Crawford County Court Records Search
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Crawford County sits in the southeastern corner of Kansas, sharing its eastern border with Missouri. Girard serves as the county seat, while Pittsburg — the county’s largest city — hosts a second division of the district court. Together these two locations process roughly 12,000 cases annually across the 11th Judicial District, which also encompasses Cherokee and Labette counties. Those cases span everything from felony prosecutions and civil contract disputes to probate proceedings, traffic violations, and domestic relations matters. Understanding which division holds which records — and how to request them — saves considerable time for anyone navigating the county’s court system.
In Kansas, court record searches can be conducted through official clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and state-managed online tools. KansasCourts.us may help users orient themselves to publicly available case information and locate the appropriate resources for their specific inquiry.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Crawford County?
Crawford County’s District Court operates out of two separate locations, each maintaining its own filing records. The division where a case was filed determines where the records are held — and a simple rule helps narrow the search: case numbers ending in “P” belong to the Pittsburg division; those ending in “G” belong to the Girard division.
The fastest way to search records remotely is through the Kansas Case Search portal, which provides free public access to district court case information statewide. Searches can be run by case number, party name, business name, or citation number without creating an account. The Crawford County court case information page on the official county website also links to the state case search tool, noting that a fee applies to view certain records.
For records not available online, all requests must be submitted in writing to the appropriate division. The two district court locations are:
Crawford County District Court — Girard Division
Address: Crawford County Courthouse, 3rd Floor, 111 East Forest Street, Girard, KS 66743
Phone: (620) 724-6212
Fax: (620) 724-4987
Email: districtcourt@co.crawford.ks.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed through lunch)
Crawford County District Court — Pittsburg Division
Address: Crawford County Judicial Center, 602 N. Locust, Pittsburg, KS 66762
Phone: (620) 231-0380
Fax: (620) 231-0316
Email: districtcourt@co.crawford.ks.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (open through lunch)
For written records requests, standard copy fees apply: $0.25 per page for document copies and a $12.00 per hour search fee. Including case numbers in any request will speed up processing at both locations.
Are Court Records Public in Crawford County?
Court records in Crawford County are presumptively open to the public under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), which mandates that public records be available for inspection and copying by any person. KORA applies to records held by public agencies, including the district court clerk’s offices throughout the state.
However, K.S.A. 45-221 enumerates specific categories of records that are not required to be disclosed. In a court records context, those exemptions cover:
- Juvenile records, which are closed to protect the privacy of minors involved in delinquency or child-in-need-of-care proceedings
- Adoption records, which are sealed and not subject to general public access
- Records of ongoing criminal investigations, which may be withheld to protect the integrity of active law enforcement work
- Sealed or expunged records, including conviction expungements under K.S.A. 21-6614 and arrest expungements under K.S.A. 22-2410
- Grand jury proceedings, which are conducted in secrecy by design
- Personal identifying information whose disclosure could facilitate identity theft or financial fraud
Records more than 70 years old may in some circumstances be disclosed regardless of these exemptions under KORA’s provisions. When a portion of a record is exempt, custodians are required to separate and release the non-exempt portions rather than withhold the entire document.
Crawford County Criminal Court Records
Felony and most misdemeanor criminal filings in Crawford County are handled by the Girard Division of the District Court, which maintains criminal case records from 1991 forward, along with some pre-1977 filings from before court unification. The Pittsburg Division handles bad check criminal cases specifically, along with traffic offenses and fish and game violations.
Criminal court records — including charging documents, plea records, sentencing orders, and judgment entries — can be searched online through the Kansas Case Search portal for cases within the eCourt system. In-person or written requests for records not available online should be directed to the Girard Division for felony and standard misdemeanor matters, and to the Pittsburg Division for bad check cases.
Arrest records and active booking information are maintained separately by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office:
Crawford County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 225 N. Enterprise Drive, Girard, KS 66743
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 157, Girard, KS 66743
Phone: (620) 724-8274
Fax: (620) 724-8290
Jail Administration: (620) 724-8853
Tips Email: tips@crsoks.org
Website: Crawford County Sheriff’s Office
The Sheriff’s Office publishes a current inmate roster on its website, listing persons currently booked into the Crawford County Jail. The roster does not imply conviction on any charges. For criminal history background check information beyond what the court records contain, requestors should contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Standard criminal case filing fees at the 11th Judicial District are as follows:
| Case Type | Docket Fee | Surcharge | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felony | $171.00 | $22.00 | $193.00 |
| Murder or Manslaughter | $180.50 | $22.00 | $202.50 |
| Misdemeanor | $136.00 | $22.00 | $158.00 |
| Traffic | $86.00 | $22.00 | $108.00 |
| Expungement (conviction) | $176.00 | $19.00 | $195.00 |
| Expungement (arrest) | $176.00 | $19.00 | $195.00 |
Crawford County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Crawford County are split across two procedural tracks depending on the amount in controversy. Standard civil actions under Chapter 60 of Kansas statutes — typically for claims above $25,000 — are filed in the Pittsburg Division, which also handles domestic relations cases. Limited actions under Chapter 61 and small claims matters are likewise handled at the Pittsburg Division.
The Kansas self-help court resources provide guidance on how to request court records, including instructions for written requests and information about which records are available online versus in-person only.
