How Do Kansas District Courts Work?

The Kansas District Courts are trial courts with general jurisdiction over most criminal and civil cases that other courts in the state judicial system exercise no jurisdiction over. They typically handle divorces, guardianship, felony cases, juvenile matters, small claims, etc. They may also be divided into specialized court divisions based on different case types they address. These divisions include:

• Civil division
• Criminal division
• Domestic relations division
• Probate division
• Juvenile division
• Limited Actions division (for small claims and traffic cases)
• Drug Court or Youth Court

District court cases are typically presided over by single judges and jury trials, depending on the case type. There are two types of judges in Kansas District courts: the district judges and district magistrate judges. District judges exercise full authority over all cases brought before the court. In contrast, district magistrate judges have limited jurisdiction and preside over particular cases such as uncontested divorces and preliminary examinations in criminal cases.

According to state laws, persons appointed as district judges or magistrate judges must meet the following requirements:

• Must be between 30 - 75 years old
• Must have engaged in law practice in the state for at least five years as a lawyer, full-time teacher in an accredited law school, or as a Judge
• Must be resident of the judicial district of appointment

The district court judges are selected by merit selection/political appointment or partisan election, depending on the district. Kansas is divided into 31 districts, 17 appoint district court judges through merit or commission selection, while others go through partisan elections. Regardless of the method of appointment, the selected district court judge serves a four-year term.

With the merit selection method, a judicial nominating committee of resident lawyers interviews candidates and nominates three of them to the governor. In turn, the governor appoints the individual that eventually fills the vacancy. After the first year in office, the assigned judge must stand for retention election within the district, and if the votes favor retention, the judge then serves a full four-year term. On the other hand, judges elected via partisan elections are chosen and retained through primary and general elections.

The Kansas Office of Judicial Administration is an online repository for district court records in the state. Inquirers can request records on the agency’s website for $1.50 per search. Public district court records are also available on the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal for a fee. Note, case files sealed by judicial order or exempted from public disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act are inaccessible on these platforms. However, not all district courts in the state maintain their records online. Hence, requesters may also visit the courthouses in person to retrieve court documents.

1st Judicial District- Atchison and Leavenworth counties
Atchison County Courthouse
423 N 5th Street
P.O. Box 408
Atchison, KS 66002
Phone: (913) 804–6066
Fax: (913) 367–1171

Leavenworth County Courthouse
601 S 3rd St Suite 3051
Leavenworth, KS 66048–2868
Phone: (913) 684–0700
Fax: (913) 684–0492

2nd Judicial District- Jackson, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, and Wabaunsee counties
Jackson County Courthouse
400 New York Room 311
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: (785) 364–2191
Fax: (785) 364–3804

Jefferson County Courthouse
300 Jefferson
P.O. Box 327
Oskaloosa, KS 66066
Phone: (785) 863–2461
Fax: (785) 863–2369

Pottawatomie County Courthouse
106 Main Street
P.O. Box 129
Westmoreland, KS 66549
Phone: (785) 457–3392
Fax: (785) 457–2107

Wabaunsee County Courthouse
215 Kansas
Alma, KS 66401
Phone: (785) 765–2406
Fax: (785) 765–2487

3rd Judicial District- Shawnee County
Shawnee County Courthouse
200 SE 7th Street
Suite 209
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251–6700
Fax: (785) 251–4908

4th Judicial District- Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties
Anderson County Courthouse
100 E 4th
P.O. Box 305
Garnett, KS 66032
Phone: (785) 448–6886
Fax: (785) 448–3230

Coffey County Courthouse
110 S 6th St, Ste 102
Burlington, KS 66839–1798
Phone: (620) 364–8628
Fax: (620) 364–8535

Franklin County Courthouse
301 S Main
P.O. Box 637
Ottawa, KS 66067–0637
Phone: (785) 242–6000
Fax: (785) 242–5970

Osage County Courthouse
717 Topeka Ave
P.O. Box 549
Lyndon, KS 66451
Phone: (785) 828–4713
Fax: (785) 828–4704

5th Judicial District- Chase and Lyon counties
Chase County Courthouse
300 Pearl
P.O. Box 529
Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845
Phone: (620) 273–6319
Fax: (620) 273–6890

