It is up to the individual discretion of each judge. In general, it is not permitted. The judges feel it is important that jurors focus their attention on witnesses and information rather than on taking notes.
Clerk of the District Court FAQ
List of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for the Clerk of the District Court.
- Are jurors allowed to take notes?
- As a juror do I need to bring anything with me?
- Can I defer my jury duty?
- Can I request to be excused from jury service due to financial hardship?
- Can I request to be excused from jury service for medical reasons?
- Can I speak to the judge about my case?
- Can I volunteer for jury service?
- Can my employer fire me for serving on a jury?
- Do I have to appear in court for my traffic citation?
- Do I have to get an attorney for this type of action?
- Do I have to pay the court costs even if I do not come to court?
- Even though I have received a Summons, is it possible that I will not be required to come to court during the dates shown?
- How are jurors selected for a particular trial?
- How can I be referred to no cost or low cost legal services?
- How can I contest a garnishment against my wages and/or bank account?
- How can I get a judge to perform my marriage ceremony?
- How can I get more time to pay my ticket?
- How can I get out of jury service?
- How do I file a small claims case?
- How do I get copies of documents in case files, and what are the related fees?
- How do I get copies of my marriage license?
- How do I know what my court date is?
- How do I obtain a restraining order?
- How do I request an interpreter for my court hearing?
- How far back do the Public Access Computers' computer records go?
- How long do trials typically last?
- How much do I owe on my case?
- How was I selected for jury service?
- I am over 70 years-old, do I still have to serve on a jury?
- I forgot to complete my juror questionnaire. What should I do?
- I forgot to report for jury duty as ordered. What do I do?
- I have a disability that makes it hard for me to see (or hear or move about); can I get help when I appear in court?
- I have been charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense. Can I reschedule my court date?
- I have completed jury service within the last 2 years. What do I do if I receive another summons?
- I have found out that my license is suspended for not appearing in court or not paying my fines on time. How can I get my license back?
- I have received a summons. What should I do?
- I haven't heard anything from the court about my requested deferment or excusal. What do I do?
- I meet the eligibility requirements to be a juror, but am I actually qualified to be a juror?
- I missed my court appearance. What will happen next?
- I want to contest my ticket. What do I do?
- If I am summoned for jury service, will I automatically sit as a juror on a case?
- If I have a difficulty hearing or seeing, will I be disqualified?
- If I serve on a trial, will I have to report for another trial during that service period?
- Is it true that violations of 10 mph or less over the limit are considered non-moving violations?
- Is my privacy protected?
- I've moved from Douglas County, do I still qualify for jury service?
- May I smoke?
- What about childcare?
- What are my duties and responsibilities as a guardian or a conservator?
- What are the Court Clerk's office hours?
- What are the qualifications for jury service?
- What forms of payment does the court accept?
- What hours are the Public Access Computers available?
- What if an unexpected emergency keeps me from coming to the courthouse while I am on jury duty?
- What if I am a college student, and I am from another state or county, do I still have to serve?
- What if I lost my questionnaire?
- What if the jury summons has a wrong address?
- What if the person named in the jury summons has died?
- What if the weather is bad?
- What information is available on the Public Access Computers?
- What is my employer wants proof of my jury service?
- What is the purpose of the juror questionnaire attached to the summons?
- What is voir dire and what is its purpose?
- What kind of trial will I hear?
- When do I get my bond back?
- Where can jurors park?
- Where do I make payments if the Clerk's office is closed?
- Where do I obtain birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate information?
- Where do I pay my traffic ticket?
- Where do I report?
- Which courtroom do I appear in?
- Who can I contact for questions not answered here?
- Why do some juries have different numbers of jurors?
- Will I be paid for my jury service and if so, how much?
- Will I be sequestered?
- Will my employer pay me while I am on jury service?
- Will the court provide an attorney for me?
- Will there be long periods of waiting?
You do not need to bring anything with you. You may want to bring a jacket, book, or something else to do during the brief period of waiting.
Deferment is not always a possibility, but we try to accommodate your busy schedules as much as we can. To request a deferment, you should complete the appropriate section of the juror questionnaire. You will receive a letter from the court with either your new service dates or a denial of your request within four weeks of making the request.