Civil and limited action filing fees at the 11th Judicial District:
| Case Type | Docket Fee | Surcharge | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 60 Civil | $173.00 | $22.00 | $195.00 |
| Domestic Relations | $173.00 | $22.00 | $195.00 |
| Post-Decree Motion | $40.00 | $22.00 | $62.00 |
| Limited Action (≤$500) | $35.00 | $19.00 | $54.00 |
| Limited Action ($500–$5,000) | $55.00 | $19.00 | $74.00 |
| Limited Action ($5,000–$25,000) | $101.00 | $19.00 | $120.00 |
| Small Claims (≤$500) | $35.00 | $12.50 | $47.50 |
| Small Claims ($500–$4,000) | $55.00 | $12.50 | $67.50 |
| Foreign Judgment (another state) | $173.00 | $22.00 | $195.00 |
| Garnishment (Chapter 60) | $7.50 | $12.50 | $20.00 |
To initiate a civil action, a party files the appropriate complaint or petition with the Pittsburg Division clerk, pays the applicable fee, and receives a case number ending in “P”. All subsequent pleadings and motions are filed with the same division. The Kansas district court filing fees calculator on the judicial branch self-help site can help litigants determine the precise fee for their case type before appearing at the clerk’s window.
Crawford County Family Court Records
Domestic relations cases — including divorce, child custody, child support, and protective orders — are filed with the Pittsburg Division of the Crawford County District Court, which handles current domestic filings. Historic domestic records filed prior to 1995 are maintained at the Girard Division.
Divorce records are maintained by the district court clerk at the Pittsburg location for cases from 1995 onward. To obtain a copy of a divorce decree or related filing, submit a written request to the Pittsburg Division at 602 N. Locust, Pittsburg, KS 66762, along with the $0.25-per-page copy fee and any applicable hourly search fee of $12.00. Include the full names of both parties and the approximate filing year to expedite processing.
The Kansas Office of Vital Statistics also maintains statewide divorce records from July 1951 onward, and older records reside in the Territorial Legislature’s Session Laws. For divorce records that predate district court unification, researchers may also contact the Crawford County Clerk’s Office.
Marriage licenses are issued through the Crawford County District Court. The total fee for a marriage license in the 11th Judicial District is $85.50 ($59.00 docket fee + $26.50 surcharge), per the official 11th Judicial District filing fee schedule. An additional $2.14 convenience fee applies when paying by credit or debit card, or $1.25 for payment by electronic check. Once issued, completed marriage licenses are filed first with the County Clerk of the District Court in the county where the license was issued, then forwarded to the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics. For questions about marriage records, contact the Girard Division at (620) 724-6212, which maintains marriage license records.
Birth and death records for Crittenden events are managed at the state level. Crawford County does maintain a searchable vital statistics database covering death records from 1886 through 1911, organized alphabetically by last name in three sections. Records after 1911 are held by the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE):
KDHE Office of Vital Statistics
Address: 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 120, Topeka, KS 66612-2221
Phone: (785) 296-1400
Email: kdhe.VitalRecords@ks.gov
Death certificates cost $20.00 per certified copy, which covers a five-year search of the records. Birth certificates also cost $20.00 per certified copy, with a $15.00 expedited service fee for faster processing. Certified copies can be ordered in person, by mail, online, by telephone, or via the KDHE mobile app. Access to both birth and death records is restricted to the record subject, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with a court order authorizing release.
Adoption records filed in Crawford County are maintained at the Girard Division (for older filings) and are confidential by statute. Access requires a court order.
Crawford County Probate Court Records
Probate jurisdiction in Crawford County rests with the District Court. Probate cases filed from 1996 forward are handled by the Pittsburg Division; cases filed prior to 1996 are maintained at the Girard Division. This division of historical records is important for researchers working on estate matters, will contests, or guardianship histories that may span multiple decades.
The types of probate proceedings heard in Crawford County District Court include:
- Probate of estates and wills
- Determination of descent for intestate estates
- Guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated adults and minors
- Trusteeships
- Termination of joint tenancy and life estates
- Filing of wills and affidavits without full administration
- Care and treatment proceedings (mental illness and substance abuse)
Probate filing fees at the 11th Judicial District:
| Proceeding Type | Docket Fee | Surcharge | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probate of Estate or Will | $109.50 | $22.00 | $131.50 |
| Conservatorship and/or Guardianship | $69.50 | $22.00 | $91.50 |
| Trusteeship | $69.50 | $22.00 | $91.50 |
| Filing Will and Affidavit | $48.50 | $22.00 | $70.50 |
| Determination of Descent | $49.50 | $22.00 | $71.50 |
| Adoption | $48.50 | $22.00 | $70.50 |
| Termination of Joint Tenancy | $48.50 | $22.00 | $70.50 |
| Certified Probate Proceedings (out of county) | $23.50 | $22.00 | $45.50 |
| Decrees of Probate from another state | $173.00 | $22.00 | $195.00 |
To request probate records, submit a written request to the appropriate division — Pittsburg for post-1996 cases, Girard for earlier filings — providing the decedent’s full name, approximate filing year, and case number if known. Standard copy fees of $0.25 per page and the $12.00 hourly search fee apply. Most probate records are public under KORA, though adoption-related probate filings are sealed.
The Crawford County Clerk’s Office also maintains historical probate records as part of its genealogy resources, including birth and death records from 1886 through 1911 available for in-person viewing or through the county’s online vital statistics database. The County Clerk’s Office is located in the Crawford County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 111 East Forest Street, Girard, KS 66743, reachable at (620) 724-6115, with hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.