About the Harper County Clerk of the District Court
Harper County has a split records structure. The Clerk of the District Court handles court case files, filings, dockets, court payments, and court-related certified copies. The general County Clerk handles county administrative records, elections, and Kansas Open Records Act requests for county agency records. The Register of Deeds handles recorded land and property instruments. Treating those offices as interchangeable can delay a records request.
The county's County Clerk KORA page documents the county administrative open-record route, while District Court case records should go through the District Court clerk channel.
The county clerk source is relevant because it shows where KORA requests go for county-agency records, not because it replaces the court clerk for District Court files.
Clerk of the District Court
Staff listed: Rachel K. Denton, Tonya Hummer, Tabitha Stolsworth
201 N. Jennings Ave., 3rd Floor
Anthony, KS 67003
Mail: P.O. Box 467, Anthony, KS 67003
620-842-3721
Fax: 620-842-6025
allcourt@harpercountyks.gov
Judges Listed by Harper County
Chief District Judge Hon. William R. Mott
District Judge Hon. Gaten T. Wood
Magistrate Judge Hon. Scott McPherson
Court Services: 620-842-3586
Community Corrections: 620-842-5499
What the Clerk Does in Harper County
The Clerk of the District Court supports the court's case-record system rather than general county administration. Court records may include civil, criminal, domestic, probate, juvenile, traffic, limited action, protection, and appeal-related filings. The clerk channel is the practical contact for records that are not visible in Kansas CaseSearch, documents that need certification, and questions about docket links or fine-payment links published by the county.
- Receives filings and maintains District Court case files for Harper County.
- Provides local contact for records not available through Kansas CaseSearch.
- Supports courthouse terminal access for public records that are not available remotely.
- Handles certified copies of court documents when the record can be released.
- Routes questions about current court dockets, payments, and case-related court services.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies are needed when a court document must prove an official judgment, decree, order, conviction, dismissal, guardianship appointment, name change, divorce decree, or other court action. Kansas CaseSearch may show case information or documents, but certification is a clerk function. If the record is sealed, restricted, juvenile, adoption-related, or otherwise confidential, the clerk may deny public release or provide only a redacted public version.
- Identify the court as Harper County District Court, not a municipal court or county administrative office.
- Search Kansas CaseSearch for the case number, party names, filing date, and case type if the case is public.
- Prepare a written request listing the case number if known, party names, requested document, number of copies, and whether certification is required.
- Contact the Clerk of the District Court at 620-842-3721 or allcourt@harpercountyks.gov for the current copy, certification, mailing, and payment instructions.
- Submit the request by the method the clerk gives, then wait for the office to confirm whether the record can be released.
Open-Record and Request Form Fields
The court-record request path and the County Clerk KORA path ask for similar details, but they go to different custodians. Court case records should be described as case records. County-agency records should be submitted as written KORA requests to the County Clerk. Harper County says written county open-record requests may be delivered in person, by mail, or by email and should identify the records with as much specificity as possible.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Helpful for court records | Use CaseSearch, notices, or filings to avoid a broad search. |
| Party names | Yes in practice | Include full legal names, business names, and alternate spellings if known. |
| Document type | Yes | Examples: decree, journal entry, order, petition, disposition, letters, docket entry. |
| Requester contact | Yes | Needed for fee estimates, pickup, mail, or denial notices. |
| Certification request | When needed | State clearly if a certified copy is required. |
| Delivery method | Yes | Ask whether pickup, mail, or email delivery is available for that record. |
| Proof of identity or interest | Sometimes | May be needed for restricted records or county KORA requests. |
Harper County Clerk Fees
The research found several official fee references, but not a Harper County District Court copy and certification schedule. The page should therefore avoid invented court-copy amounts. Ask the Clerk of the District Court for a current estimate before mailing payment or expecting certified copies.
| Item | Amount / Rule |
|---|---|
| County open-record fees | Reasonable fees not exceeding actual cost under the County Clerk KORA page. |
| District Court copies | Harper-specific amount not located; verify with the Clerk of the District Court. |
| District Court certification | Harper-specific amount not located; request estimate before payment. |
| Marriage license | $85.50 shown in official Kansas district court examples; verify in the online application. |
| KDHE divorce certificate | $20 per certified copy, with additional expedited or app fees where applicable. |
| KBI criminal history | $30 through the official Kansas.gov criminal history portal. |
KORA Through the County Clerk
The County Clerk is not the court-case-file clerk, but the office is important for county-agency records. Harper County's County Clerk page says the office is on the 2nd floor of the courthouse, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and accepts completed open-record forms at Clerk@HarperCountyks.gov. The office phone is 620-842-5555.
Harper County states that requesters have the right to inspect and obtain copies of public records not exempted from disclosure during regular business hours, to receive agency policies for access, and to receive records or a written response within three business days. A response may say more time is needed because of volume, complicated request parameters, legal issues, or archived records. A denial should generally identify the records denied and the legal authority for denial.
The county also warns that KORA does not require Harper County to answer questions, create a record that does not already exist, or prepare a new report. The county may require a written request, may request proof of identity, and may charge reasonable fees for access, copies, and staff time. K.S.A. 45-230 restricts certain commercial use of names and addresses derived from public records.
CaseSearch, Terminal Access, and Property Records
For online court records, start with Kansas CaseSearch. The official record inventory identified search options such as case number, party name, business name, citation, and role-based criteria. Kansas court materials also explain that records not available through CaseSearch may be available at courthouse terminals, and each court has a computer reserved for public searches.
The Register of Deeds is a separate records channel for land and recording records, not District Court case files. The county's Register of Deeds page lists Register Audrey Anderson, the 2nd floor southeast corner office at 201 N. Jennings, phone 620-842-5336, email deeds@harpercountyks.gov, and fax 620-842-3455.
The Register of Deeds source helps separate property recording searches from District Court case-record requests.
The Register of Deeds links to the E-Search portal and a free Recording Notification System for email alerts when a document is recorded in a resident's name.
E-Search supports property and recording research; it should not be used as a substitute for CaseSearch or the Clerk of the District Court.