Locate Costilla County District Court

Costilla County District Court Role

Colorado District Courts are general-jurisdiction trial courts. In Costilla County, District Court handles felonies, civil cases in any amount, domestic relations, juvenile matters, probate, mental health, and certain appeals from lower courts. Costilla County is in the 12th Judicial District with Alamosa, Conejos, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties. The county's official state trial-court location is the Costilla Combined Court in San Luis, where District Court and County Court functions share a courthouse and clerk contact.

The local court is listed by the Colorado Judicial Branch at 304 Main Street, P.O. Box 301, San Luis, CO 81152, with phone 719-672-3681 and email costillaclerk@judicial.state.co.us. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays. A District Court case may still involve regional judges, staff, probation, self-help, or attorneys from other 12th Judicial District offices.

Costilla County District Court Table

Costilla County does not have a long list of separate numbered District Court buildings. The researched official structure is one combined state court location in San Luis, plus regional 12th Judicial District staffing and specialized court contexts. That structure is important because many public searches should start with Costilla Combined Court even when the judge or district resource is based elsewhere in the San Luis Valley.

For public access context, C.R.S. 24-72-301 explains Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act policy for official actions and criminal justice records.

That statute is relevant when a District Court criminal case intersects with sheriff or prosecutor records, but court access still follows Judicial Branch rules.

Costilla County District Case Types

District Court case types in Costilla County include felonies, major civil cases, divorce, legal separation, custody, juvenile, probate, mental health, and some appeals. The docket search case-class list includes C, CR, CV, CW, DR, JD, JV, M, PR, R, S, and T options. Costilla searchers should not assume all court records are District Court records because County Court handles misdemeanors, traffic infractions, small claims, protection orders, felony advisements, and civil cases under the statutory county-court threshold.

Domestic relations cases use the District Court path for divorce decrees, parenting plans, separation agreements, support orders, petitions, and name restoration issues. Probate uses District Court and PR case class for wills, letters, applications, petitions, claims, and closings. Felony cases may begin with County Court advisement or complaint activity, then move to District Court for prosecution. This is why docket filters and case numbers matter.

• Felony criminal cases and post-filing criminal motions.
• Civil cases in any amount, including larger money disputes and judgments.
• Domestic relations matters such as divorce, custody, support, and parenting plans.
• Juvenile and mental health matters, often with restricted access.
• Probate matters, including estates, wills, letters, guardianship, and conservatorship.
• Appeals from County Court where Colorado law routes them to District Court.

Costilla County District Court Judges

The official Costilla County judges and staff page lists regional 12th Judicial District judicial officers and court staff serving Costilla County. District Court Chief Judge Amanda C. Hopkins is listed for the 12th Judicial District. District Court Judge Kim Cortez-Rodriguez, District Court Judge and Water Judge Michael A. Gonzales, and District Court Judge Crista Newmyer-Olsen are also listed in the research. County Court judges Jason Kelly and Tamara Sullivan appear in the same local court structure, with Tamara Sullivan also identified as a domestic relations acting District Court judge.

District Court vs County Court

The court name matters because the Colorado docket search and record request process ask users to identify court type and case class. Costilla Combined Court houses both District Court and County Court functions, but the legal authority and record categories are not identical. Municipal Court is separate again for San Luis ordinance and local matters.

Costilla County Case Flow

A Costilla County case can move across court levels. A felony may start with an arrest or summons, a felony complaint or advisement in County Court, then a District Court prosecution after filing by the prosecutor. A divorce, probate, or major civil case generally starts in District Court. A municipal ticket may remain with San Luis Municipal Court unless a separate state case appears. Appeals from County Court generally go to District Court, while District Court appeals usually go to the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Criminal flow: Arrest or summons › advisement or complaint › information or amended charge › arraignment › pretrial motions › plea or trial › disposition and sentence › appeal or post-judgment review.

Civil and family flow: Petition or complaint filed › service and answer › disclosures or discovery › temporary orders or motions › settlement, mediation, trial, or decree › judgment or final order › appeal or enforcement.

Probate flow: determine whether JDF 999 is enough › open estate if court action is needed › appointment and letters › notices, inventory, claims, and orders › closing documents and certified copies.

Costilla County District Records

District Court records can be found first through the statewide docket search and then requested through the Colorado Judicial record/document request form. The docket search supports filters by judicial district, county, courthouse, court type, division, date range, case number components, party name, business name, attorney name, and attorney bar number. The research notes that at least one non-date filter is required in addition to a date selection.

The full record request path is stronger than the docket when the needed product is a certified decree, disposition order, judgment, probate letter, will, petition, or Register of Action. The request form states that suppressed cases, juvenile and probate records, and documents with confidential or protected information may require government-issued photo ID or restricted handling. The Costilla County Clerk of Court page covers the certified-copy steps and fee schedule in more detail.

C.R.S. 24-72-705 relates to sealing certain non-conviction criminal justice records.

Sealing can change what appears in public-facing searches, so dismissed or deferred criminal matters may not remain visible after the court orders sealing.

Costilla County Water Court

Water Court is a Colorado specialty that matters in Costilla County because the county is in the Rio Grande basin. The research identifies Water Division 3 as the relevant division. Water Courts are staffed by a water judge, water referee, water clerk, and division engineer, and water judges are District Court judges appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court. These cases involve water rights, water use, administration, and related matters.

Water cases should not be treated as ordinary civil files just because a District Court judge may serve as water judge. The docket search case-class list includes CW, which is important for water matters. Costilla County property, irrigation, land-grant, and San Luis Valley history can make water records relevant in estate, land, and civil research, but the official Water Division 3 page should be used for current filing and contact details.

Costilla County Self-Help Resources

The official staff list gives a self-represented litigant coordinator contact for the 12th Judicial District: 12selfhelp@judicial.state.co.us and 719-589-7621. The same research identifies jury contact at costillajury@judicial.state.co.us and 719-589-7602, plus family court facilitator Kaylene Guymon at 719-589-7603. These resources can help people identify forms and process channels, though they do not replace legal advice.

Use the Colorado Judicial forms library for statewide court forms, the fee list for filing fees, and the fee-waiver page when a filing fee is not affordable. For criminal cases, the 12th Judicial District Attorney serves Costilla County, and the Colorado State Public Defender's Alamosa office serves Costilla County defendants who qualify. Recent news in 2025 and 2026 raised concerns about Costilla County evidence handling and law-enforcement accountability, including a KRDO report.

News reports are context, not court findings. Official docket, clerk, prosecutor, defender, and court-record channels should be used for case-specific status.