Kansas criminal court records are primarily maintained by the district courts in the state’s 105 counties. The statewide Kansas CaseSearch portal can help you locate public district-court and appellate case information, while the Clerk of the District Court maintains the official file and certified documents. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) operates a separate statewide criminal-history repository, and county sheriffs, municipal courts and the Department of Corrections maintain other records that do not all appear in CaseSearch.
First decide which Kansas criminal record you actually need
Kansas court records, KBI criminal-history records, police arrest reports, jail bookings and correctional records are maintained by different agencies. Searching the wrong system is one of the main reasons users think a record is missing.
Criminal court case
Charges filed in District Court, hearings, attorneys, judge assignment, court events, dispositions and public documents when remotely available.
Official case file
The clerk maintains the official local court file and provides copies, certifications and records that may not appear through remote access.
State criminal history
The Kansas Central Repository combines qualifying arrest, prosecution, disposition and Kansas correctional-history information by individual identity.
Arrest or incident record
Local law-enforcement agencies maintain arrest records, offense reports, booking data and investigative records.
Current local custody
Jail rosters and bookings are generally county-level records rather than one statewide KDOC jail database.
State offender record
KASPER contains public information associated with programs funded through or operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Kansas CaseSearch: statewide district court criminal case access
The Kansas Judicial Branch’s current Kansas CaseSearch provides public internet access to qualifying district-court and appellate case information.
The current CaseSearch interface allows users to choose whether they want to search:
- District Court records;
- Appellate Court records;
- case number / record number;
- person or party name;
- additional case filters;
- case type and filing dates.
How to search Kansas criminal court records
Open the official CaseSearch portal
Use the Kansas Judicial Branch portal rather than beginning with a commercial people-search site.
Select District Court
Most Kansas felony and misdemeanor prosecutions are filed in District Court. Use the appellate option only when you are researching an appeal.
Enter a case number or name
A case number is the strongest search key. If you only know the person’s name, enter it carefully and use additional filters.
Use additional filters
Narrow results by case type, date or other available options when a name returns too many possible matches.
Open the correct case
Confirm county, filing date, parties, case type and identifying information before assuming the case belongs to the person you searched.
Read the docket through disposition
Follow the event history through dismissal, diversion, plea, conviction, sentence or another final resolution.
What Kansas CaseSearch results can tell you
| Case detail | What it means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Unique identifier assigned to the District Court case. | Keep it for copy requests and later searches. |
| Case type | Identifies the category of court case. | Make sure it is actually a criminal case rather than civil, traffic or another category. |
| Party | Person or entity associated with the case. | Confirm identity before relying on a common-name match. |
| Judge | Judicial officer assigned to the case. | Assignment can change during a case. |
| Event index | Chronological docket activity. | Read beyond the initial charge to find final events. |
| Public document | A filing or court-created record remotely accessible under Rule 22. | Not every public document is eligible for internet display. |
Why some Kansas court records do not appear online
Kansas Supreme Court Rule 22 creates different levels of public electronic access. A public record can sometimes be available at a courthouse even when it is not remotely available through the internet portal.
Internet CaseSearch
Provides remote access to public case information and qualifying public case records that Kansas law and court rules allow to be displayed online.
Courthouse terminal
Can provide additional public case information and records that are not eligible for remote internet access, subject to statutes, court rules and sealing orders.
Records can be restricted because they involve:
- sealed cases;
- expunged cases;
- protected personal identifiers;
- confidential documents;
- certain juvenile information;
- victim-protection rules;
- court orders limiting access;
- statutory confidentiality.
Kansas courthouse terminals provide broader public access
Kansas Supreme Court Rule 22 requires each District Court to maintain a courthouse terminal that the public can use to view available public case records and the events index.
A courthouse terminal is useful when:
- the public case exists but an online document is unavailable;
- you need broader public case information;
- you are researching an older case;
- you need to identify the exact filing before ordering a copy;
- CaseSearch does not answer a document-access question;
- you need the official local clerk’s assistance.
How to request Kansas criminal court documents
When you need an actual criminal complaint, journal entry, judgment, order or certified document, contact the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the case was filed.
A useful request should include:
- complete case number;
- defendant or party name;
- county where filed;
- approximate filing year;
- specific document title;
- docket-event date if known;
- plain or certified copy request;
- your contact and delivery information.
