Stafford County Court Record Requests
Try Kansas Smart Search first when a case is open to public online access. Write down the Stafford case number, the names, the case type, and the event date. Then request one specific document instead of "everything." A narrow ask lets the clerk pull the correct judgment, order, petition, motion, transcript, or docket entry. It also lets the office quote a realistic cost.
- Search online by case number or party name and set Location to Stafford County.
- Check the courthouse terminal when an event appears but its document does not.
- Call the District Court clerk at (620) 549-3295 to confirm custody and request steps.
- Visit the third-floor counter or mail a written request with the case and document details.
- Use the Kansas courts request form when directed, and state whether certification is needed.
Judy Lyon, Clerk of the District Court, keeps the Stafford District Court files. Her office sits at 209 N Broadway, 3rd Floor, St. John, KS 67576. Doors are open 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. That schedule runs Monday through Friday. Call ahead if your trip depends on a specific record.
Judy Lyon Keeps Court Files
The District Court clerk and the County Clerk do different work. Judy Lyon's office holds criminal, civil, traffic, probate, domestic-relations, juvenile, and other District Court files. Lisa Weber, the Stafford County Clerk, manages county administrative records and routes KORA requests. The county's own clerk page points traffic tickets, court dates, and marriage or divorce record questions back to the District Court clerk.
That division trips people up. A county KORA form sent to the administrative clerk is not a District Court copy request. Name the court, case number, parties, approximate year, exact record, delivery preference. Say whether you need certification. Municipal case? Contact the issuing city clerk instead.
Kinds of Court Records
A case file can hold pleadings, motions, notices, service returns, hearing entries, orders, judgments, exhibits, and an events index. The mix varies with case type and access rules. Criminal files may show charging and disposition entries. Civil files carry petitions, answers, motions, and judgments. Probate and domestic matters bring their own filings. Juvenile and protection files usually face tighter access controls.
The events index is the chronological list that Kansas Rule 21 defines. It finds a filing date fast but is not the whole record. A calendar setting is not the signed order that resolves an issue, either. Ask for the product that fits your need.
Stafford County Courthouse Counter
The official courthouse location page identifies the building where local District Court access begins:
The courthouse terminal can surface public material the web portal leaves off. A March 2025 Judicial Branch update notes that some pre-Odyssey converted documents may sit at a kiosk. Those same documents may stay absent online. Bring the case number if you have it. For an older file, bring names, the approximate year, the record type, and any old index reference.
Court Records: What They Contain
A good request separates search fields from document contents. The clerk uses the first group to locate the file, while the second group describes the item you want.
| Case number | The current SF-YYYY-XX-###### form or an older reference. |
|---|---|
| Caption and parties | The case name and public party listings used to confirm a match. |
| Events index | Dated filings, actions, hearings, orders, and other court events. |
| Document entry | The title, filing date, filing party, and image access if public. |
| Disposition or judgment | The recorded outcome, which should be read from the actual court entry. |
| Certification | A clerk authentication requested separately from an ordinary copy. |
Not every field or image is public. Rule 24 protects personal identifiers, Rule 22 governs electronic access levels, and a redaction means protected text has been cut from the public copy.
One Stafford Judgment, Not Everything
A focused request saves search time and copy cost. Give the case number, the document title, and the event date. If the portal lists a "Journal Entry of Judgment," ask for that named entry. Skip the complete file. When the label is unclear, quote the event description. Let the clerk match it to the right document.
Portal event without an image: note the event date and title, then ask whether the public document is available at the terminal or from the clerk.
Do not assume a missing image is sealed. It may be a converted older item, an index-only entry, or a document at another access level. The clerk can name the reason without revealing protected content.
Copy Fees and Certification
A plain copy reproduces an available record. A certified copy carries the clerk's official certification. A portal view is neither product. Stafford District Court posts no copy or certification fee amounts, so ask for a current estimate. Do that before mailing payment or ordering a large file. Kansas law allows actual copy costs and advance payment in appropriate cases.
| Product | Known Cost | Best Request Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Portal view | Use the live public portal terms | Case number and event |
| Plain clerk copy | Ask the clerk for the current amount | Exact document and delivery method |
| Certified copy | Ask for copy plus certification total | State that certification is required |
| Older file search | Confirm possible search or copy cost | Names, year, type, and old number |
The court offers no online certified-copy order form or District Court fee sheet. Do not send the county administrative policy's default fee until you confirm it governs a court request.
Older Stafford County Probate Records
The county's official genealogy page sends older probate searches to the District Court clerk's office. Paper indexes and microfilm still matter. A pre-Odyssey number may fail to match the newer SF format. The Stafford County Historical and Genealogical Society Museum sits at 100 N Main in Stafford. It keeps cemetery, obituary, census, genealogy, and town-history material. The Ida Long Goodman Memorial Library in St. John holds newspaper microfilm reaching into the 1880s. Use those collections to nail down a spelling, date, or family link before asking a clerk to search. They are not court offices. Only the proper clerk can provide or certify a judgment, probate order, or court filing.
Access Rules for Court Records
Kansas treats its records as open by default, though exemptions and court rules still apply. The policy itself comes from K.S.A. 45-216. How a person asks to inspect records, and how the office must respond, is covered by K.S.A. 45-218. Copy fees are allowed under K.S.A. 45-219, while K.S.A. 45-221 lists what stays closed. On top of the statutes, court records in Stafford County follow Kansas Supreme Court Rules 21, 22, and 24.
Not every file is open. Sealed, expunged, juvenile, and sensitive records can be restricted, though a clerk can sometimes pull the protected parts out and release the rest. Skip Social Security numbers, account numbers, and other needless personal details when writing a request. Restricted files may call for proof of authority or a court order.
Stafford County District Court
Judy Lyon, Clerk of the District Court
209 N Broadway, 3rd
Floor
St. John, KS 67576
(620) 549-3295
Stafford Court Access Accommodations
The court's ADA notice names Judy Lyon as court coordinator. It asks that accommodation requests come in at least five business days ahead. TTY 711 works too. Reach out early, state the access need plainly, and leave out unrelated private details. Federal cases are different. Those live in PACER and the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. They do not belong in a Stafford KORA request. Municipal records stay with the city court. A Stafford County docket search can pin down a state District Court case. Do that before any copy request begins.