Kansas Court Information, Location and Rules

Do you need to find some information about a Kansas court? Or perhaps you want to find a court in the many counties of the state. Maybe you are trying to find out more information about the judicial performance and duties of the state legal system. Or, perhaps you need to access the court records. Of course, you might also be seeking more information about the exact court that has the jurisdiction to hear your case.

No matter your purpose, you can get all this information at the Kansas legal system website, which is http://www.kscourts.org. Here at the state court website, you can check out the court rules and also go through the various guidelines.

If you want to access copies of the court records, you will need to approach the clerk’s office at the courthouse. You can do this physically or you can call them to place your request. If you are planning to file a case in the state, it is good to know how the legal system works here and about the court hierarchy.

Kansas Courts

In Kansas, as is the case in the other states of the country, there are 2 sets of courts. There are federal courts and there are state courts. The following are the various Kansas courts of the state:

•    The Supreme Court
•    The Court of Appeals
•    The District Courts (they are present in 31 districts)
•    The Municipal Courts

Supreme Court of Kansas

The website of the Supreme Court is

http://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/supreme-court

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Made up of 7 justices and a Chief Justice, this is at the top of the state legal system. The functions of the Supreme Court can be divided as Judicial, Administration and Supervision.

Under the Judicial functions, the court is responsible for hearing appeals of criminal cases that are serious in nature from the lower courts of Kansas. The court also hears cases of unconstitutional statutes. The Administration functions include deciding on the annual budget of the judicial system of the state.

Since the Supreme Court is the top-most legal body in the state, it has authority to decide on procedures and supervise the functioning of all other courts in Kansas. The Supreme Court also sets the rules that examine the attorneys and their professional responsibility.

The Supreme Court is located at 301 SW Tenth Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1507.

The Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals is an appellate court in the intermediate level, and is responsible for hearing appeals of habeas corpus and from the District Courts in the state. The appeal cases dealt with are both criminal and civil.

There is a panel of 3 judges who serve all over the state, but mostly at Topeka. Rulings are passed on about 30 appeals over 2 days in a month, and the decisions are filed every week. If your case was heard here, you cannot appeal in the same court again. You will have to move to the Supreme Court.

The website of the Court of Appeals is

http://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/court-of-appeals/default.asp

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You can contact this court either by email (appellateclerk@kscourts.org) or phone (785.296.3229). On the other hand, the Office of Judicial Administration can be reached by dialing 785.296.2256, or by dropping an email at info@kscourts.org.

District Courts

The District Courts are trial courts in the state with general jurisdiction on all criminal as well as civil matters. Domestic and divorce relations, care for the mentally challenged, juvenile issues, matters of small claims, estate administration and probate, and issues of guardianship are some of the matters that this court deals with.

There are 31 judicial districts in the state and 163 judges in the District Courts.

Regulations of the Different Courts of Kansas

The legal Code of Judicial Records frames all the rules and regulations that the courts in the state are supposed to abide by. For example, according to the state laws, it is mandatory for the courts to settle disputes regarding child support. There also exists separate regulations regarding the maintenance of professional conduct in any Kansas court.

There are other legal matters too which are defined by specially-framed laws, such as the admission procedures of attorneys, provision of legal/judicial education, mediation proceedings, and other relevant affairs. The courts of Kansas can also appoint the Judicial Nomination Commission, as and when required.

While the media is generally allowed to cover the different types of court proceedings in the state, there are specific laws regarding this as well. There are some additional government directives for the legal personnel of the district courts, too.

Separate committees can also be created by the court authorities for the purpose of electronically filing the legal records. Dockets are maintained by both the Supreme Court as well as by the Court of Appeals.

Lastly, you need to know that when you want to use the legal system of the state, you will need to pay a fee, as well as when accessing the court records.