Lyon County Courthouse
430 Commercial
Emporia, KS 66801
Phone: (620) 341–3280
Fax: (620) 341–3497

6th Judicial District- Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S National
P.O. Box 868
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Phone: (620) 223–0780
Fax: (620) 223–5303

Linn County Courthouse
318 Chestnut
P.O. Box 350
Mound City, KS 66056
Phone: (913) 795–2660
Fax: (913) 795–2004

Miami County Courthouse
120 S Pearl
Paola, KS 66071
Phone: (913) 294–3326
Fax: (913) 294–2535

7th Judicial District- Douglas
Douglas County Courthouse
111 E 11th
Lawrence, KS 66044–2966
Phone: (785) 832–5256
Fax: (785) 832–5174

8th Judicial District- Dickinson, Geary, Marion, and Morris county
Dickinson County Courthouse
109 E 1st
P.O. Box 127
Abilene, KS 67410
Phone: (785) 263–3142
Fax: (785) 263–4407

Geary County Courthouse
138 E 8th
Junction City, KS 66441
Phone: (785)–762–5221
Fax: (785) 762–4420

Marion County Courthouse
200 S 3rd Suite 201
Marion, KS 66861
Phone: (620) 382–2104
Fax: (620) 382–2259

Morris County Courthouse
501 W Main
Council Grove, KS 66846
Phone: (620) 767–6838
Fax: (620) 767–6488

9th Judicial District- Harvey and McPherson counties
Harvey County Courthouse
8th and Main
P.O. Box 665
Newton, KS 67114
Phone: (316) 284–6824
Fax: (316) 283–4601

McPherson County Courthouse
117 N Maple St
P.O. Box 1106
McPherson, KS 67460
Phone: (620) 241–3422
Fax: (620) 241–1372

10th Judicial District- Johnson county.
Johnson County Courthouse
100 N Kansas Ave
Olathe, KS 66061–3273
Phone: (913) 715–3500
Fax: (913) 715–3401

Johnson County Courthouse
588 E. Santa Fe Ste 4000
Olathe, KS 66061–3448
Phone: (913) 715–7400
Fax: (913) 715–7420

11th Judicial District- Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties
Cherokee County Courthouse
110 W Maple
P.O. Box 189
Columbus, KS 66725
Phone: (620) 429–3880
Fax: (620) 429–1130

Crawford County Courthouse
602 N Locust
Pittsburg, KS 66762
Phone: (620) 231–0380
Fax: (620) 231–0316

Crawford County Courthouse
111 E. Forest- 3rd Floor
Girard, KS 66743
Phone: (620) 724–6212
Fax: (620) 724–4987

Labette County Courthouse
201 S Central
Parsons, KS 67357
Phone: (620) 421–4120
Fax: (620) 421–3633

Labette County Courthouse
517 Merchant Street
Oswego, KS 67356
Phone: (620) 795–4533
Fax: (620) 795–3056

12th Judicial District- Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Republic, and Washington.
Cloud County Courthouse
811 Washington Suite P
Concordia, KS 66901
Phone: (785) 243–8124
Fax: (785) 243–8188

Jewell County Courthouse
307 N Commercial
Mankato, KS 66956
Phone: (785) 378–4030
Fax: (785) 378–4035

Lincoln County Courthouse
216 E Lincoln Avenue
Lincoln, KS 67455
Phone: (785) 524–4057
Fax: (785) 524–3204

Mitchell County Courthouse
115 S Hersey
Beloit, KS 67420
Phone: (785) 738–3753
Fax: (785) 738–4101

Republic County Courthouse
1815 M Street
P.O. Box 8
Belleville, KS 66935
Phone: (785) 527–7234
Fax: (785) 527–5029

Washington County Courthouse
214 C Street
Washington, KS 66968
Phone: (785) 325–2381
Fax: (785) 325–2557

13th Judicial District- Butler, Elk, and Greenwood counties
Butler County Courthouse
201 W Pine Suite 101
El Dorado, KS 67042–2947
Phone: (316) 322–4370
Fax: (316) 321–9486