Yes, you will need to complete the appropriate section of the juror questionnaire. All requests of this nature are subject to review by the chief judge. You will receive a written response to your request within four weeks.
Yes, but the court requires a letter from a doctor stating you should be excused.
Judicial ethics prohibit judges from speaking directly with parties about their cases.
Jurors must be randomly selected and summoned to be able to serve on a jury. You cannot volunteer for service. In Douglas County, jurors are randomly selected from a list of people with Douglas County addresses provided by the Kansas DMV.
Kansas law provides job protection for jurors. According to Kansas law, employers may not fire or threaten to fire an employee because of jury service. The court can provide documentation of jury service upon request.
If you are charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense, you must appear in court. Seat belt violations do not require a court appearance, even though they are often marked as misdemeanors on the tickets. If you were charged with no proof of insurance, but you had insurance at the time of the stop, you should contact the DA's office at 785-832-5321 in advance of your court date to provide them with your insurance information. They will then let you know if you need to appear in court or not.
If all charges on your ticket are infractions, you are not required to appear in court provided you plead guilty or no contest and pay the fine and costs by the date indicated on your ticket. If you wish to contest the charge, you must appear and plead not guilty. A trial date will then be set.
You may wish to consult an attorney on any action you file or that is filed against you. In small claims court, an attorney cannot represent you, unless an individual, who is an attorney, is suing you. For more information, call the Access to Justice Advice Line at 1-800-675-5860.
Yes. The "court costs" in traffic cases are actually docket fees that must be paid whether or not you appear in court. Docket fees are used to defray the expenses of processing a court case from beginning to end.
Yes. It is impossible to predict the number of trials that will take place each week. Some of the jury trials that are scheduled are settled, dismissed, or otherwise resolved without requiring a jury. For this reason, we have implemented the juror call-in system. Jurors need to call 785-832-5108 between 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. on Monday, the weekend before your beginning date. A recorded phone message will give reporting information based on your Group Number. You will be told when you are to report or when you are to call again.
Cases will usually be heard by juries of six or twelve jurors. A larger group, called a panel, will be sent to the courtroom where the jurors will be questioned by the lawyers in a process called Voir Dire. A juror may be excused from the panel if it is shown that the juror cannot act impartially concerning the case to be heard. After Voir Dire is completed, each side is allowed to remove a given number of jurors from the panel without having to show any reason. The remaining panel members become the jurors for the case.
You can call the Access to Justice Advice Line at 1-800-675-5860. You also may want to consider Limited Scope Representation.
You should fill out the Notice to Defendant (Earnings or Non-earnings) that accompanies the Order of Garnishment sent to your employer and/or bank and file it in the District Court division your case is assigned to. If you did not receive the Notice to Defendant from your employer or your bank, you should contact the plaintiff's attorney to obtain one. Once the Notice to Defendant is filed, a judge will determine if a hearing date should be set. You may want to consult an attorney on how to contest a garnishment.
When picking up your license, you will be given a card with the judge's contact information. All arrangements must be made with the judge's assistant. There is a $50 fee for this service. Additional fees apply for ceremonies held off-site, on weekends, or on holidays. For information on acquiring a new marriage license, visit the Getting Married page.
You may appear in court at the time specified on your ticket to request additional time to pay. Be sure to bring your copy of the ticket to court with you. If you fail to pay in full or appear in court by the date specified on your ticket, the court will send a letter to the address listed on your ticket informing you that you must pay in full within 30 days to avoid suspension of your driving privileges.
If you are charged with a misdemeanor you must appear in court on the date specified on your ticket, but you will not necessarily have to pay anything on that date.
We encourage everyone to serve jury duty when summoned. It is an interesting and rewarding experience, as well as being a civic duty. Before requesting to be excused, you should consider the following: If you were to be involved in a case that went to a jury of your peers, who would you want to be on that panel? You probably would want people, who, like yourself, are capable of making reasoned and informed decisions. So, it stands to reason that you should be willing to provide that service as well. However, for good cause shown, you may be excused from jury duty. Please contact the Jury Coordinator at 785-832-5213 to request a dismissal from jury duty.
