Jackson County, Missouri State Court Records
Missouri Court Operating Rule 2 (COR 2) defines court records, or case records, as all records relating to a particular case or controversy. These records are generated independently by each court in Missouri, and, while collectively considered Missouri court records, they are primarily named for the jurisdiction in which they originate. So, court records originating in Jackson County (Missouri’s 16th Judicial Circuit) are referred to as the Jackson County court records.
Court records, at their core, serve to promote transparency and ensure accountability within the justice system. However, these records are also useful for appellate review and genealogical research. The records also frequently integrate with other public records to present in-depth insight into a legal matter. For example, arrest and court records are crucial for establishing a person’s criminal background, detailing all legal actions from the initial arrest event through the case’s final disposition.
Are Jackson County Court Records Public?
Yes. Jackson County court records are open to the members of the public. Missouri Court Operating Rule 2 creates a presumption of openness, enabling anyone to view or copy judicial records as desired. Nevertheless, exceptions exist to the public’s right of access, and certain records must either be redacted before release or be completely blocked off from public inspection. Where confidentiality laws, rules, or orders apply, only specified entities, such as the case parties or their attorneys, may be allowed to review the affected records.
Case documents/information considered exempt from public access in Jackson County include
- Adoption files
- Personally identifying information, such as full dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, state identification numbers, passport numbers, and minors’ full names and addresses.
- Sealed records
- Juvenile court records
- Mental health reports and proceedings
- Grand jury records
- Pre-sentence and probation reports
- Medical records
- Financial institution account numbers, including personal identification numbers, credit or debit card numbers, and passwords/PINs
What Information is Available in Jackson County Court Records?
Jackson County court records cover a wide range of legal matters, including civil, criminal, and traffic cases. These records contain diverse information and documents related to each specific legal proceeding. The following are typical contents:
- Names of the litigants (plaintiff or defendant) and their representing counsel
- The filing date of the case
- The dates, times, and locations of all subsequent hearings
- The judge or magistrate assigned to the case
- The case number and type (e.g., landlord-tenant, tort, misdemeanor)
- The case status (e.g., pending, closed, appealed)
- A chronological summary of all filings, actions, and events occurring in the case (otherwise called the register of actions or docket entries)
- Financial information about the case, which encompasses all payments made by and to the court, including bonds, restitution, fines, and costs
- The specific charges filed by the prosecutor and their associated Missouri Code (for criminal cases only)
- The court’s final decision, along with any temporary or interim orders issued by the court
Jackson County Court Records Search
There are a few primary ways to conduct a court records search in Jackson County, Missouri.
- Online: The Missouri judiciary’s website features a Case.net system to foster public access to judicial records, including Jackson County court records. This system is the judiciary’s automated case management system, accessible by entry of a litigant’s name, filing date, case number, or scheduled hearing date, among other criteria.
Case.net offers free public access to search and view case proceedings. Users can also download non-certified case filings, typically those dated from July 1, 2023, onward. For older, certified, or paper-only court records, inquiries should be directed to the clerk’s office at the local courthouse where the case was filed.
- In Person: Jackson County comprises one circuit court, which is organized into distinct departments, as well as several municipal divisions of the circuit court. Therefore, parties seeking a direct request for records at the courthouse will need to ascertain where the case was originally filed; this information can be found through a search on Case.net.
To retrieve court records at the filing courthouse, one will need to provide the staff at the clerk’s office or the appropriate department with either the case number or a party’s name. Requests for copies attract nominal charges per Missouri law.
- Mail/Email: Records from the Jackson County courts can also be obtained by submitting a copy request to the appropriate court department. For the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, specific copy request forms are available online for civil, criminal, family, and probate records, designed to accommodate various public requests, including written/audio transcripts and confidential records.
Alternatively, a request can be drafted, providing all necessary details about the desired records and the applicable fees, and then submitted to the relevant department or court. These requests are typically accepted via mail, email, or in person.
Finally, individuals can contact the court clerk’s office or the court department/division that handles the case records (i.e., where the case was filed) to learn about other methods of public inquiry.
