Named after the Potawatomi Native American tribe, Pottawatomie County, with a population of 25,000, is located in the northeastern part of Kansas. Established in 1857, it covers an area of 841 square miles. The county seat is in Westmoreland City, which is known for its agricultural and manufacturing industries.

Courts in Pottawatomie County

The Pottawatomie County court system includes District and Municipal Courts. The Pottawatomie County District Court adjudicates all criminal and civil cases. The court presides over felonies and civil disputes for monetary compensation. The District Courts have specialized divisions, including:

• Domestic Relations Division: Child custody, child support, divorce, legal separation, division of marital assets, and annulment
• Probate Division: Deals with matters related to the administration of estates, wills, guardianship of minors, conservatorships, and trusts
• Juvenile Division: Handles cases involving minors such as truancy, delinquency, foster care placement, emancipation, child abuse, and child neglect cases
• Small Claims Division: Presides over traffic cases and civil claims for disputes

The Municipal Courts in Pottawatomie County preside over cases involving violations of city and town ordinances. The court deals with non-criminal matters such as local code infractions, traffic violations, and minor offenses.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Pottawatomie County

Public court records are documents open to the public for inspection and copying. Pottawatomie County's public court records are available online through the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal. The Clerk of the District Court is the record custodian for public court records and permits interested persons to view and obtain copies of court documents during business hours. Records seekers may also request public court records by mail.

Types of Public Court Records in Pottawatomie County

Court records provide insights into the functioning of the judiciary, boosting public confidence in the country’s legal processes. The following court documents are open to the public in Pottawatomie County:

• Civil Court Records: Defamation, injunction, restraining orders,  real estate disputes, evictions, and employment disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including arson, drug trafficking, homicide, public intoxication, shoplifting, and petty theft
• Probate Records: Guardianships, conservatorships, wills, estates, and trusts
• Family Court Records: Divorce, legal separation, child support, alimony, child custody
• Traffic Records: Driving with a suspended license, failure to signal, parking violations, reckless driving, and stop sign violations

Confidential Court Records in Pottawatomie County

Confidential court records are documents from the courts restricted from the public. Confidential court records contain sensitive information and are sealed to protect the individual named on the document. Confidential court records in Pottawatomie County include:

• Mental health commitment records
• Juvenile records
• Adoption records
• Trade secrets
• Witness protection program records
• Grand jury proceedings.

Likewise, personal data on court records are confidential and unavailable to the public. Personal identifying information is redacted from public court records to prevent misuse and comply with legal standards. Personal information removed from court records includes:

• Financial information
• Passport numbers
• Medical records
• Driver's license numbers
• Tax identification numbers
• Social Security numbers.

Juvenile Delinquency in Pottawatomie, KS

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

In 2017, a total of 60 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Pottawatomie County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 60 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Pottawatomie County, KS

https://kansas.gov/

County Seat:	Westmoreland
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1856
Total Square Miles:	862
2019 Population:	23,908
Persons/Square Mile:	0.04

Pottawatomie County, KS Courts