Small claims cases are filed in the Clerk's office, using forms available in the lobby and online at Small Claims. An instruction booklet, which details filing and post-judgment procedures, can be obtained in the Clerk's office. The maximum dollar value that can be requested in a small claims case is $4000, and the amount of the filing fee depends on the amount of damages for which you are suing. For damages up to $500, the filing fee is $49. For damages of $500.01 - $4000, the filing fee is $69. You must also provide a sheriff's service fee, which is a separate payment of $5 for each address to be served.
You may fill out a Records Request Form by visiting the Clerk's office in person, or by submitting an Online Records Request Form. To submit your Records Request Form, you can mail it to Clerk of the District Court's Office - Records Dept., 111 E. 11th St., Lawrence, Kansas 66044. You may also fax a records request to 785-832-5258, or you may email your request to Cindy Winger at courtrecords@douglascountyks.org. There is a 24-48 hour turnaround time on most requests for records. The costs of copying and certifying public records by the Clerk of the District Court's office are set forth below:
| Costs for Copies & Certification of Public Records | |
|---|---|
| Type of Record | Fees |
| Copies | $0.25/page |
| Certifications | $1.00/document |
| Authentications | $2.00/document |
| Shipping & Handling (for out-of-County requests) | $1.00 |
| Faxed Copies (local) | $1.00/page |
| Faxed Copies (long distance) | $2.00/page |
You must contact the Office of Vital Statistics at 785-296-1400 or visit the 'Office of Vital Statistics' website at http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/vital/. For information on acquiring a new marriage license, visit the Marriage and Divorce page.
You can find your court date at the bottom of your ticket, just above your signature. It is also the due date for payment if you are not required to appear. If you have lost your ticket, or cannot read the date, you may call the court clerk's office at 785-832-5231.
For abuse occurring between intimate partners or household members, a restraining order may be obtained by filing a Protection from Abuse (PFA) case. The Clerk's office provides the forms and an instruction booklet for filing a PFA.
For protection from stalking, a restraining order may be obtained by filing a Protection from Stalking (PFS) case. The Clerk's office provides forms for filing a PFS.
Obtaining a restraining order for reasons other than abuse or stalking must be done through a separate civil action. You may want to consult an attorney to obtain a restraining order in these cases, because the Clerk's office does not provide forms or an instruction booklet.
If you know the division in which you will appear, contact the administrative assistant in the appropriate division. Otherwise, please contact the court administrator, Linda Koester-Vogelsang, at 785-832-5264 or lkv@douglascountyks.org.
Criminal records go back to 1989, and civil records go back to 1992.
The average trial lasts between one-and-a-half and two days.
Please call 785-832-5256 and press 1, then listen for the instructions to reach the person who handles the type of case you have. Please leave a message if you get voice mail; someone will return your call.
The computer system is designed to randomly select jurors from a list of people with Douglas County addresses provided by the Kansas DMV.
Persons over 70 can request an exemption from service based on age. Please contact the jury coordinator at (785) 832-5213 if you do not wish to serve.
Please contact the jury coordinator at (785) 832-5213 to reschedule your service.
You need to contact Jury Coordinator at 785-832-5213 immediately, and your service period will be rescheduled.
Yes. The Court is required and committed to provide equal access to justice, including by accommodating disabilities. If you know the division in which you will appear, contact the administrative assistant in the appropriate division. Otherwise, please contact the Court Administrator, Linda Koester-Vogelsang, at 785-832-5264 or lkv@douglascountyks.org.
Generally, no. If you believe it will cause hardship to appear on the date on your ticket, you may file a written request for continuance with the court at least three days prior to the date you are scheduled to appear.
Please contact the jury coordinator at (785) 832-5213.
If you have a Kansas driver's license and were charged with, or convicted of infractions, you will have to pay the total amount that you owe, plus a reinstatement fee of $81.00 per charge on the original ticket. Payment must be in cash, money order, cashier's check or credit card for these costs. The court clerk's office will notify Driver Control once you have met all your obligations and your license will be reinstated. Driver Control will notify you by mail upon reinstatement. This may take a few days, but you can call Driver Control at 785-296-3671 to check on the status of your license.
