Franklin County Court Records Search
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Franklin County, Kansas is served by the Fourth Judicial District Court, which covers Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties. The district court in Ottawa handles the full range of criminal, civil, family, and probate matters for county residents. Municipal courts in Ottawa, Wellsville, and Pomona handle local ordinance violations and traffic infractions. Together, these courts have built up a substantial body of public records — documenting legal proceedings, property transactions, vital events, and estate administration going back well over a century.
You can search Kansas court records through clerk's offices, public access terminals at courthouses, and several online tools maintained by the state judiciary. KansasCourts.us can help you identify publicly available case information and understand how the state's court system is organized. For Franklin County specifically, the district court clerk's office in Ottawa is the central point of contact for most record requests.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Franklin County?
The Franklin County District Court handles criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. The courthouse is located at:
Franklin County District Court
Address: 301 S. Main Street, Ottawa, KS 66067
Phone: (785) 242-6000
Fax: (785) 242-5970
Clerk of the District Court: Theresa Morrow
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Several options are available for searching Franklin County court case information:
- Online via Kansas Case Search: The Kansas Case Search portal replaced the former Public Access Portal and provides searchable district court records statewide. You can search by case number or party name.
- Public access computers at the courthouse: Terminals are available in the hallways adjacent to, or inside, the clerk's offices. These are free to use during business hours.
- In person at the clerk's office: Staff can help you locate records. Bring the party's full name or a case number to speed things up.
- By written request: Under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), written requests must be answered within three business days. Direct requests for specific case documents to the court that processed the case.
Important: Online searches do not display divorce, visitation, child support, or paternity case information. If you need those records, you must visit the courthouse in person.
Municipal courts in Franklin County serve incorporated cities and handle ordinance violations and traffic matters:
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Municipal Court | 715 W 2nd, Ottawa, KS 66067 | (785) 242-5333 |
| Wellsville Municipal Court | 704 E. 7th St., Wellsville, KS 66092 | (785) 893-9724 |
| Pomona Municipal Court | 219 Jefferson Street, Pomona, KS 66076 | — |
The Ottawa Municipal Court can also be reached by email at municourt@ottawaks.gov, and its website at ottawaks.gov/municipal-court has information on payments and court dates.
Are Court Records Public in Franklin County?
Kansas law sets a broad presumption of public access to court records. Under the Kansas Open Records Act, any person has the right to inspect and copy records maintained by Kansas courts, subject to specific exemptions. Courts must respond to written records requests by the end of the third business day after receiving them. If more time is needed, the court must notify the requester.
Per Kansas Supreme Court Rule 106B, court records include any activity or filings related to a particular case — case types, case numbers, party names, attorney names, hearing dates, and assigned judges. Internal communications such as emails, notes, or correspondence not filed in a case are excluded.
The following categories of records are not available to the public:
- Adoption records
- Grand jury proceedings
- Expunged criminal records
- Most juvenile and child in need of care (CINC) records
- Child custody, support, visitation, and paternity case information (also excluded from online searches)
- Certain criminal investigation records
- Personal information about public employees
- Any record closed by judicial rule, court order, or case law
If a request is denied in whole or in part, the court will explain which legal authority applies — such as exemptions under K.S.A. 45-221. Court employees cannot conduct searches requiring legal determinations (such as whether a judgment is still current), prepare new reports, or fulfill bulk data requests.
Standard fees for court record requests established by the Kansas Judicial Administrator are:
| Fee Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Copies | $0.25 per page |
| Certified documents | $10.00 per document |
| Mailing (first 5 pages) | $0.50 |
| Mailing (each additional 5 pages) | $0.25 |
| Fax: (per page, max 15 pages) | $0.50 per page |
| Clerical staff time | $20.00/hour (quarter-hour increments) |
| Professional staff time | $60.00/hour (quarter-hour increments) |
Individual district courts may set fees that differ from these statewide rates. Payment may be required before a request is processed.
Franklin County Criminal Court Records
Criminal records maintained by the Franklin County District Court include case filings, indictments, arraignment records, disposition documents, and sentencing orders. The Clerk of the District Court at 301 S. Main Street in Ottawa holds these filings. You can search them at the courthouse's public access terminals or through the Kansas Case Search portal.
Arrest records are held by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the primary law enforcement agency for the county. Records staff can assist with arrest record searches during business hours; have basic identifying information about the subject ready when you call or visit. Copying and search fees apply.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office
Address: 220 S. Beech St., Suite A, Ottawa, KS 66067
Phone: (785) 229-1200
Fax: (785) 229-1210
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Statewide criminal history records are available through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). The KBI's criminal history record check service costs $20.00 per search and is accessible online. The KBI also maintains the Kansas Registered Offender database, which the public can search at no charge.