Kansas court copy and certification fees
Kansas court-record request fees can include copies, certification, mailing and staff time when a request requires research or preparation.
| Service | Current published amount | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Plain court copy | $0.25 per page | Standard copy charge in current Kansas court records-request schedules. |
| Certified document | $10 per document | Certification is added when an official certified copy is requested. |
| Mailing, first five pages | $0.50 | Additional mailing charges can apply for longer records. |
| Mailing, additional five-page groups | $0.25 | Applied after the first five pages. |
| Fax | $0.50 per page | Current published schedules commonly limit fax requests to 15 pages. |
| Clerical record preparation | $20/hour | Often charged in quarter-hour increments when staff research is needed. |
| Professional employee time | $60/hour | Can apply to requests requiring professional review. |
Confirm the final amount with the maintaining clerk before sending payment, especially for archived files, large requests or county-specific services.
Kansas Municipal Court records use a different search path
Kansas Municipal Courts are city courts that prosecute violations of city ordinances. Their cases should not automatically be expected to appear as ordinary District Court criminal cases.
Municipal cases can involve:
- city ordinance violations;
- municipal traffic charges;
- local misdemeanor ordinance cases;
- failure-to-appear matters;
- municipal warrants;
- other city-law violations.
A municipal conviction can still matter to KBI criminal-history records in some circumstances when the ordinance is equivalent to a qualifying Kansas misdemeanor.
Kansas Bureau of Investigation criminal-history checks
Kansas statewide criminal-history records are maintained in the Kansas Central Repository by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The repository receives summary information from:
- police departments;
- sheriff offices;
- prosecutors;
- Kansas courts;
- Kansas Department of Corrections;
- other authorized Kansas criminal-justice agencies.
What the public KBI criminal-history check includes
The public Kansas criminal-history search is not the same as the complete record available to the subject of the record.
Public KBI results can include
- Kansas felony convictions;
- Kansas misdemeanor convictions;
- qualifying municipal/county ordinance convictions;
- Kansas DOC confinement information;
- arrests within the past 12 months when no disposition has been received;
- active diversions not yet successfully completed.
Public KBI results generally exclude
- disposed arrests that did not result in conviction;
- successfully completed diversions;
- expunged arrests, prosecutions, convictions and confinements;
- unresolved arrests more than 12 months old without disposition;
- juvenile offender records;
- out-of-state and federal criminal records.
Additional identifying details—such as middle name, maiden or alias names, Social Security number, place of birth and physical information—can help reduce uncertainty when names are common.
How to request your complete Kansas criminal-history record
Kansas gives a person broader access to their own criminal-history record than the general public receives.
To obtain the complete personal record, KBI requires a fingerprint-supported personal review request by mail.
Your own complete KBI record can include:
- qualifying Kansas arrests;
- arrests without final dispositions;
- prosecutor information;
- court dispositions;
- ongoing, failed and successfully completed diversions;
- expunged arrests and convictions;
- Kansas DOC confinement information;
- juvenile-offender information associated with your record.
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Attn: Criminal History Records Section1620 SW Tyler
Topeka, KS 66612-1837
Follow the latest KBI personal-review instructions before mailing the fingerprint card and payment.
Certified Kansas criminal-history record checks
KBI also offers certified Kansas criminal-history checks for purposes such as:
- visa applications;
- immigration matters;
- adoptions;
- foreign-government requests;
- other matters requiring formal validation of the result.
| KBI service | Current fee | Submission |
|---|---|---|
| Public online name-based check | $30 | Online |
| Fingerprint-based Kansas check | $45 | Fingerprint submission |
| Personal complete record review | $45 | Mail + fingerprints |
| Certified name-based Kansas check | $40 | |
| Certified fingerprint-based Kansas check | $55 | Mail + fingerprints |
Fingerprint-based Kansas criminal-history checks
KBI says fingerprint comparison is the preferred method for identifying the correct Kansas criminal-history record because repository records are associated with fingerprints taken during qualifying criminal-justice events.
A public fingerprint-based Kansas record check currently costs $45 per individual.
KBI fingerprinting in Topeka
KBI Headquarters Annex
1631 SW Topeka Blvd.Topeka, KS 66612
Appointments:
785-296-4038
Published hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
KBI fingerprinting fee: $10
KBI states that it does not accept cash for this fingerprinting service.
Local police departments and sheriffs can also provide applicant fingerprinting, although each agency decides whether it provides the service and what fee it charges.
Kansas arrest, police and incident records
Police reports and arrest files are separate from court dockets and KBI public criminal-history checks.
Kansas Attorney General guidance under the Kansas Open Records Act draws an important distinction between basic public law-enforcement information and criminal investigation records.
Jail roster
Kansas Attorney General guidance states that jail inmate rosters are not treated as criminal investigation records.
Police blotter / basic arrest information
Police blotter information and reasonably contemporaneous basic arrest information are generally public.