If you have an out of state license, the process is similar, but you do not pay a reinstatement fee to the court. Once you have paid your fines and court costs, you will need to request a notice of reinstatement and a receipt from the Clerk. You will then need to send the notice to the driver's licensing department in your home state. Your home state will usually charge a reinstatement fee.
If you were suspended for failing to appear in court, you must request a court date and appear in court. You will not be reinstated until the charges have been resolved, and you will be assessed an $81.00 reinstatement fee per charge in addition to any fines and costs assessed upon conviction or dismissal.
You should prepare a written response to the summons and file it with the court. A copy should also be sent to the plaintiff's attorney, whose address is listed on the summons. You may want to consult an attorney when you receive a summons from the court.
You will be notified if your request has been granted or denied. You may contact the Jury Coordinator at (785) 832-5213 if you have not heard from the court within four weeks after making the request. You MUST report if you have not received a response to your request to be excused or deferred. Failure to report for jury duty can result in your being found in contempt of court.
Yes. Everyone is qualified to be a juror. You do not need any special skills, training, or legal knowledge to be a juror. As a juror, you will be responsible for impartially evaluating all the facts that are presented to you during the trial and, as the judge instructs, apply the law as it is written to the facts of the case. As a juror you will be expected to listen carefully, remain open minded, and follow instructions.
If you are charged with a misdemeanor, the judge may issue a bench warrant for your arrest. You would then need to contact the Sheriff's department at 785-832-5368 to find out how to take care of the warrant.
If you are charged with an infraction, the court will send a letter to the address listed on your ticket informing you that you must pay in full within 30 days to avoid suspension of your driving privileges.
If you are charged with an infraction, you must appear in court at the time specified on your ticket and request a trial. A trial date will then be set and the officer who issued the ticket will be summoned to testify at the trial. If the officer is unavailable for that date, the State may seek a continuance, and you will be notified of the new date. The case will not automatically be dismissed if the officer does not appear at the trial.
Not necessarily. More jurors are summoned than are actually needed. Not all jurors will sit on a panel. Through the questioning process called Voir Dire, a certain number of people on the panel will be struck to reach the six or twelve person jury.
No. Please inform the court of your condition, and they will try to make the proper accommodations.
Yes. You may be required to appear for another trial during your service period.
If you are convicted of driving no more than 10 mph above the limit on a road where the posted speed limit was at least 55 mph; or no more than 6 mph above the limit on a road where the posted speed limit is between 30 and 54 mph, the conviction will not be reported to Driver Control. (See KSA 8-1560c)
Yes. Your address and phone number are only viewed by the Jury Coordinator.
No, you do not qualify for service in Douglas County, Kansas. You need to return your questionnaire and indicate that you no longer live in Douglas County, Kansas.
Smoking is not permitted inside the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center. There are designated smoking areas outside.
Children may not come to court with you. The Douglas County Judicial Center does not provide daycare for jurors. You are responsible for arranging care for your children. Parents with children at home are not automatically excused from service.
Please follow this link for more information: http://www.kansasjudicialcouncil.org/legal-forms/guardianship-conservatorship
The Court Clerk's office is open from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. The office is closed for most major holidays. We do not have a drop box for payments, so if you wish to pay after hours, you may either mail your payment or pay online at https://www.citepayusa.com/payments/welcome.do?state=KS.
Jurors must:
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Reside in the county of jury service
- Be of sound mind
- Understand English
You cannot serve on a jury if:
- You have been convicted of a felony in the last ten years.
We accept payments by mail in the form of cashier's check, money order or personal check. However, we do not accept personal checks for license reinstatements. You may also pay with a credit card either online at https://www.citepayusa.com/payments/welcome.do?state=KS, or by phone at 832-5231. In addition to checks and money orders, we also accept credit cards or cash if you come to the office. Please be aware that there is a 4% convenience fee added to all credit card payments.
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
It is essential to the legal system that all jurors report each day they are told to report and that they be on time. Your absence may delay a trial. If you have an emergency that prevents you from reporting as scheduled, call the court immediately.
