Finney County Court Records

Finney County court records are legal documents that the county uses in any judicial proceeding within its court system. They consist of administrative records, case transcripts, court recordings, case information, judicial data, minutes, and docket information. The records are maintained on physical paper, digitally, and on microfilm.

Are Court Records Public in Finney County?

Yes, court records in Finney County are public as per the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). The act permits access to any court record created in any Finney County court. However, court orders or state statutes exempt some court records from public disclosure. Kansas Open Records Act also commands custodians of court records to make them available to members of the public if they are public. Some examples of court records that are exempt from public disclosure include:

• Court records that provide details on adoption
• Juvenile case proceedings
• Records of Grand Jury Proceedings
• Court records showing details of child abuse
• Protected witness court records
• Expunged records
• Court administrative records that show the personal information of court employees

Finney County Court Records Search

Persons can perform a Finney County court records search in the following ways:

• Kansas Courts online portal
• Using the public access computers at any Finney County courthouse
• In person at the Finney County Court Clerk's office
• Third-party websites

Finney County Courts

The Finney County courts system consists of three courts: one district court and two municipal courts. The district courts are the most powerful in each Kansas county. They have general original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, including care for the mentally ill, juvenile matters, guardianships, conservatorships, divorce, domestic relations, damage suits, probate, and estate administration. Below are the physical locations of every court in Finney County.

Finney County District Court
425 North 8th Street,
P.O. Box 798, Garden City, KS 67846
Phone: (620) 271-6120
Fax: (620) 271-6140

Garden City Municipal Court
304 North 9th Street,
P.O. Box 998,
Garden City, KS 67846
Phone: (620) 276-1150
Fax: (620) 276-1159

Holcomb Municipal Court
200 North Lynch Street,
P.O. Box 69, Holcomb, KS 67851
Phone: (620) 277-0992
Fax: (620) 277-2603

Finney County Criminal and Civil Records

Finney County criminal and civil records are primarily found at the office of the county district court clerk. The county clerk maintains both criminal and civil records in its in-house database. The Finney County Courts' civil and criminal departments send all the records created by courts to the county clerk for storage and distribution to interested citizens. The county court also stores court records of Finney County criminal records and arrest records submitted as legal documents for a court case. Individuals can obtain copies of these records by visiting the court clerk's office to submit a written request for any of these records. The request should describe the type of record needed and the information required from the court record.

For online options, individuals use the public access terminal at the lobby of the Finney County courthouse. Records can be searched using the case number, the name of the persons on the record, the type of court records, and the date of the case's final judgment.

Persons can also remotely search for criminal and civil records using the Kansas online e-courts system.

Finney County Marriage Records

Finney County Marriage records are documents that prove that two persons are legally married. Interested persons can find Finney County marriage records at the State Vital Statistics office. Unlike in other states, there is no way place to request marriage records from within the county. State authorities directly record all Finney County marriage records. However, people can confirm the validity of a marriage from the marriage index at the Finney County District Court if the marriage was registered there.

Individuals can request marriage records in person, through the phone, or by mail from the Division of Vital Statistics in Topeka, Kansas. Records of marriage in Finney County are not open to the public. Only the individual listed on the document, their immediate relatives, and a legal representative are granted certified copies of marriage records. To request these in-person records, individuals can visit the vital statistics office. At the office, individuals will need to complete a marriage record application and submit it to the Vital Statistics office. The applicant must also provide a valid ID and pay the required fee to access these records. Similarly, mail requests can be made by sending the completed application form, an enclosed copy of the applicant's ID, and the appropriate fees. Certified copies of Finney court records cost $20.

Division of Public Health
1000 SW Jackson
Suite 540
Topeka, KS 66612
Phone: 785-296-108

Finney County Divorce Records

The Finney County District Court clerk and the Kansas Vital Statistics office maintain Finney County divorce records. The two main types of divorce records in Finney County are divorce decrees and certificates. Certified copies of divorce decrees can be requested from the Finney County District Court, while divorce certificates can be requested from the Kansas Vital Statistics Office. Generally, divorce information is public, and anyone can request divorce records. However, requestors must still provide a valid ID to make a request for divorce records.

Individuals can obtain divorce records by visiting the Finney County District Court clerk to make a request in person. Requests can be made orally or by completing the records request form at the office and paying the appropriate fee. Requests are usually resolved on the same day.

Similarly, individuals can request Finney County divorce certificates by completing the Finney County divorce records request form and submitting it to the Kansas Vital Statistics office in person or by mail. Requestors must provide the following information on the form:

• Names of both parties on the record
• The date of the divorce
• The county that granted the divorce (Finney County)
• The city where the divorce took place

Finney County Birth Records

Finney County birth records can be found at the Kansas Vital Statistics Office. The office maintains birth records dating back to 1911. According to state law, birth certificates submitted to this office are not available for public access, and the person making the request must be listed on the record, be a member of the requestor's immediate family, or be able to substantiate that the record is required to determine a person's personal or property rights.

Individuals can request Finney County birth records in person, by telephone, or through mail. Requests can be made in person during business hours (9 am–4 pm) at the Office of Vital Statistics lobby. If finding the record is not a problem, in-person inquiries take 15 to 20 minutes. A telephone request can be made by calling (877) 305-8315 and using a credit card to pay the request cost. Anyone can submit a mail request by filling out the birth records request form and sending it to the office. Birth records also cost $20.

Finney County Death Records

Finney County death records are vital records that can be requested from the Kansas Vital Statistics Office. They are confidential and only made public after 50 years. Only a direct family member of the deceased or persons who have a legal interest in obtaining them can request them. Requests can be made in person, by mail, or through the telephone. The request usually involves completing and submitting a Finney County death records request form. Requestors need to provide the following information to request records:

• Name of the deceased
• Place of death name of death
• Name of funeral home
• The city where the deceased was buried

In-person requests are resolved on the same day, while mail-in and telephone requests are processed within 3-5 working days.

Finney County Probate Court Records

Finney County Probate Courts can be obtained from the Finney County probate court records office. The Finney County Probate Court is a department within the county district court that deals with Estate cases, the last will of a decedent, Guardianships and Conservatorships, Adoptions, and Mental Illness Commitment cases. Most probate court records are not open to the public. However, the clerk can give interested persons basic information about any probate case they are interested in.

Interested persons can request Finney County probate records at the office of the Finney County District Court clerk. The fees for accessing these records depend on the quantity of documents needed and the type of document needed (certified and non-certified).

Finney County Property Records

Interested persons can obtain Finney County property records at the Finney County Register of Deeds office and the Finney County Property Appraiser's Office. The Finney County Register of Deeds records every estate document on every property in the county. Some examples of documents found at the Finney County Register of Deed office include deeds, mortgages, ownership history, parcel maps, and property transfer data. The property appraiser's office maintains tax-related property records such as property assessment records, property tax value records, tax rolls, and inheritance tax. Persons interested in Finney County property records can request them at the office of the records custodian in person or through the phone.

Finney County Court Records Online

Court records in Finney County may be easily accessible through third-party websites such as kansascourtrecords.us. These platforms offer advantages, such as providing different types of Finney County records, including Finney County court records, Finney County arrest records, and Finney criminal records, all in one place. Additionally, third-party systems include intuitive user interfaces that let users quickly look for particular documents or records. These platforms, however, function independently of any governmental organization, so it is important to research and use those that provide accurate information.