Logan County District Court Overview
Colorado's trial-court system places District Court above County Court for broad trial jurisdiction. In Logan County, District Court sits within the 13th Judicial District, a northeastern Colorado district that also includes Kit Carson, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, and Yuma counties. District Court handles felony criminal cases, civil cases without the county-court dollar limit, domestic relations, juvenile matters, probate, mental health, and appeals from County Court or municipal court when the law allows.
Logan County District Court functions are housed at Logan County Combined Courts, 110 N. Riverview Road, Room 205, Sterling, CO 80751. The Colorado Judicial Branch lists the local court phone as 970-522-6565 Option 7, fax 970-458-7714, and email LoganClerksOffice@judicial.state.co.us. Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The same Combined Courts location also houses County Court functions, which is why many state court questions start at one clerk counter even when jurisdiction differs.
Logan County Combined Courts
110 N. Riverview Road, Room 205
Sterling, CO 80751
970-522-6565 Option 7
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Clerk of Court
Renee Harty, Clerk of Court and Probate Registrar
LoganClerksOffice@judicial.state.co.us
970-522-6565
Records requests, case filings, probate registrar, and clerk counter services.
Logan County District Court Table
Logan County does not operate separate named district-court buildings for each division. The local District Court and County Court functions are housed through Logan County Combined Courts. The research did identify the current district judges and county-level judicial officers published by the Colorado Judicial Branch. For filing, record request, and hearing-location purposes, the key local address remains the Combined Courts address.
| Court / Division | Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13th Judicial District District Court, Division A | District Court, Judge Stevie M.G. Gagliano | Logan County Combined Courts, 110 N. Riverview Road, Room 205, Sterling, CO 80751 | 970-522-6565 |
| 13th Judicial District District Court, Division B | District Court, Chief Judge Carl S. McGuire III | Logan County Combined Courts for Logan County filings and hearings | 970-522-6565 |
| 13th Judicial District District Court, Division C | District Court, Judge Dina M. Christiansen | 13th Judicial District assignment, local access through Logan County Combined Courts | 970-542-5200 |
| 13th Judicial District District Court, Division D | District Court, Judge Robert C. James | 13th Judicial District assignment, local access through Logan County Combined Courts | 970-542-5200 |
| 13th Judicial District District Court, Division E | District Court, Judge Kimbra L. Killin | 13th Judicial District assignment, local access through Logan County Combined Courts | 970-762-7010 |
| Logan County Court, Division 1 | County Court, Judge Ray Ann Brammer | Logan County Combined Courts, 110 N. Riverview Road, Room 205, Sterling, CO 80751 | 970-522-6565 |
| County Court Magistrate, Division M | Magistrate Matthew W. E. Bradley for Morgan County and Logan County | Local matters through Logan County Combined Courts | 970-522-6565 |
District Court Vs County Court
Logan County residents often see District Court and County Court at the same address, but the records and jurisdiction are not the same. District Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court. County Court is the lower state trial court. Sterling Municipal Court is separate from the state court system and handles city ordinance matters such as municipal traffic, criminal, and animal tickets.
| District Court | County Court | Municipal Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil scope | Civil cases in any amount, injunctions, and appeals from lower courts where authorized | Civil cases under $25,000 and small claims | Municipal ordinance matters, not ordinary state civil lawsuits |
| Criminal scope | Felony criminal cases and related major criminal proceedings | Misdemeanors, traffic misdemeanors, and felony complaint stages before transfer | Sterling municipal criminal and traffic tickets |
| Family and probate | Divorce, custody, support, juvenile, probate, mental health, and domestic relations | Protection orders and lower-court matters where authorized | Not the county probate or divorce court |
| Record access | Colorado docket search plus Combined Courts record/document request | Same Combined Courts clerk for Logan County state cases | Call 970-522-9700 and ask for Municipal Court Clerk |
Logan County Case Flow
A case moves through the Logan County system based on case type. Felony criminal matters may begin with arrest, complaint, advisement, and preliminary stages before proceeding in District Court. Misdemeanor and traffic cases may remain in County Court. Domestic, probate, juvenile, and mental health matters are filed in District Court. Appeals from County Court or municipal court can move to District Court where state law allows.
Criminal flow: Arrest or summons › advisement and bond › complaint or information › preliminary hearing where eligible › arraignment › pretrial motions › plea or trial › disposition and sentence › appeal where allowed.
Civil and family flow: Petition or complaint filed › service and answer › temporary orders or early settings where needed › disclosure and motion practice › mediation or settlement › hearing or trial › judgment or decree › post-judgment enforcement or appeal.
Probate flow: Application or petition › appointment or letters where granted › notice and claims › administration › closing or further court order.
Logan County District Court Divisions
District Court records can include civil, felony criminal, domestic relations, juvenile, probate, and mental health files. Civil files may include complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments, transcript of judgment, and satisfaction of judgment. Criminal files can include complaint or information, advisements, preliminary hearing entries, motions, plea paperwork, disposition and sentence orders, probation conditions, restitution, and bond records.
Family and domestic records include divorce, legal separation, custody, support, parenting plans, and related orders. Probate records are handled in District Court, and the court record request form includes Probate options such as Letters, Will, Trust, Application, Petition, Closing, Claims, and Date of Death. Some probate, juvenile, suppressed, or protected-information documents may require a government-issued photo ID or clerk review before release.
- Register of Action
- A case summary that can list events, charges, sentences, minute orders, and actions.
- Disposition
- The final outcome of a charge, claim, or case.
- Advisement
- A hearing where rights and possible charges are explained and bond may be addressed.
- Probate letters
- Court-issued authority for a personal representative or fiduciary when probate law allows.
Thirteenth Judicial District
Logan County is one of seven counties in Colorado's 13th Judicial District. That regional structure matters for judges, prosecution, public defense, and some specialty services. The 13th Judicial District Attorney prosecutes state felony and misdemeanor crimes and some traffic offenses across Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Washington, Sedgwick, Yuma, and Kit Carson counties. The Sterling Public Defender office serves the same broad region for eligible indigent defense cases.
The published staff list identifies Carl S. McGuire III as District Court Chief Judge. It also lists Jennifer Elliott as Court Executive, Renee Harty as Clerk of Court and Jury Commissioner, Dawn Gerk as Family Court Facilitator, and Donna Veal as Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator. Those support roles matter for practical access because court users may need jury help, family case support, self-help information, interpreter requests, ADA accommodation requests, records requests, or online payment links.
Lower Courts In Logan County
County Court and Municipal Court sit below District Court for many local matters. County Court handles civil cases under $25,000, misdemeanors, traffic infractions, felony complaints that may be sent to District Court, protection orders, and small claims. County Court decisions may be appealed to District Court where allowed. Sterling Municipal Court handles city-level traffic, criminal, and animal tickets and should be contacted through the Municipal Court Clerk at 970-522-9700.
For record access, start with the court that handled the case. Use the Colorado Judicial Branch docket search for Logan County state court docket information. Use the statewide record/document request form or Logan County Combined Courts for court documents, certified copies, and case-file questions. Use Sterling Municipal Court for city ticket records. Use the County Clerk and Recorder only for recorded documents, marriage licenses, civil unions, elections, and motor vehicle services, not District Court pleadings.
Note: Logan County Combined Courts and the Sheriff's Office share the Riverview Road campus, but jail custody records and court case files are separate records.