Yes. To be eligible for jury duty in Douglas County you only need to have residency in Douglas County of twenty days. If you register to vote in this county or have gotten a Douglas County driver's license you are entered into our system of potential jurors.
Contact the Jury Coordinator, at 785-832-5213 or by email at jury@douglascountyks.org.
If the address is incorrect, please note your correct address and return the questionnaire to the Jury Coordinator.
We sincerely apologize if you have received a summons addressed to a family member who has died. Jury lists are compiled every year from Department of Motor Vehicle records, so the court's information is not always up to date. Please return the questionnaire and we will remove the person's name from our master jury list.
The juror information line will tell you if you need to report.
For civil and criminal cases, the following information is available on the public access computers: party names, case filings, document filings, court payments, criminal charges, and court dates.
The court will provide proof of your jury service when you arrive at the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center.
The information is used by the court and trial attorneys for basic information to shorten the jury selection process.
Voir dire is the process used by the parties to select a fair and impartial jury. During voir dire, the jury panel is questioned by both parties' lawyers. The questions are intended to help the lawyers in the jury selection process. After voir dire, the jury is selected from the panel.
Two types of trials have juries: criminal trials and civil trials. You will not know the type of case you will hear until you come to the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center.
Your bond will be returned to you within 24-48 hours after the judge releases it. If you wish to pick your check up, you should make arrangements by calling the Accounting Technician at 785-832-5252.
You may park in the parking lot on the south side of the Judicial Center or at any metered parking stall. If you receive a ticket for time expired, the Court will pay the ticket if you give it to the bailiff or bring it into the District Court Clerk's office. If there is no parking available in the lot, Trinity Lutheran Church has offered the use of their parking lot, unless otherwise posted.
When the Clerk's office is closed (that is, weekdays before 8:00 a.m., after 4:00 p.m. and between noon and 1 p.m., in addition to weekends and holidays), you can mail payments to Clerk of the District Court, 111 E. 11th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. Checks or money orders only. Online payments are not available at this time.
You can obtain birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate information at:
Kansas State Vital Records Office - Office of Vital Statistics
- Address: 900 S.W. Jackson, Topeka, Kansas 66612
- Phone: 785-296-1400
- Email: info@kdhe.state.ks.us
- Website: http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/vital/
For tickets issued by the Highway Patrol, Sheriff's department, and Fish & Game officers, you must pay the ticket in the District Court Clerk's office. For tickets issued by Lawrence Police and Kansas University Police, you must contact the Municipal Court at 785-832-6190 or visit the Lawrence Municipal Court website.
Please come to the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th Street, Lawrence, Kansas and report to the Jury Assembly Room on the lower level.
For traffic cases, you will appear first in the Pro Tem Hearing Room. It is the first courtroom on the right side of the hall on the 1st floor. The Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is located at 111 E. 11th St. in Lawrence. Your name may or may not be on the list posted on the courtroom door, but you may appear in court in either case.
For any questions not answered here, you can call the Clerk's Office at 785-832-5231 or e-mail traffic@douglascountyks.org for a faster response.
The number of jurors is determined by the level of the incident or crime.
Yes. Jurors are entitled to $10 for the first day of service and $20 per day for subsequent days of service on the same trial. Jurors called in for a second trial during the same session will receive $10 for the first day of service and $20 per day for subsequent days of service on the same trial. Jury payroll is completed after each reporting session, so you may expect your check within two to four weeks after the end of your service period.
Most trials in Douglas County are not sequestered jury trials. In fact, we have not had a sequestered jury trial in the last twenty years.
Some employers in Douglas County do pay their employees, but it is not required by law. It is up to the discretion of each employer. Your employer is required to give you time off during your service period.
If there is a possibility that you will be sentenced to serve time in jail if convicted, the court may appoint an attorney to represent you if you meet certain guidelines. Applications for appointment of an attorney are available in the court clerk's office, or you can request an attorney at your first appearance.
No. Jurors will experience a brief period of waiting between check-in time and juror orientation.
Our Location
111 East 11th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044, USA (Basement Floor)
Phone(s): 785-832-5256
Fax: 785-832-5174