| Circuit Clerk | 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County — Court Administration |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Jackson County Courthouse, 415 E. 12th Street, Suite 303, Kansas City, MO 64106 (a second courthouse in Independence, MO also hears county cases) |
| Phone | Courthouse main line (816) 881-3934; Court Administration (816) 881-3658; Civil Records — Kansas City (816) 881-3970, Independence (816) 881-1710; Criminal Records — Kansas City (816) 881-4350, Independence (816) 881-4500; Probate Records (816) 881-3755 |
| Hours | Records departments: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Criminal Records is at the Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex, 1315 Locust, Kansas City, and at the Independence Courthouse, 308 W. Kansas, Suite 127. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by local court rule in each circuit (COR 21.01(a)(22)); $1.00 per copied page in probate proceedings statewide. Circuits publish $0.25–$1.00 per page (e.g., St. Charles $0.25; Jasper $1.00; Boone $1.00 first page, $0.10 each additional) |
| Certified copy fee | $1.50 per seal on a certified or authenticated copy in probate proceedings statewide (COR 21.01(a)(18)); for other case types, set locally — commonly $1.00–$1.50 per certification on top of the copy fee |
Jackson County is the 16th Judicial Circuit, and it is unusual among Missouri's large counties: there is no separately elected circuit clerk. Instead, the Court Administrator performs the circuit clerk's functions alongside general court administration and civil-process duties handled by the sheriff in most other circuits. Records are organized by department — Civil, Criminal, and Probate — each with its own contact point.
Jackson County also splits its courthouse in two: the main courthouse is in downtown Kansas City, and a second courthouse in Independence handles civil and criminal matters for the eastern part of the county. Which building has a given case can depend on where in the county it was filed, so check both if a case does not turn up where expected.
As in the rest of Missouri, case dockets are searchable statewide on Case.net; the circuit's own website is the place for department contacts, forms, and local rules rather than a separate search tool.
Search Jackson County court records online
Circuit Clerk
16th Circuit Court of Jackson County — Court Administration
- Cost
- Free case search on Case.net; fees apply for copies
- Coverage
- All circuit-court divisions for the 16th Judicial Circuit — civil, criminal, family, juvenile, and probate — administered from Kansas City and Independence
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The Court Administrator performs the circuit clerk's functions; there is no separately elected circuit clerk in Jackson County. Civil, Criminal, and Probate Records each have their own department phone line.
What is available online
Case dockets for Jackson County circuit cases are searchable statewide on Case.net. The 16th Circuit's own website lists department-specific phone numbers for Civil, Criminal, and Probate Records and links out to Case.net rather than hosting its own search. Because the circuit operates courthouses in both Kansas City and Independence, confirm which location holds a given file before visiting in person.
Which clerk has your record
In Missouri, 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 Missouri page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (46 judicial circuits) | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits of any amount | Circuit Clerk of the circuit (called the Circuit Clerk in every Missouri circuit) |
| Municipal Courts (Municipal Divisions) | City and county ordinance violations; Minor traffic tickets issued within city limits | Municipal court clerk for that city, or the circuit clerk where the municipal division is part of the circuit court |
Request records in person or by mail
Jackson County clerk offices
Jackson County Courthouse, 415 E. 12th Street, Suite 303, Kansas City, MO 64106 (a second courthouse in Independence, MO also hears county cases)
Phone: Courthouse main line (816) 881-3934; Court Administration (816) 881-3658; Civil Records — Kansas City (816) 881-3970, Independence (816) 881-1710; Criminal Records — Kansas City (816) 881-4350, Independence (816) 881-4500; Probate Records (816) 881-3755
Hours: Records departments: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Criminal Records is at the Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex, 1315 Locust, Kansas City, and at the Independence Courthouse, 308 W. Kansas, Suite 127.
Case search. Use Case.net to search Jackson County circuit cases by name or case number.
Copies. Contact the department that would hold the file — Civil, Criminal, or Probate Records — at either the Kansas City or Independence courthouse, depending on where the case was filed. Requests can be made in person or by mail to the relevant department's address; include the case number, the documents needed, and whether certification is required.
General court administration. For questions that don't fit a specific record department, Court Administration in Kansas City can direct the request to the right office.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Missouri |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by local court rule in each circuit (COR 21.01(a)(22)); $1.00 per copied page in probate proceedings statewide. Circuits publish $0.25–$1.00 per page (e.g., St. Charles $0.25; Jasper $1.00; Boone $1.00 first page, $0.10 each additional) |
| Certified copy | $1.50 per seal on a certified or authenticated copy in probate proceedings statewide (COR 21.01(a)(18)); for other case types, set locally — commonly $1.00–$1.50 per certification on top of the copy fee |
Missouri court costs are set by the Supreme Court of Missouri under RSMo 488.012 through Court Operating Rule 21.01. That rule fixes copy fees only for probate proceedings ($1 per copied page and $1.50 per seal for a certified or authenticated copy) and otherwise leaves "reasonable fees for postage and per copied page as provided by local court rule," so plain and certified copy fees for civil, criminal, and family cases differ by circuit. Published examples: St. Charles County $0.25 per page plus $1.50 per certification; Jasper County $1.00 per page plus $1.50 for certification and seal; Boone County $1.00 for the first page and $0.10 each additional page plus $1.00 for a certified copy. Confirm the current fee with the circuit clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Missouri court records are presumed open, but several categories are closed to the public by statute or court rule:
The Missouri 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
Does Jackson County have an elected circuit clerk?
No. Jackson County is one of the few Missouri circuits where the Court Administrator performs the circuit clerk's functions instead of a separately elected clerk.
Are Jackson County court records at the Kansas City or Independence courthouse?
It depends on where the case was filed. Jackson County operates courthouses in both Kansas City and Independence; check Case.net or call the relevant records department to confirm which location has the file.
How do I look up a case in Jackson County?
Search Case.net, the statewide system, by name or case number. The circuit's own website does not run a separate case-search tool.
Who do I call for probate records in Jackson County?
Probate Records has its own phone line, (816) 881-3755, separate from Civil and Criminal Records.
Sources
- 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri — Court Administration — https://www.16thcircuit.org/court-administration
- 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri — Directory — https://www.16thcircuit.org/directory
- 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri — Criminal Records — https://www.16thcircuit.org/criminal-records
- 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri — Contact Us — https://www.16thcircuit.org/contact-us
- Missouri Courts — Case.net — https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/welcome.do
- Missouri Courts — Circuit Court overview — https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=321
- Missouri Courts — Appellate Court Opinions/Decisions — https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1944
- MACHS Name Search Portal (Missouri State Highway Patrol) — https://www.machs.mo.gov/MocchWebInterface/
- RSMo 488.012 — Court costs; fee schedule authority — https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=488.012
- Missouri Court Operating Rule 21 — Court Costs, Fees, Miscellaneous Charges, and Surcharges — https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=200636&up=1040
- RSMo 610.140 — Expungement of criminal records — https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=610.140
- RSMo 610.105 — Closing of arrest records when charges not filed or dismissed — https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=610.105
- RSMo 211.321 — Juvenile court records, confidentiality — https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=211.321
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri — https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/
- United States District Court, Western District of Missouri — https://www.mow.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Missouri counties.