Investigation file
Criminal investigation records can be withheld under Kansas law even when basic arrest facts are public.
The first page of a standard Kansas offense report is generally treated as public, while additional investigative material can be restricted.
Kansas Open Records Act and criminal records
The Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) is found at K.S.A. 45-215 through 45-223.
Kansas Attorney General guidance specifically explains that:
- court records and docket sheets are not criminal-investigation records;
- jail rosters are generally public;
- police blotters are generally public;
- the first page of the standard offense report is generally public;
- criminal investigation records can be withheld;
- mug shots can be withheld;
- standard arrest reports can be withheld;
- KBI criminal-history information follows its own statutory access rules.
Kansas arrest and search warrant records
Kansas treats warrants differently depending on whether they have been executed.
Arrest-warrant probable-cause affidavits
Under K.S.A. 22-2302, affidavits or sworn testimony supporting an arrest warrant or summons are not open to the general public before execution.
After execution, a person may request disclosure by filing the request with the Clerk of the Court. The judge can order disclosure with redactions or can seal the material when statutory grounds justify doing so.
Search-warrant affidavits
K.S.A. 22-2502 provides a similar procedure for executed search warrants. For qualifying warrants executed on or after July 1, 2014, a person can request supporting affidavits or sworn testimony from the court after execution.
Kansas county jail and booking records
County jails are generally operated by local sheriff departments or other local detention authorities. Kansas does not provide one KASPER page that replaces all 105 county jail rosters.
If someone was arrested recently:
- identify the county where the arrest occurred;
- find the official sheriff or county detention website;
- look for inmate, jail, booking or roster information;
- contact the jail directly when no online roster exists;
- search Kansas CaseSearch separately after charges are filed.
Kansas Department of Corrections offender search
The Kansas Department of Corrections operates the Kansas Adult Supervised Population Electronic Repository (KASPER).
KASPER contains information associated with people and cases connected to programs funded through or operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections.
KASPER information is generally updated each working day, but custody or supervision status can change after the last update.
Kansas Registered Offender search
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation also operates a public Registered Offender database under the Kansas Offender Registration Act.
The registry can include qualifying:
- sex offenders;
- violent offenders;
- drug offenders;
- other people subject to Kansas registration law.
Kansas criminal appeals and appellate dockets
Criminal cases appealed from District Court can continue in the Kansas Court of Appeals or Kansas Supreme Court.
The current Kansas CaseSearch system allows users to select appellate records as well as district-court records.
Kansas juvenile offender records have different access rules
Juvenile records should not be treated the same way as ordinary adult criminal records. Kansas law requires juvenile official files to be maintained separately and applies additional public-access restrictions.
K.S.A. 38-2309 provides that the juvenile official file can be open to inspection in some circumstances, but a judge can restrict access when statutory conditions apply, especially for younger juveniles.
Information identifying victims of specified sex offenses and human-trafficking offenses is protected from public disclosure.
Kansas criminal-record expungement
Kansas law provides separate expungement procedures for qualifying arrests, convictions and diversions.
Expungement of arrest record
Kansas Judicial Council provides forms specifically for a qualifying arrest that did not proceed in the same way as a conviction case.
Expungement petition
Kansas Judicial Council provides a separate petition packet for qualifying adult convictions or diversions.
Eligibility depends on the specific offense, waiting period, criminal history, registration requirements and other factors in Kansas law.
How to correct an inaccurate Kansas criminal-history record
If your Kansas KBI criminal history is inaccurate or incomplete, KBI allows the subject of the record to challenge the information.
Request your complete record
Use the fingerprint-supported personal review process so you can see the complete Kansas record associated with your identity.
Identify the exact error
Note whether the problem is a missing disposition, incorrect charge, incorrect conviction, wrong identity or another issue.
Get supporting documents
Obtain journal entries, dismissal orders, diversion-completion records, expungement orders or other official documents supporting the correction.
Send the correction request to KBI
Explain the disputed information and include the documents that establish the correct disposition or identity.
Phone:
785-296-2454
Email:
Record_Check@kbi.state.ks.us
Federal criminal cases in Kansas use a different court system
Federal prosecutions filed in Kansas are handled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. They are not Kansas District Court cases and will not be covered by a Kansas CaseSearch district-court lookup.
Federal case dockets and documents are generally accessed through PACER.
Federal courthouse
U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas maintains federal court operations in Kansas City.
Federal courthouse
Federal criminal cases can also be handled through the Topeka division.
Federal courthouse
Wichita is another principal District of Kansas federal court location.
