New webpage gives access to new civil case filings in district courts

TOPEKA—The Kansas court system has launched a new webpage that gives visitors access to new civil case filings before they are reviewed and accepted by the district court clerk, eliminating the wait time for attorneys, the public, and media who track new civil cases. 

“Court modernization is a continuous process to improve how Kansas courts serve the people of Kansas, and the civil filing webpage is a great example,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert. “People who watch for new civil cases can use it to track when cases are filed, even while the filings are waiting to be processed by the court clerk.” 

Attorneys have been required to electronically file court documents since 2018. All electronically filed documents enter a queue to be processed by the court clerk, including documents creating new civil cases. 

“If a new civil case is efiled Friday afternoon, the court clerk may not process it until Monday morning,” Luckert said. “The new civil filing webpage makes that information available sooner to people who track new civil cases, with the understanding that a case is not created until the filings are accepted by the clerk.”  

Kansas Civil Filings webpage

The Kansas Civil Filings webpage hosts documents after they are submitted, unless they are designated sealed. To designate a case or document as sealed, a filer must submit a motion to seal at the same time they submit the document to meet requirements in Supreme Court Rule 23.    

Filings are not court records until accepted by clerk

Documents on the Kansas Civil Filings webpage are not court records until they are reviewed and accepted by the court clerk. 

After the court clerk confirms a filing follows applicable rules, it is accepted and becomes a court record. Public court records are on the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal. 

Documents available for three days 

Documents remain on the Kansas Civil Filings webpage for three days, unless they are rejected by the court clerk under provisions in Supreme Court Rule 23(c).