Johnson County, Kansas, was created in 1855 and named after Thomas Johnson, a Methodist missionary and one of the state's original immigrants. Its county seat is Olathe, and as of the 2020 census, its population was 609,863. Its water bodies cover 6.5 square miles, and its land covers 473 square miles.

Courts in Johnson County

The people of Johnson County are served by a district court and 19 municipal courts. The District Court of Johnson County is the highest court in the county, and it has general jurisdiction over all trial cases. It hears all types of cases, including civil, criminal, family law, juvenile, and probate cases. It is the premier court for important legal disputes and criminal charges in the county.

Johnson County has several municipal courts servicing different municipalities. Each municipal court handles issues unique to its own municipality, primarily focusing on municipal ordinance violations, traffic infractions, and misdemeanor offenses. The 19 municipal courts in Johnson County are in Westwood, Westwood Hills, Spring Hill, Shawnee, Roeland Park, Prairie Village, Mission, Overland Park, Olathe, Mission Woods, Mission Hills, Lenexa, Merriam, Lake Quivira, Gardner, Fairway, Edgerton, and De Soto.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Johnson County

The Johnson County District Court Clerk maintains all court records from the District Court, while each municipal court clerk is responsible for their court records. The District Court Clerk’s office provides access to public court records from Johnson County via the Johnson County Kansas District Court Public Records portal. Some of the municipal courts in the county also have online platforms to search for their public court records. However, members of the public can visit the District and municipal courts to view and make copies of public court records. While searching and viewing public court records in Johnson County are free, obtaining copies comes at a fee.

Types of Public Court Records in Johnson County

Unless sealed by court orders, Johnson County makes the following types of court records available to the public:

• Criminal Court Records
• Family Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Probate Court Records
• Traffic Violation Records

Confidential Court Records

In Johnson County, court records are sealed to protect sensitive information, such as personal privacy, minors, or ongoing investigations, ensuring that such details are not accessible to the public. Confidential court records differ from publicly available ones in that they are restricted from general access and can only be viewed by authorized individuals or under specific court orders. Confidential court records in Johnson County include those sealed by default under Kansas law or by court orders. Part or all of a Johnson County Court record is closed to the public if it contains any of the following sensitive information:

• Juvenile records
• Adoption records
• Certain family law records, such as those involving child custody or abuse
• Mental health commitment proceedings
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Victim and witness protection information
• Records related to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
• Expunged records
• Divorce records, except the decree and judgment
• Misdemeanor and felony records after certain years

In Johnson County, some parts of a court record may be sealed if it contains sensitive information such as:

• Confidential informant identities and details
• Sensitive criminal investigation details
• Records containing personally identifiable information, such as driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, financial information, or medical records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Johnson, KS

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Johnson County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Kansas often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Johnson County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Johnson County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Johnson County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Johnson County, KS

https://kansas.gov/

County Seat:	Olathe
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1855
Total Square Miles:	480
2019 Population:	591,178
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Johnson County, KS Courts