Barton County Court Records

Barton County court records are legal documents and other materials filed with or generated by a court concerning specific cases it handles. These records contain details about such cases, such as case number, case type, name of parties involved, assigned judge, and scheduled hearing dates. They also comprise other documents detailing case proceedings, including court case files, transcripts, orders, and judgments.

Barton court records serve as legal documentation of court proceedings and reveal pertinent information about them, such as the parties involved, rulings, and outcomes. They are also used to facilitate legal processes, like enforcing court orders and appealing judgments. Additionally, attorneys, legal researchers, and other interested individuals rely on court records to conduct legal research.

Are Court Records Public in Barton County?

Yes. Provided the record is not exempt from disclosure, members of the general public can inspect and obtain copies of court records maintained by Barton County courts under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). A court record may be excluded from the Barton County public records due to judicial rule, order, or case law. K.S.A. 45-221 provides a comprehensive list of records that are exempt from being public under KORA. These exemptions include, but are not limited to:

• Juvenile records
• Adoption records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Expunged criminal records
• Certain criminal investigation records

Barton County Court Records Search

Record seekers can conduct a Barton County court record search through any of the following:

• Public computers at local courthouses
• Kansas District Courts Public Access Portal (for District Court records)
• Submit a drafted written request or a completed KORA Form Request to the clerk's office of a local court.
• Third-party aggregate websites.

Barton County Courts

The Barton County court system consists of two types of courts: the Barton County District Court and six (6) municipal courts. The District Court is a trial court with general original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. Meanwhile, municipal courts handle violations of city ordinances that occur within their respective municipalities. Below are the addresses and contact information for these courts:

Barton County District Court
1400 Main Street, Room 306,
Great Bend, KS 67530
Phone: (620) 793-1856
Fax: (620) 793-1860

Barton County Municipal Courts
Claflin Municipal Court
111 East Hamilton, P.O. Box 383, Claflin, KS 67525
Phone: (620) 587-3707
Fax: (620) 587-3915

Ellinwood Municipal Court
104 East 2nd Street,
P.O. Box 278,
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Phone: (620) 564-3161
Fax: (620) 564-3375

Great Bend Municipal Court
1121 Baker Ave.
Great Bend, KS 67530
Phone: (620) 793-4124
Fax: (620) 793-4156

Hoisington Municipal Court
109 East 1st Street,
P.O. Box 418,
Hoisington, KS 67544
Phone: (620) 653-4995

Olmitz Municipal Court
219 Main Street,
P.O. Box 64,
Olmitz, KS 67564
Phone: (620) 586-3311

Pawnee Rock Municipal Court
423 Rock Road,
Pawnee Rock, KS 67567
Phone: (620) 982-4553
Fax: (620) 982-4805

Barton County Criminal and Civil Records

Certain Barton County criminal records, such as arrest records and criminal incident reports, are generated and accessible through local law enforcement agencies, including the Barton County Sheriff's Department and Municipal Police Departments. Consequently, record seekers can obtain these records from the specific local law enforcement agency that generated them. Most of these agencies have a records division and record clerks who process requests for public records they maintain. An example is the Barton County Sheriff's Department Records Division.

Record seekers can also access a person's statewide criminal history through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). They can perform a Kansas criminal history record check through the KBI website for a $30.00 fee. The KBI is the Kansas Central Repository for criminal records. As a result, criminal justice agencies throughout the state report most criminal records they generate, including Barton County arrest records, to the KBI.

On the otherhand, interested individuals can obtain public court records of civil and criminal cases through the Barton County District Court. They can either draft a written request or complete the KORA Form Request and submit it in person or by mail to the Clerk of the District Court. Additionally, computer terminals are available at the Barton County District Courthouse that record seekers can use to search for public court case information and court records electronically. Public court records are also accessible online through the Kansas District Courts Public Access Portal. Individuals must register an account or log in to use the portal.

Barton County Marriage Records

The Barton County Record's Management Department maintains marriage records from June 1872 to the present. Therefore, record seekers can obtain Barton County marriage records through the Department. Individuals must provide the names of either the bride or groom to search the Department's records. Marriage record searches may be conducted in person at the Department, which is located in the Barton County Courthouse at:

Barton County Courthouse
1400 Main St
Suite 202
Great Bend, KS 67530

For further inquiries, interested persons can contact the Barton County Record's Management Department Record Leader by phone at (620) 793-1835 or email at records@bartoncounty.org.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Office of Vital Statistics, also maintains copies of Barton County marriage certificates issued since May 1, 1913. These records are public and available to anyone who requests them. The Office of Vital Statistics provides various methods for ordering marriage records, including walk-in, mobile app, will call, and regular or priority mail. Regardless of the ordering method, requesters must present an acceptable form of identification and pay a request fee. Examples of acceptable IDs include an unexpired:

• Driver's license
• State ID card
• Passport or visa
• Military ID

Or any two (2) of the following:

• Social Security number
• Bank statement with current address
• Car registration or title with current address
• Utility bill with current address
• Pay stub (must include the requester's name, social security number, plus the name and address of the business)

Generally, the request fee is typically $20, with an additional $5 processing fee for mobile app and will-call requests. Requesters can download the IKAN app from the App Store (for IOS devices) or the Play Store (for Android devices) to facilitate mobile app and will-call requests. Will-call requests are usually processed on the same day or the next business day, whereas mobile app requests may take up to 7 to 10 business days to process.

