Guide
Colorado Judgments & Liens Search at a Glance
In Colorado, money judgments come from the county and district courts. A judgment becomes a lien on real estate when a transcript of the judgment, certified by the court clerk, is recorded with the county clerk and recorder. UCC financing statements are filed with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Always confirm the official record by ordering a certified copy from the originating office when accuracy matters for closing, refinancing, or litigation.
Guide
Where to search court judgments in Colorado
The Colorado Judicial Branch does not offer case searches on its own website. You can ask for a case record with its online records request form or from the court that handled the case; Denver County Court keeps its own records.
Guide
Where liens are recorded in Colorado
A transcript of the judgment record, certified by the court clerk, can be recorded in any county, and from then on the judgment is a lien on the debtor's non-exempt real estate in that county (C.R.S. 13-52-102). The court charges $25 for the transcript. Mechanics lien statements are filed with the county clerk and recorder after a notice of intent served at least 10 days before; most claimants must file within four months after their last work or materials, and day laborers within two months after the project is completed (C.R.S. 38-22-109).
Guide
Colorado UCC filings
UCC financing statements are filed with the Colorado Secretary of State, which runs an online UCC search. Fixture filings are recorded with the county clerk and recorder where the land is.
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How long a judgment lien lasts in Colorado
A Colorado judgment lien on real estate expires six years after the judgment is entered. Before then the creditor can revive the judgment in court and record a certified transcript of the revived judgment in the same county, which keeps the lien for six years from the revival (C.R.S. 13-52-102).
Guide
Finding the debtor's assets after judgment in Colorado
Colorado's tool is written questions the debtor must answer. In district court the judgment creditor serves interrogatories under C.R.C.P. 69(d). In county court the creditor uses the Pattern Interrogatories, Form 7 for a person and Form 7A for a business, and in small claims court the creditor files JDF 252A or JDF 252B, Motion and Order for Interrogatories, or Form 7A for a business, and the Colorado Judicial Branch's collection page says the forms ask questions the person or business that owes the money is required to answer. The branch page at coloradojudicial.gov links the forms.
Colorado is a state where the divorce file helps less than usual. Chief Justice Directive 05-01 suppresses the sworn financial statement, the separation agreement and the QDRO in a dissolution case, leaving the decree and orders public. A bankruptcy file in the District of Colorado is the better map: Schedule A/B lists deposit accounts by institution and Schedule I the employer, all public. The Colorado asset search page covers both files.
Guide
Court forms and self-help in Colorado
The Colorado Judicial Branch self-help pages explain how to garnish a debtor's wages after a judgment and list the court's self-help forms.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
By state
Judgments and liens in other states
Straight answers
Colorado Judgments & Liens Search, questions
How long is a judgment lien enforceable in Colorado?
In Colorado, a money judgment is enforceable as a lien for 20 years from the date it is entered or properly docketed. Creditors who want to extend collection beyond that period must file a renewal motion with the issuing court before the lien lapses. Read the Colorado statute.
What is the deadline for filing a mechanics lien in Colorado?
Colorado mechanics-lien filing deadlines vary by claimant type (general contractor, subcontractor, or supplier). The authoritative source is the Colorado state code; do not rely on third-party summaries for the exact day count.
What property is protected from judgment creditors in Colorado?
Colorado protects a homestead, the debtor's primary residence, up to $200,000 in equity from forced sale by most judgment creditors. Personal property exemptions (motor vehicle, household goods, tools of trade, retirement accounts) are listed separately in the state code. Confirm the current amount on the official source.
Where do I file or search a UCC-1 in Colorado?
UCC-1 financing statements for personal-property collateral in Colorado are filed with the Secretary of State (or equivalent state filing office). Open the official Colorado UCC filing portal. Real-property liens (mortgages, judgment-lien dockets, mechanics liens) are recorded at the county recorder/clerk where the property is located, not at the state level.