders. Probate cases use PR class and are handled through the Probate Division of District Court. Juvenile and mental-health cases may exist in court systems, but public access is often limited or absent because of privacy rules.
The Clerk of Court is the record contact for these District Court records. The Family Court Facilitator, Elizabeth Kuker, is listed for Moffat and Routt family-court support, with the Craig office reachable through 970-824-8254 ext. 7. Self-represented litigants may use the 14th Judicial District self-help channel at 14SelfHelp@judicial.state.co.us. The broader search mechanics for case records are covered on the Moffat County court records page.
Moffat County Judicial District
The 14th Judicial District includes Moffat, Grand, and Routt counties. Local court records also connect to regional prosecution, defense, probation, and collections channels. The 14th Judicial District Attorney lists a Moffat County office at 1198 W Victory Way #210, Craig, phone 970-824-7041, fax 970-824-9190, and email moffat14@14da.org. The Colorado State Public Defender office serving Moffat County is the Steamboat Springs office, which also serves Grand, Routt, and Jackson counties.
Virtual courtrooms are part of the local court access system. Research found public Webex rooms for Moffat Combined Court judicial officers, including Judge Mary C. Hoak and Magistrate/Judicial Officer James Hesson, with phone appearance number 720-650-7664 and meeting codes assigned by courtroom. The statewide livestream portal warns that watching a livestream does not count as appearing in court and unauthorized recording or reproduction is prohibited.
Moffat County District Court Records
District Court docket search is free through the Colorado Judicial Branch docket search, but it shows hearing information rather than full pleadings. For documents, certified copies, older files, or records not visible online, use the Judicial Branch record/document request form or call Moffat Combined Court. Copy fees include $0.25 per page, $20 per certified or exemplified document, $5 name search, actual off-site retrieval cost, and redaction or research charges after the first hour at $30 per hour.
Some District Court records are restricted. Juvenile matters, adoption, mental-health records, sealed cases, protected addresses, financial identifiers, minors' information, and certain domestic records may be withheld or redacted. A sealed-case confirmation search exists only for limited automatic sealing under Colorado law and is intended for defendants, not for general public browsing.
Moffat County Federal Context
Moffat County state District Court is not the same as the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Federal cases use PACER and CM/ECF, not the Colorado Judicial Branch docket search. Federal matters can include federal crimes, civil rights cases, constitutional claims, diversity civil cases, federal habeas cases, bankruptcy matters in federal bankruptcy court, and appeals to the Tenth Circuit.
The official PACER court lookup for the District of Colorado identifies the federal court and CM/ECF contact path.
PACER is account-based and can charge fees, so it should be used only for federal case records, not Moffat County state District Court files.
The federal court also maintains its own District of Colorado CM/ECF information for registered electronic filers.
CM/ECF matters to attorneys and federal e-filers, while local Moffat court users still use the state court clerk and Judicial Branch request form for state files.
The District of Colorado also publishes PACER access information for federal records.
That source is useful when a case is federal, but it does not replace Colorado Judicial Branch searches for Moffat District Court records.
Appeals from the federal District of Colorado go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
The Tenth Circuit image closes the federal pathway distinction: state District Court appeals usually move through Colorado appellate courts, while federal appeals go to the federal circuit court.