| Clerk of the District Court | Reno County District Court — Clerk of the District Court (27th Judicial District) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Reno County Courthouse, 206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501 |
| Phone | (620) 694-2956 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, excluding holidays. |
| Earliest records noted | 1992 |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Reno County is a single-county judicial district, the 27th Judicial District, so there is exactly one Clerk of the District Court to deal with, at the Reno County Courthouse at 206 W 1st Avenue in Hutchinson. The court has general jurisdiction over every civil and criminal matter in the county, including divorce and domestic relations, damage suits, probate and estates, guardianships and conservatorships, care and treatment cases, juvenile matters, and small claims.
The clerk's Records section is one of the clearer ones in Kansas about what is available and where. Public records can be searched on a public computer on the first floor of the courthouse (behind security) covering January 1992 to the present, or online through the Kansas Judicial Branch's district court records portal, which the county describes as holding all Reno County records and cases filed from April 1, 2003 forward. The county posts its own fee schedule: copies, certifications, an hourly rate for staff time, and a flat charge for cases pulled from underground storage.
Two rules shape any request. A case number is required for every records request, so a name-only search has to be done first on the public computer or online. And under Kansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 156, the clerk refers criminal-record searches for employment or credit purposes to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation rather than running them at the counter. Hutchinson and the county's smaller cities run separate municipal courts for city ordinance cases.
Search Reno County court records online
Clerk of the District Court
Reno County District Court — Clerk of the District Court (27th Judicial District)
- Cost
- Copies $0.25 per page; certification $1.00 each; staff time $18.57 per hour; cases retrieved from underground storage $35.00
- Coverage
- All district court case types for Reno County — civil, criminal, domestic, probate, guardianship and conservatorship, care and treatment, juvenile, small claims, and traffic
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Reno County is its own judicial district. A public-access terminal on the first floor of the courthouse covers January 1992 to the present; the online portal covers cases from April 1, 2003 forward. A case number is required for all written records requests.
Other courts
Reno County District Court — Records (fees and request instructions)
- Cost
- Requests $18.57 per hour; copies $0.25 per page; certifications $1.00 each; underground-storage retrieval $35.00
- Coverage
- Copy and certification requests for Reno County district court files, by mail or email, with a case number
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
Requests with case numbers require an upfront fee. Mail requests with a self-addressed stamped envelope to Clerk of the District Court, Attn: Records, 206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501.
What is available online
The county's Records page says all Reno County records and cases filed from April 1, 2003 forward are on the Kansas Judicial Branch's district court records portal (now Kansas CaseSearch at casesearch.kscourts.gov). The public-access terminal on the first floor of the courthouse reaches further back, to January 1992. Cases older than 1992, and files moved to underground storage, are retrieved on request for a $35.00 fee. Documents (as opposed to case information) are viewable online only for cases filed after the district moved onto the Kansas eCourt system.
Which clerk has your record
In Kansas, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Kansas page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount, including small claims | Clerk of the District Court for the judicial district |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police; Minor misdemeanors charged under city code | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Reno County clerk offices
Reno County Courthouse, 206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501
Phone: (620) 694-2956
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, excluding holidays.
In person. Go to the Reno County Courthouse, 206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The public-access terminal is on the first floor behind security and lets you search by name or case number back to January 1992. Once you have the case number, ask the Clerk of the District Court for copies; copies are $0.25 per page and certification is $1.00 each.
By mail or email. Every written request must include a case number. Mail the case number, a list of the documents you need, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Clerk of the District Court, Attn: Records, 206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501, or send the same information to the Records email address listed on the county's Records page. The office charges an upfront fee: $18.57 per hour for staff time plus $0.25 per page and $1.00 per certification, and $35.00 for any case that has to be pulled from the underground vault or storage. Call (620) 694-2956 with questions.
Online. Kansas CaseSearch is free and, per the county, covers Reno County cases filed since April 1, 2003. Use it to find a case number before sending a written request.
Background checks. Criminal-record searches for employment, credit, or similar purposes are referred to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation under Supreme Court Administrative Order 156; the clerk does not perform them.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Kansas |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
K.S.A. 28-170 leaves the fee for certifying or copying a district court paper to be "prescribed by the district court," so there is no single statewide amount; each judicial district sets and posts its own copy and certification fees. Confirm the current fee with the clerk before mailing payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Kansas court records are open to the public by default, but several categories are not available online or in the courthouse index:
The Kansas guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How far back do Reno County court records go online?
The county states that all Reno County records and cases filed from April 1, 2003 forward are on the statewide online portal. The public-access terminal in the courthouse reaches back to January 1992, and older files are retrieved from storage on request.
What does it cost to get copies from the Reno County District Court?
Copies are $0.25 per page, certifications $1.00 each, and staff time $18.57 per hour, paid up front. Cases stored in the underground vault cost $35.00 to retrieve.
Can I request a Reno County court record by name only?
No. The Records page says a case number must be provided for all record requests. Find the number first on Kansas CaseSearch or the courthouse public-access terminal.
Will the Reno County clerk run a criminal background check?
No. Under Kansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 156, requests for criminal-record searches for employment or credit are referred to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's criminal history record check instead.
Sources
- Reno County District Court — https://www.renocountyks.gov/District-Court
- Reno County District Court — Records — https://www.renocountyks.gov/Records
- Kansas Judicial Branch — 27th Judicial District — https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/District-Courts/Districts/27th-Judicial-District
- Kansas Courts — Search District Court Records — https://www.kscourts.gov/eCourt/District-Court-Records
- Kansas CaseSearch — https://casesearch.kscourts.gov/
- Kansas Judicial Branch — About Kansas Courts — https://www.kscourts.gov/
- Search District Court Records — Kansas Courts eCourt — https://kscourts.gov/eCourt/District-Court-Records
- KBI Criminal History Record Search — Conducting a Record Check — https://www.kansas.gov/criminalhistory/conducting_record_check
- K.S.A. 21-6614 — Expungement of certain convictions, arrest records and diversion agreements — https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_066_0014.html
- K.S.A. 45-221 — Kansas Open Records Act, records exempt from disclosure — https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch45/045_002_0021.html
- K.S.A. 28-170 — District court clerk fees — https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch28/028_001_0070.html
- KBI Fact Sheet — Expungement of Criminal History Records — https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/info/docs/pdf/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Expungement%2002.2025.pdf
- United States District Court for the District of Kansas — https://www.ksd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Kansas counties.