Elk County Courthouse
127 N Pine P.O. Box 306
Howard, KS 67349
Phone: (620)–374–2370
Fax: (620) 374–3531

Greenwood County Courthouse
311 N Main
Eureka, KS 67045
Phone: (620) 583–8153
Fax: (620) 583–6818

14th Judicial District- Chautauqua and Montgomery
Chautauqua County Courthouse
215 N Chautauqua St Box 306
Sedan, KS 67361
Phone: (620) 725–5870
Fax: (620) 725–3027

Montgomery County Courthouse
300 E Main St Suite 201
Independence, KS 67301
Phone: (620) 330–1070
Fax: (620) 331–6120

Montgomery County Courthouse
102 W. 7th, Suite A
Coffeyville, KS 67337
Phone: (620) 251–1060
Fax: (620) 251–2734

15th Judicial District- Cheyenne, Logan, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, and Wallace counties
212 E Washington
St Francis, KS 67756
P.O. Box 646
Phone: (785) 332–8850
Fax: (785) 332–8851

Logan County Courthouse
710 W 2nd
Oakley, KS 67748
Phone: (785) 671–3654
Fax: (785) 671–3517

Rawlins County Courthouse
607 Main #F
Atwood, KS 67730
Phone: (785) 626–3465
Fax: (785) 626–3350

Sheridan County Courthouse
925 9th Street
Hoxie, KS 67740
P.O. Box 753
Phone: (785) 675–3451
Fax: (785) 675–2256

Sherman County Courthouse
813 Broadway Room 201
Goodland, KS 67735
Phone: (785) 890–4850
Fax: (785) 890–4858

Thomas County Courthouse
300 N Court
Colby, KS 67701
P.O. Box 805
Phone: (785) 460–4540
Fax: (785) 460–2291

Wallace County Courthouse
P.O. Box 8 313 Main
Sharon Springs, KS 67758
Phone: (785) 852–4289
Fax: (785) 852–4271

16th Judicial District- Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade counties
Clark County Courthouse
913 Highland
P.O. Box 790
Ashland, KS 67831
Phone: (620) 635–2753
Fax: (620) 635–2155

Comanche County Courthouse
201 S New York
P.O. Box 722
Coldwater, KS 67029
Phone: (620) 582–2182
Fax: (620) 582–2603

Ford County Courthouse
101 W Spruce
P.O. Box 197
Dodge City, KS 67801
Phone: (620) 227–4609
Fax: (620) 227–6799

Gray County Courthouse
300 S Main
P.O. Box 487
Cimarron, KS 67835
Phone: (620) 855–3812
Fax: (620) 855–7037

Kiowa County Courthouse
211 E Florida
Greensburg, KS 67054
Phone: (620) 723–3317
Fax: (620) 723–2970

Meade County Courthouse
200 N Fowler
P.O. Box 623
Meade, KS 67864
Phone: (620) 873–8750
Fax: (620) 873–8759

17th Judicial District- Decatur, Graham, Norton, Osborne, Philips, and Smith counties
Decatur County Courthouse
120 E Hall St
P.O. Box 89
Oberlin, KS 67749
Phone: (785) 475–8107
Fax: (785) 475–8170

Graham County Courthouse
410 N Pomeroy
Hill City, KS 67642
Phone: (785) 421–3458
Fax: (785) 421–5463

Norton County Courthouse
101 S Kansas
P.O. Box 70
Norton, KS 67654
Phone: (785) 877–5720
Fax: (785) 877–5722

Osborne County Courthouse
423 W Main
P.O. Box 160
Osborne, KS 67473–0160
Phone: (785) 346–5911
Fax: (785) 346–5992

Phillips County Courthouse
301 State St
P.O. Box 564
Phillipsburg, KS 67661–0564
Phone: (785) 543–6830
Fax: (785) 543–6832

Smith County Courthouse
218 S Grant
P.O. Box 273
Smith Center, KS 66967–0273
Phone: (785) 282–5140
Fax: (785) 282–5145

18th Judicial District- Sedgwick county
Sedgwick County Courthouse
525 N Main
Wichita, KS 67203–3773
Phone: (316) 660–5801
Fax: (316) 660–5784

