Litigation Files

This page is from the Official Documents series.

Helpful links:

• List of all documents released to the public by Jefferson County (PDF)
• Download digital files from Jefferson County here (Note: access requires providing your email, name, and address)
• View PDF files online or download from A Columbine Site
• Download digital files from the Mega account owned by the creators of Encyclopedia Columbine
• View documents online from www.ResearchColumbine.com - no downloads required + mobile-friendly

Note: Some documents have been altered since their initial release

Copies of several documents in circulation have been altered. For example, the FBI ERT report on Jeffco's website is missing Rachel Scott's autopsy diagram plus 4 other pages. However, the FBI ERT report was included in the El Paso County's report on the investigation into Daniel Rohrbough's death and this report contains Scott's autopsy diagram.

There have also been 7 pages deleted from the 10k report distributed by Evan Long circa 2012. It's unknown who edited the files before giving them to Long for circulation, although his source for documents was Randy Brown.

All documents provided by www.researchcolumbine.com are the original documents without additional redactions or deleted pages.

What are the Columbine Litigation Files?

In 2017, the Jefferson County District Attorney restricted 85 boxes of mixed materials, including a Dictaphone machine, dubbed the "Litigation Files" until the year 2116.

A records staff member described these records as follows:

"These files are attorney research files, news coverage, background information and case files on the lawsuits brought against the county by the families. Their official record series title is ‘Closed Civil Action Files.” The super-long restriction period is due to attorney-client privileged documents."

Identifier

2017-003

Content Description

Jefferson County Attorney Office, litigation files resulting from the Columbine High School 1999 School Shooting. No access until 2116.

Acquisition Type

Transfer

Provenance

Transferred to the Archives by the County Attorney's Office in 2017 and placed under access restriction until the year 2116.

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Because of the extreme risk of adverse effects including but not limited to harm to individuals, organizations, and the release of protected information, and to respect the intellectual, personal privacy, and attorney client privilege of these records, subject to CRS §24-72-204(2)(A)(I), the public shall be hereby denied the right of inspection of all of these attached records for a period of time of not fewer than ninety-nine years (99).

All assurances--now and forever in perpetuity until that certain year AD 2116--of any and all current or future Archivist(s) shall be made to ensure the protection and continued privilege of these records for that duration of time. Under no circumstances shall the public be given right of inspection of these records regardless of any changes in local law or policy, state law or policy, or federal law or policy; the access restriction given hereby is to be understood in perpetuity as being "grandfathered" into any and all changes in the laws/policies regarding public access to records.

Dates

• Issued: 1999-2011

Creator

• Jefferson County (Colo.). County Attorney (Organization)

Extent

86.5 Cubic Feet (85 boxes plus Dictaphone from RM Storage: SL 1712 boxes 1-60; SL 1147 boxes 1-3; SL 1838 boxes 1-3; SL 1089 boxes 1-3; SL 1144 boxes 1-15.)

Inventory

85 boxes of files plus Dictaphone machine.

Subjects

• Columbine High School Massacre, Littleton, Colo., 1999
• Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings

Classifications

CAO. County Attorney

Physical Storage Information

• Box: 1-3 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 4 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 5-7 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 8-10 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 11-13 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 14-16 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 17-19 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 20-21 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 22 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 23 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 24-25 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 26-28 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 29-31 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 32 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 33 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 34-35 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 36-37 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 38 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 39-41 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 42-47 (Mixed Materials)
• Object: 48 (Artifact)
• Box: 49-54 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 55-66 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 67-78 (Mixed Materials)
• Box: 79-84 (Mixed Materials)