Fees for Court Records in Jackson County
Accessing the Missouri Case.net system to look up Jackson County cases or download uncertified copies of case documents is entirely free to members of the public. Similarly, inspecting a court record or file at the courthouse bears no charge on the requester.
However, if a request is made to duplicate, certify, or exemplify ("triple seal") a court record, the requester is responsible for all arising costs. In the Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit, these fees are generally thus:
- Photocopies: 30 cents per page
- Certified copies: $4 (first page), plus 30 cents per additional page
- Authenticated copies: $6 (first page), plus 30 cents per page
- Copies from microfilm/archive: $5 (first page), plus 50 cents per page
Copy charges may be waived for certain requesters. For instance, parties granted in forma pauperis ("indigent") status are exempt from copy fees. Additionally, copies provided to a county, city, or state agency/department regarding a pending proceeding are also fee-exempt. For the most current fees or fee exemptions, it is advised to contact the presiding court or circuit clerk’s office.
Note: Clerks of court do not keep vital records. To obtain copies of Jackson County vital records, individuals may contact the following entities based on the type of certificate:
- Birth certificates issued before 1920.
- Death certificates issued before 1980.
Pricing information can be obtained from the Bureau.
Jackson County Courthouse Locations
Jackson County, Missouri, operates as the 16th Judicial Circuit, which consists of a single circuit court. This court handles the county’s entire caseload through four specialized departments-probate, civil, criminal, and family. These departments are further categorized into various divisions presided over by specific circuit judges, associate circuit judges, and commissioners.
The 16th Judicial Circuit Court also includes 12 active municipal divisions that handle misdemeanor cases arising from offenses and code violations within their respective municipalities. Appeals of municipal court case decisions are heard by the 16th Judicial Circuit Court as a trial de novo (do-over trial).
Notably, the Jackson County Municipal Court (often referred to as Division 301), located in Independence, specifically handles all cases connected to tickets issued by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, as well as citations for animal control, food inspection, code enforcement, and parks issued by the respective enforcement departments.
Below are the courthouse addresses in Jackson County.
Circuit Court Locations in Jackson County
Kansas City Courthouse
415 East 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
Eastern Jackson County Courthouse
308 West Kansas
Independence, MO 64050
Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex
1315 Locust
Kansas City, MO 64106
Family Justice Center
625 East 26th Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: (816) 881-3934
(See other contacts)
Municipal Courts in Jackson County
1100 Southwest Smith Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
Phone: (816) 228-0175
Fax: (816) 228-0229
City Hall
315 South Hudson Street
Buckner, MO 64016
Phone: (816) 650-3191 ext. 4 or 5
711 Main Street
Grain Valley, MO 64029
Phone: (816) 847-6240
Fax: (816) 847-6209
1200 Main Street
Grandview, MO 64030
Phone: (816) 316-4837
308 West Kansas
Independence, MO 64050
Phone: (816) 881-3000, option #1
223 North Memorial Drive
Independence, MO 64050
Phone: (816) 325-7235
Jackson County Municipal Court
308 West Kansas
Independence, MO 64050
Phone: (816) 881-1697
511 East 11th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: (816) 513-2700
Fax: (816) 513-6782
Lee’s Summit Municipal Division
10 Northeast Tudor Road
Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
Phone: (816) 969-1150
Fax: (816) 969-1155
2100 South Broadway
Oak Grove, MO 64075
Phone: (816) 690-3773 ext. 1501
Fax: (816) 690-6823
Raytown City Hall
10000 East 59th Street
Raytown, MO 64133
Fax: (816) 737-7000
Email: court@raytown.mo.us
Sugar Creek Municipal Division
1001 Heroes Way
Sugar Creek, MO 64054
Phone: (816) 595-7490
Fax: (816) 461-3493
Criminal Records Access in Jackson County
Criminal records in Jackson County can be accessed through the judicial system. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court has a Criminal Records Department that maintains records of traffic violations and misdemeanor and felony charges against individuals, from case inception through post-disposition. This department has two office locations where inquiries can be made during normal business hours:
Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex
1315 Locust
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: (816) 881-4350
Or
Independence Courthouse
308 West Kansas
Suite 127
Independence, MO 64050
Phone: (816) 881-4500
Alternatively, individuals can fill out the department’s Online Copy Request Form or other forms, such as the Request for Audio Transcripts, Application to Inspect Confidential Court Records (GN318), or Application to Inspect Closed Criminal Records, depending on the requester’s needs and eligibility. These request forms can generally be submitted by email or in person, and each request requires payment of the applicable fees.
