Johnson County Clerk of Court Records

The Johnson County Clerk of the District Court

The Clerk of the District Court is Jennifer Leach, listed by the Kansas Judicial Branch for the 10th Judicial District. The clerk's office sits in the Johnson County Courthouse at 150 W. Santa Fe Street in Olathe. Records Management, which keeps the court records, is on the south side of the first floor.

The office is open 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and it closes for lunch. The clerk asks that filings and requests arrive by 11:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. so staff can help before closing. The clerk closes promptly at noon and at 4:30 p.m., so a late arrival may have to come back the next business day.

Kansas runs a unified court system, so the trial-court clerk handles District Court records rather than a separate county clerk and district clerk split. That means most case records, from criminal to civil to family, flow through the same clerk's office and the same Records Management division.

The court's Help Center page lists clerk hours, filing methods, and resource packets.

The Help Center supports self-represented filers but cannot give legal advice.

Clerk Unit Phone Directory

The clerk's office is split into units, each with its own phone line. Calling the right unit is faster than calling a general number. The directory below lists the main clerk desks.

Note: Accounting and payment questions go to 913-715-3390, and the jury coordinator is at 913-715-3365.

Records Management Services

Records Management describes itself as the keeper of court records for the 10th Judicial District. It can provide copies of public documents for a fee, public terminals for free viewing, and searches for archived cases not yet converted to the system. Case files are computer indexed back to 1980, and pre-1980 searches need a $12 pre-payment.

The office asks requesters to call for a price quote before submitting. In-person requests must be made before 4:15 p.m. The non-payment fax line is 913-715-3481, and the main records phone is 913-715-3480.

One important limit applies to every records request. No district court employee may conduct a search that requires a legal determination, such as whether a judgment is current or a lien exists, under K.S.A. 20-3133. For those questions, the clerk will point you to the records, but an attorney has to read them and reach a legal conclusion.

Clerk Filing Methods

The clerk accepts filings several ways, and the method affects how you pay. Paid filings can go by fax with a coversheet and payment slip, in person, or by mail. Non-payment documents can be emailed or faxed. The court does not take payment by email under any method.

For mailed payments, make a check or money order payable to the Clerk of the District Court. Cash is accepted in person only. Civil e-filing has its own contact line at 913-715-3515, and the Help Center supports self-represented filers across divorce, small claims, name change, and protection-order forms.

Each division routes its own filings, which is why the phone directory matters. A probate filing, a traffic matter, and a small claims case all go to different desks even though they share the same courthouse. Sending a filing to the wrong unit can slow it down, so confirm the desk before you mail or fax.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy carries the court's seal and is what legal proceedings usually require. Plain copies viewed at a terminal are not certified. The steps below cover a certified copy request through the clerk.

1. Identify the case number or party name and the document you need.
2. Call Records Management at 913-715-3480 for a price quote.
3. Submit the request online, in person, by mail, or by fax.
4. Pay the fee by an accepted method; payment is not taken by email.
5. Pick up or receive the certified copy once payment clears.

Note: A card payment made by fax or in person carries a $4.95 processing fee.

Clerk Copy and Audio Fees

Fees depend on what you ask for. Viewing at a public terminal is free. Copies, audio, and archived searches carry set charges, and payment must be received before records are released.

Audio and broader open-record requests go to the Court Administrator, Laura Brewer, who serves as Freedom of Information Officer, with a response due in three business days.

Records Request Fields

A records request needs enough to find the file and to reach you with a quote. Exact fields vary by method, but the core needs are the same.

What the Clerk Cannot Provide

Records Management is clear about its limits, which saves people a wasted trip. Several common records are held by other offices, not the court clerk.

• Arrest records and police reports: the arresting or responding agency.
• Background checks: KBI at 785-296-8200 or the FBI at 816-512-8200.
• Bankruptcy cases: the federal courthouse at 913-735-2110.
• Birth, marriage, and death certificates: Kansas Office of Vital Statistics.
• Deeds and property tax records: Records and Tax Administration at 913-715-0775.

For the wider open-records framework, see the Johnson County public records page.

Visiting the Clerk's Office

Everyone who enters the courthouse passes through security screening run by the Sheriff's Court Security Division. Plan extra time, since you may need to remove jackets, belts, and pocket items and pass through a metal detector. Weapons, knives, pepper spray, and many tools are banned.

The courthouse security page lists prohibited items and the screening process.

More than 600,000 people are screened into the courthouse and Justice Annex each year, so allow ample time before any clerk deadline.

Related Johnson County Records

For online case search, see court records. For the trial court itself, see the District Court. For estates, see probate records.