Interested persons can visit the Office of Vital Statistics between 9 am and 4 pm (Monday to Friday) for walk-in requests. They must bring along an accepted ID(s) and the $20 request fee. The processing time for in-person requests is 15 to 20 minutes. For mail-in requests, applicants can draft a request letter containing sufficient information identifying the desired record, such as the bride and groom's names and contact information. The request letter must be sent with a photocopy of the requester's acceptable ID, a $20 fee (via an enclosed check or money order payable to "Kansas Vital Statistics"), and an enclosed business-size self-addressed stamped envelope for each requested record to:

Office of Vital Statistics
Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221

The processing time from a mail-in request is 7 to 10 business days.

Barton County Divorce Records

The District Court handles divorce proceedings in Barton County. Consequently, interested parties can search Barton County District Court records for divorce decrees that provide details about a divorce settlement. Like all other records maintained by the District Court, individuals can access divorce decrees electronically via public computers at the District Courthouse or online through the Kansas District Courts Public Access Portal. Alternatively, they can submit a written request or a completed KORA Form Request to the clerk's office of the District Court.

Barton County Birth and Death Records

The KDHE Office of Vital Statistics serves as the primary custodian of Barton County vital records, including birth and death records. Generally, Barton County birth certificates and death certificates recorded on or after July 1, 1911, are filed with this office. Meanwhile, birth and death certificates recorded before July 1, 1911, are available through the Kansas Historical Society. Therefore, individuals seeking birth and death records can request them from either the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics or the Kansas Historical Society.

There are no restrictions on who can order Barton County birth and death records from the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics. However, requesters must provide sufficient information to identify the desired record. This includes the registrant's full name, birth date, sex, mother's name, father's full name, and other relevant details (for Barton County birth records). Meanwhile, some information required for requesting Barton County death records may include the decedent's full name, death date, and sex. Additionally, requesters are charged a $20 fee for each birth or death certificate they request, and they must present an acceptable ID(s).

The KDHE Office of Vital Statistics provides several methods for ordering birth and death records. These options include walk-in, mobile app, will call, and regular/priority mail. Note that mobile app and will call requests are subject to an additional $5 processing fee.

Barton County Probate Court Records

In Barton County, probate cases are handled by the District Court. Some examples of probate cases include, but are not limited to, estate administration, trust agreements, the probate of wills, and testaments. Provided the sought-after probate record is public, individuals can obtain Barton County probate court records by submitting a written request to the Clerk's Office of the District Court. Alternatively, they can visit the District Courthouse and use the computer terminals there to search for public probate records on-site, or utilize the Kansas District Courts Public Access Portal to search online.

Barton County Property Records

Barton County property records are generated, recorded, and maintained by two (2) public offices: the Barton County Register of Deeds Office and the County Appraiser's Office. The primary function of the Register of Deeds Office is to record real estate-related documents, such as deeds, mortgages, assignments of mortgages, easements, and other related documents. Meanwhile, the Appraiser's Office appraises all taxable and exempt properties within the county.

Interested individuals can access real estate records maintained by the Barton County Register of Deeds Office through the office's Remote Access Printing (RAP) website. To access the RAP website, users must pay a daily access fee of $25 (24-hour access), a monthly fee of $250 (30 days), or a yearly access fee of $800. Additionally, users are charged $1 per page for copies of records requested through the RAP website. Alternatively, record seekers can directly contact the Register of Deeds office to request records at:

Barton County Register of Deeds
1400 Main St Suite 205
Great Bend, KS 67530
Phone: (620) 793-1849
Fax: (620) 793-1981

Similarly, interested individuals can utilize the Parcel Search portal provided by the Barton County Appraiser's Office to access property appraiser records. Alternatively, they can visit or contact the county Appraiser's Office to request records at:

Barton County Appraiser's Office
1400 Main, Suite 206
Great Bend, KS 67530
Phone: (620) 793-1821
Fax: (620) 793-1820

Barton County Court Records Online

In addition to traditional government-provided resources like the Kansas District Courts PublicAccess Portal, record seekers can also utilize third-party websites such as Kansascourtrecords.us to access public Barton County court records online. These third-party websites are user-friendly and only require a subject name or case number to conduct searches. Furthermore, individuals do not need to present any form of identification to access these websites. However, the accuracy and completeness of records obtained through third-party websites are not guaranteed, as they are typically not affiliated with government entities.