19th Judicial District- Cowley county
Cowley County Courthouse
311 E 9th
P.O. Box 472
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: (620) 221–5480
Fax: (620) 221–1097

20th Judicial District- Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell and Stafford counties.
Barton County District Court
Barton County Courthouse
1400 Main Room 306
Great Bend, KS 67530–4098
Phone: (620) 793–1856
Fax: (620) 793–1860

Ellsworth County Courthouse
210 N Kansas Ave
Ellsworth, KS 67439–3118
Phone: (785) 472–4052
Fax: (785) 472–5712

Rice County Courthouse
101 W Commercial St 3rd Floor
Lyons, KS 67554–2797
Phone: (620) 257–2383
Fax: (620) 257–3826

Russell County Courthouse
401 N Main St
P.O. Box 876
Russell, KS 67665–0876
Phone: (785) 483–5641
Fax: (785) 483–2448

Stafford County Courthouse
209 N Broadway
P.O. Box 365
St John, KS 67576–0365
Phone: (620) 549–3295
Fax: (620) 549–3298

21st Judicial District- Clay and Riley counties
Clay County Courthouse
712 5th St Ste 204
Clay Center, KS 67432
Phone: (785) 632–3443
Fax: (785) 632–2651

Riley County Courthouse
100 Courthouse Plaza
Manhattan, KS 66502–0158
Phone: (785) 537–6364
Fax: (785) 537–6382

22nd Judicial District- Brown, Doniphan, Marshall, and Nemaha counties.
Brown County Courthouse
601 Oregon
P.O. Box 417
Hiawatha, KS 66434–0417
Phone: (785) 742–7481
Fax: (785) 742–3506

Doniphan County Courthouse
120 E Chestnut P.O. Box 295
Troy, KS 66087
Phone: (785) 985–3582
Fax: (785) 985–2402

Marshall County Courthouse
1201 Broadway
P.O. Box 149
Marysville, KS 66508–0149
Phone: (785) 562–5301
Fax: (785) 562–2458

Nemaha County Courthouse
607 Nemaha
P.O. Box 213
Seneca, KS 66538–0213
Phone: (785) 336–2146
Fax: (785) 336–6450

23rd Judicial District- Ellis, Gove Rooks, and Trego counties
Ellis County Courthouse
1204 Fort St
P.O. Box 8
Hays, KS 67601
Phone: (785) 628–9415
Fax: (785) 628–8415

Gove County Courthouse
420 Broad St
P.O. Box 97
Gove, KS 67736
Phone: (785) 938–2310
Fax: (785) 938–2312

Rooks County Courthouse
115 N Walnut
P.O. Box 532
Stockton, KS 67669
Phone: (785) 425–6718
Fax: (785) 425–6568

Trego County Courthouse
216 N Main
WaKeeney, KS 67672
Phone: (785) 743–2148
Fax: (785) 743–2726

24th Judicial District- Edwards, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee, and Rush counties.
Edwards County Courthouse
312 Massachusetts
P.O. Box 232
Kinsley, KS 67547
Phone: (620) 659–2442
Fax: (620) 659–2998

Hodgeman County Courthouse
500 Main P.O. Box 187
Jetmore, KS 67854–0187
Phone: (620) 357–6522
Fax: (620) 357–6216

Lane County Courthouse
144 S Lane
P.O. Box 188
Dighton, KS 67839
Phone: (620) 397–2805
Fax: (620) 397–5526

Ness County Courthouse
100 S Kansas
P.O. Box 445
Ness City, KS 67560
Phone: (785) 798–3693
Fax: (785) 798–3348

Pawnee County Courthouse
715 Broadway
P.O. Box 270
Larned, KS 67550–0270
Phone: (620) 285–6937
Fax: (620) 285–3665

Rush County Courthouse
715 Elm
P.O. Box 387
LaCrosse, KS 67548
Phone: (785) 222–2718
Fax: (785) 222–2748

25th Judicial District- Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.
Finney County District Court
Finney County Courthouse
425 N 8th St
Garden City, KS 67846–0798
Phone: (620) 271–6120
Fax: (620) 271–6140