General criminal case information is also available through the Missouri Case.net system.
Beyond the county courts, requests for criminal history searches or background checks (the more comprehensive statewide criminal records) can be made to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP). The MSHP provides name-based checks to the public through the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) for $15, plus a small service fee. Fingerprint-based searches are available for $20 per request, excluding fingerprinting vendor costs, to the subject of the record and eligible entities.
Jackson County Probate Records
Probate cases in Jackson County are handled by the Probate Department of the 16th Judicial Circuit. This unit holds jurisdiction over the estates of deceased persons ("decedents"), incapacitated or disabled adults, and minors. It also hears all trusts litigation, civil commitments, and matters involving the institutionalization of individuals alleged to be sexually violent predators.
Documentation created from the department’s proceedings is termed the probate records, or often "estate records." These documents are presumed open to the public under Missouri COR 2.
Requests for Jackson County probate records can be made using the department’s Copy Request Form or other forms such as the Application to Inspect Confidential Court Records (GN318). Fees apply for copy requests.
Additionally, case information (for cases after May 16th, 2005) is available through the Missouri Case.net database. Records filed prior to May 16, 2005, may be accessible through the department’s Probate Records Search application. Searches can be conducted by estate number or party name.
It should be noted that certain records-including mental health and alcohol & drug-related estates, clinical evaluations, psychiatric reports, and sensitive financial data-are confidential to the general public.
Jackson County Family Court Records
The Family Court, a department of the 16th Judicial Circuit in Jackson County, Missouri, holds exclusive, original jurisdiction in all matters related to domestic/family and juvenile law, including marriage, child custody, and adult abuse and neglect. Documentation from these cases, known as "family court records," is accessible to the public under Missouri COR 2.
There are three court locations designated for Family Court proceedings in Jackson County, which members of the public can visit for case access:
Subject Matter | Courthouse | Actions Heard |
|---|---|---|
Family Justice Center in Kansas City, MO | Alleged child abuse or neglect, adoptions, juvenile delinquency, juvenile status offenses, and certain orders of protection. | |
The Kansas City Courthouse or The Independence Courthouse in Kansas City, MO | Dissolution of marriage (divorce), separation, separate maintenance, child custody and modifications, child support, adult abuse, and child protection matters |
Case access can also be obtained through the Missouri Case.net system or by submitting a copy request form to the Family Court (see forms) or Civil Records Department (see forms).
Note that the Family Court manages access to juvenile files, including juvenile delinquency, child abuse/neglect, and adoptions. These matters are considered sensitive and are not available for public inspection. On the other hand, while domestic cases are part of the Family Court’s proceedings, the Civil Records Department typically processes access requests, as these are generally public.
Federal Court Records in Jackson County
The United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri has federal case jurisdiction over Jackson County. Specifically, the court’s Western Division (often referred to as the Kansas City Division) is responsible for all federal cases-including civil, bankruptcy, and criminal matters-originating within the county. The records maintained by this division are accessible through the following methods:
- ViaPACER: Individuals can access the Public Access to Court Electronic Records portal to view or obtain copies of federal court records generated by the Kansas City Division. Costs apply to access PACER-10 cents per page and $2.40 per audio file. These fees are waived under certain circumstances.
- At the Courthouse: Individuals can stop by any divisional office within the Western District of Missouri to use public terminals for free electronic viewing of case files. However, where physical or paper-only copies are needed (refer to applicable fees), it may be necessary to visit the particular courthouse where the case was originally filed or coordinate retrieval with the clerk’s office.
Below is the Kansas City Division’s location:
Street Address:
Charles Evans Whittaker U.S. Courthouse
400 East 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
District Court: (816) 512-5000
Bankruptcy Court: (816) 512-1800
Mailing Address:
Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse
Attn: Clerk’s Office - Records Request
400 East 9th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106