Keep in mind that expunged criminal records are exempt from disclosure under KORA and will not appear in public searches. Arrest warrant affidavits and sworn testimony require a separate request process through forms provided by the Kansas Judicial Council; these requests require court approval and are not subject to KORA timelines.
Franklin County Civil Court Records
Civil disputes in Franklin County are handled by the Fourth Judicial District Court, which has jurisdiction over contract disputes, personal injury claims, property issues, small claims, landlord-tenant matters, and civil appeals. District Judge Douglas P. Witteman and District Magistrate Judge David Braun serve Franklin County within the district.
You can search civil case records online through the Kansas Case Search portal, though registration may be required for certain case types. In-person searches are also available at the public access computers in the Franklin County Courthouse during clerk's office hours (8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday).
To request copies of civil case documents, submit a written request to the Clerk of the District Court at 301 S. Main Street, Ottawa, KS 66067. Copies cost $0.25 per page, and a $10.00 certification fee applies to documents requiring certification.
Property records in Franklin County are maintained by three separate offices:
- Franklin County Register of Deeds — deeds, plats, liens, mortgages, and related real estate recordings (located at 315 S. Main St., Ottawa, KS 66067; Phone: (785) 229-3440)
- Franklin County Appraiser — property valuation and assessment records
- Franklin County Treasurer's Office — property tax records and payment history
Most property records are open to the public and can be reviewed in person or through the county's online parcel search tools. The Register of Deeds office accepts e-recording for real estate documents.
A Self-Help Center is available through the Fourth Judicial District for parties representing themselves, and Kansas Legal Services provides free interactive legal forms to help low-income residents navigate civil proceedings.
Franklin County Family Court Records
Family law cases in Franklin County — including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, visitation, paternity, adoption, and domestic violence protective orders — are filed in the Fourth Judicial District Court. One critical limitation applies here: divorce, visitation, support, and paternity case records are not available through the Kansas Case Search portal. You can only access these records in person at the Franklin County Courthouse.
Visit the Clerk of the District Court's office at 301 S. Main Street, Ottawa, during business hours to request these records. Public access computers at the courthouse allow free viewing, with copies available at the standard $0.25-per-page fee.
Marriage records in Franklin County are divided by date. Old marriage records predating February 15, 2001, are available through the Franklin County Clerk of District Court's online records system. To browse these records, select "Franklin" from the top menu, choose "Old Marriage and Probate Records", and click the first letter of the party's surname. If you need photocopies of older records, submit your request by mail or email to the clerk's office with the case number or book and page location. Fees are $0.25 per page for photocopies, $1.00 per certified document, and $12.00 per hour for clerk research time.
Certified marriage certificates — including records after February 15, 2001 — are available through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Office of Vital Statistics. Each certified copy costs $20.00. Mail requests must include a completed Marriage Application form along with a government-issued photo ID and payment.
Birth certificates are confidential records accessible only to the registrant, immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with a direct legal interest. Certified copies are available through the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics for $20.00 per copy. You can request them in person (walk-in lobby hours: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., weekdays), online, by phone at (877) 305-8315, by mail, or via the IKan mobile app. Online and phone orders carry an additional $13.95 expedited service fee; app orders carry a $5.00 processing fee. Mail requests must include a completed Birth Application Form.
Under K.S.A. 65-2422d, death certificates are similarly restricted. Certified copies cost $20.00 and follow the same request channels, with mail requests requiring a Death Application Form sent to: Office of Vital Statistics, Curtis State Office Building, 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 120, Topeka, KS 66612-2221.
Franklin County Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in Franklin County are handled by the Fourth Judicial District Court. These include the administration of decedent estates, admission of wills to probate, appointment of administrators and executors, guardianship and conservatorship matters, and related filings.
Old probate records predating February 15, 2001, are available online through the county's dedicated records page. Navigate to "Franklin" from the top menu and select "Old Marriage and Probate Records". Records are organized alphabetically by the first letter of the party's last name and are free to browse. To get physical copies of older records, submit a written or email request to the Clerk of the District Court's office, identifying the case number or book and page number. Applicable fees are:
- Photocopies: $0.25 per page
- Certified copies: $1.00 per document
- Clerk research time: $12.00 per hour
- Remit payment by check or money order along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope
Recent probate records — those filed after February 15, 2001 — are accessible through the public access computers at the Franklin County Courthouse during regular business hours, or through the Kansas Case Search portal. In-person inspection of case files at the clerk's office is free; copies are $0.25 per page. Certified documents carry the standard $10.00-per-document fee.
Attorneys handling estate matters and self-represented parties looking for probate forms can find resources through the Fourth Judicial District's Self-Help page and the court's docket and payment systems online. Written requests for probate records can also be mailed to the clerk's office at 301 S. Main Street, Ottawa, KS 66067. The court clerk will respond within three business days as required by KORA, provided the records are not exempt from disclosure under applicable Kansas law.