Greeley County Courthouse
616 2nd Ave
P.O. Box 516
Tribune, KS 67879
Phone: (620) 376–4292
Fax: (620) 376–2351

Hamilton County District Court
Hamilton County Courthouse
219 N Main
P.O. Box 745
Syracuse, KS 67878
Phone: (620) 384–5159
Fax: (620) 384–7806

Kearny County Courthouse
304 N Main
P.O. Box 64
Lakin, KS 67860
Phone: (620) 271–6254
Fax: (620) 355–7462

Scott County Courthouse
303 Court St
Scott City, KS 67871
Phone: (620) 872–7208
Fax: (620) 872–3683

Wichita County Courthouse
206 S 4th
P.O. Box 968
Leoti, KS 67861–0968
Phone: (620) 260–2560
Fax: (620) 375–2999

26th Judicial District- Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton, and Stevens counties.
Grant County Courthouse
108 S Glenn
Ulysses, KS 67880
Phone: (620) 356–1526
Fax: (620) 353–2131

Haskell County Courthouse
300 S Inman
P.O. Box 146
Sublette, KS 67877
Phone: (620) 675–2671
Fax: (620) 675–8599

Morton County Courthouse
1025 Morton
P.O. Box 825
Elkhart, KS 67950
Phone: (620) 697–2563
Fax: (620) 697–4289

Seward County Courthouse
415 N Washington Ste 103
Liberal, KS 67901
Phone: (620) 626–3375
Fax: (620) 626–3302

Stanton County Courthouse
201 N Main Box 913
Johnson, KS 67855–0913
Phone: (620) 492–2180
Fax: (620) 492–6410

Stevens County Courthouse
200 E 6th
Hugoton, KS 67951
Phone: (620) 544–2484
Fax: (620) 544–2528

27th Judicial District- Reno county
Reno County Courthouse
206 W First St 3rd Floor
Hutchinson, KS 67501
Phone: (620) 694–2956
Fax: (620) 694–2958

28th Judicial District- Ottawa and Saline counties
Ottawa County Courthouse
307 N Concord
Minneapolis, KS 67467
Phone: (785) 392–2917
Fax: (785) 392–3626

Saline County Courthouse
300 W Ash
P.O. Box 1760
Salina, KS 67402–1760
Phone: (785) 309–5831
Fax: (785) 309–5845

29th Judicial District- Wyandotte county
Wyandotte County Courthouse
710 N 7th St
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: (913) 573–5000

30th Judicial District- Barber, Harper, Kingman, Pratt, and Sumner counties.
Barber County Courthouse
118 E Washington
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Phone: (620) 886–5639
Fax: (620) 886–5854

Harper County Courthouse
201 N Jennings
P.O. Box 467
Anthony, KS 67003
Phone: (620) 842–3721
Fax: (620) 842–6025

Kingman County Courthouse
130 N Spruce
P.O. Box 495
Kingman, KS 67068
Phone: (620) 532–5151
Fax: (620) 532–2952

Pratt County District Court
Pratt County Courthouse
300 S Ninnescah
P.O. Box 984
Pratt, KS 67124
Phone: (620) 672–4100
Fax: (620) 672–2902

Sumner County Courthouse
501 N Washington
P.O. Box 399
Wellington, KS 67152
Phone: (620) 326–5936
Fax: (620) 326–5365

31st Judicial District- Allen, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson counties
Allen County Courthouse
1 N Washington
Iola, KS 66749
Phone: (620) 365–1425
Fax: (620) 365–1429

Neosho County Courthouse
102 S Lincoln
P.O. Box 889
Chanute, KS 66720
Phone: (620) 431–5700
Fax: (620)431–5710

Neosho County Courthouse
100 S Main
P.O. Box 19
Erie, KS 66733
Phone: (620) 244–3831
Fax: (620) 244–3830

Wilson County Courthouse
615 Madison Rm 214
Fredonia, KS 66736
Phone: (620) 378–4533
Fax: (620) 378–4531

Woodson County Courthouse
105 W Rutledge
Yates Center, KS 66783
Phone: (620) 625–8610
Fax: (620) 625–8674