Kansas Judicial Center and statewide court administration
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th AvenueTopeka, KS 66612-1507
Published hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., except court holidays.
The Judicial Center houses Kansas appellate-court and statewide Judicial Branch functions. District-court criminal files themselves remain with the relevant county court.
Use the correct courthouse
If you need a District Court criminal complaint, journal entry or certified trial-court record, contact the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the case was filed rather than traveling to Topeka automatically.
Use CaseSearch first to identify the filing county.
Kansas criminal court record search tips
Use CaseSearch before calling a clerk
Finding the case number first makes copy and certification requests faster.
Search the right court level
City ordinance cases can be in Municipal Court rather than District Court.
Use courthouse access when online access stops
Rule 22 allows some public records to be available at courthouse terminals even when they are not remotely viewable.
Use KBI for statewide criminal history
Searching individual court cases is not the same as running a Kansas Central Repository check.
Do not confuse jail with prison
County sheriffs handle local jail custody; KDOC/KASPER covers Kansas correctional programs.
Read past the arrest
The disposition—not the arrest or original charge—tells you how the case ended.
Use fingerprints when identity matters
KBI says fingerprint comparison provides much stronger identification than name-only searching.
Recent arrest? Check locally
Sheriff or police information can sometimes be available before the corresponding court case becomes useful to search.
Check appeals separately
A trial-court judgment can later be affirmed, reversed or remanded by an appellate court.
Kansas criminal court records: frequently asked questions
1. Can I search Kansas criminal court records online?
Yes. Kansas CaseSearch provides public internet access to qualifying District Court and appellate case information. Search by case number or party name and use available filters to narrow results.
2. Is Kansas CaseSearch free?
Basic public case details are currently available through the Kansas Judicial Branch CaseSearch site. Fees apply when you request printed records, certified documents, research or other clerk services.
3. Does Kansas CaseSearch show the official court record?
No. The portal states that information displayed through CaseSearch does not constitute the official record of the court. The Clerk of the District Court maintains the official file.
4. How much does a Kansas KBI criminal-history check cost?
A general online name-based Kansas criminal-history check currently costs $30 per person. Fingerprint-based, certified and personal-review searches have different fees.
5. What does the public KBI criminal-history search show?
Public KBI results can include Kansas felony and misdemeanor convictions, qualifying municipal or county ordinance convictions, Kansas DOC confinement, unresolved arrests from the past 12 months and active diversions. Nonconviction arrests, completed diversions, expunged information and juvenile records are generally not released to ordinary public requesters.
6. Can I obtain my complete Kansas criminal history?
Yes. The subject of the record can submit a fingerprint-supported personal review request to KBI. The complete personal record can include information not released through an ordinary public check, including qualifying nonconvictions, diversions, expungements and juvenile information.
7. Are Kansas jail rosters public?
Kansas Attorney General guidance states that jail rosters are generally public and are not treated as criminal-investigation records. Individual counties decide how much jail information they publish online.
8. Can I get a Kansas warrant affidavit?
Supporting affidavits for arrest and search warrants are generally not public before execution. After execution, Kansas statutes provide a court-request procedure through the clerk, subject to possible redaction or sealing by the judge.
9. Can a Kansas criminal conviction be expunged?
Some Kansas convictions and diversions can qualify for expungement after the applicable waiting period and when statutory requirements are met. Certain offenses and registration circumstances are excluded. Kansas Judicial Council provides official petition forms.
10. Does a Kansas criminal court search include federal cases?
No. Federal prosecutions are maintained by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas and are generally searched electronically through PACER rather than Kansas CaseSearch.
Primary official sources used for this guide
- Kansas Judicial Branch — CaseSearch
- Kansas Judicial Branch — Search District Court Records
- Kansas Judicial Branch — Request Court Records
- Kansas Supreme Court Rule 22 — Public Electronic Court Records
- Kansas Bureau of Investigation — Criminal History Record Check
- KBI — Conducting a Criminal History Record Check
- KBI Criminal History — Frequently Asked Questions
- KBI Criminal History — Contact Information
- Kansas Attorney General — KORA Frequently Asked Questions
- Kansas Open Records Act — K.S.A. 45-215 et seq.
- K.S.A. 22-2302 — Arrest Warrant Affidavit Access
- K.S.A. 22-2502 — Search Warrant Affidavit Access
- Kansas Department of Corrections — KASPER
- Kansas Bureau of Investigation — Registered Offender Search
- Kansas Judicial Council — Expungement of Conviction or Diversion
- Kansas Judicial Council — Expungement of Arrest Record
- K.S.A. 21-6614 — Adult Criminal Expungement
- PACER — Federal Court Records