Labette County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Named after Pierre La Bette and Labette Creek, which is the second largest in the county, Labette County covers a land area of about 645 square miles in the southeastern part of Kansas. The county has a population of approximately 20,000 people. The City of Oswego is the county seat, while its largest city is Parsons. Other popular cities in Labette County include Chetopa, Altamont, and Bartlett. Labette County has two Trial Courts: District and Municipal Courts.

Labette County has District Courts in Parsons and Oswego, both serving under the Kansas 11th Judicial District. Being the county's general jurisdiction court, the District Court presides over all civil lawsuits and criminal trials beyond Municipal Courts. Examples of legal proceedings that take place in District Courts include felonies, misdemeanors, divorce, juvenile general claims, small claims, and probate cases. Minor criminal cases, ordinance violations, and traffic offenses are resolved at the following Municipal Courts in Labette County:

• Altamont
• Chetopa
• Mound Valley
• Oswego
• Parsons

Labette County District Courts disposes a minimum of 3,000 cases with a 95% clearance rate annually. Crime statistics provided by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation show that the county has witnessed at least 500 crimes each year since 2020. Interested persons can access public case files maintained by the District Court Clerk in Labette County. They can find the Clerk's contact information located in the 11th Judicial District Directory. Afterward, complete and send request forms via mail or in person at the Clerk's Office. District Court records in Labette County are also accessible online using the state's Public Access Portal. Case files exempted from the Kansas Open Records Act are not accessible online and do require an in-person visit with the County Clerk. Additionally, a court order or special permission is required to access any file that is considered confidential or sealed, which the Clerk can assist with. Those records are generally dealing with sensitive matters and typically encompass, information about jurors, any juvenile matters, adoption and custodial cases, as well as medical records or any matters surrounding mental health.

In summary, the Labette County judiciary, including the District and Municipal Court, handles legal matters in such a manner as to deliver fair justice. Civil and criminal legal proceedings typically occur in the District Courts, while the Municipal Courts handle violations within their jurisdiction. Labette's judiciary also provides easy access to court records, while restricting access to confidential records.