What are Shawnee County Public Records?
Pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), Shawnee County public records are handwritten or electronic documents generated or received by a governmental authority. However, some records are precluded from public access. These documents include:
- Internal letters or memoranda relating to a public governmental body comprising advice, opinions, and recommendations in connection with a decision-making process, unless the record is retained by the body or presented at a public meeting
- Documents containing records of an ongoing law enforcement investigation
- Records that are inaccessible due to rules of evidence
- Confidential information
- Documents containing information concerning an ongoing litigation
- Personal information which will infringe personal privacy if disclosed
- Documents exempted from public access by law or a court order
Shawnee County Crime Statistics
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation maintains state-wide annual crime index reports which are compiled from various county law enforcement agencies within the state. According to the 2019 crime index report provided by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Shawnee County recorded 9,272 offenses and a crime rate of 52.4 per 1,000 residents. 1,018 violent crimes were reported, and 8,254 property crimes were reported.
The violent crimes included 14 homicides, 89 rapes, 255 robberies, and 660 aggravated assaults. The property crimes included 1,266 burglaries, 5,817 larcenies, 1,126 motor vehicle thefts, and 45 cases of arson. Compared to the 2018 crime index report, the total recorded crimes for three of the eight crimes reported fell. Rape, robbery, and arson fell by 6%, 2%, and 35% respectively. The number of recorded homicides stayed the same. There was an increase in aggravated assault (32%), burglaries (4%), larcenies (2%), and motor vehicle thefts (30%).
Are Shawnee County Criminal Records Public?
The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office provides full-time law enforcement services to county residents and performs a variety of criminal investigative duties alongside. However, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation is the primary repository of criminal history records for the state. As such, requests for Shawnee County criminal records of residents in Shawnee county may only be directed to the Bureau.
The Kansas Central Repository houses all criminal history records of Kansas state residents. To access Shawnee criminal records, interested persons are required to sign up for access to a KanAccess account. Applicants will be required to pay a subscription fee of $20 after which they will be assigned login information with which to access the portal.
Upon accessing the application, the requesting party will be granted a time-stamped authentication token, which may be used for a temporary search session. The record search can be conducted by the name of the subject of interest.
How to Obtain Shawnee County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office maintains Shawnee County arrest records and police reports for incidents that occur within the County. Shawnee arrest records include details of each arrest in the County while the police reports include details of incidents. Copies of the records are available to the public. Interested persons may obtain them either in person or by mail at:
Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office
320 S Kansas Ave
Topeka 66603
Phone: (785) 251-2200
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Shawnee County?
The Kansas State Bureau of Investigation maintains a registry of state-wide sex offenders to facilitate public access to sex offender information. Interested persons may obtain information regarding the addresses or compliance of sex offenders resident in Shawnee county from the registry. Offenders may be searched by name, registration number, or geographically. The SBI also provides a community notification system with which registered participants can receive email notifications about registered sex offenders in specific vicinities.
How to Find Shawnee County Inmate Records?
The Shawnee County Department of Corrections maintains a public access Inmate Search Tool with which public record inmate information can be obtained. Interested persons may access information about current or recently booked inmates as well as the daily booking report of the department. Inmates can be searched by name or arrest date using the tool. Crime victims may also opt to subscribe to the Kansas VINE System in order to stay updated about the custody status of specific offenders.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Shawnee County Jail?
Interested persons may visit incarcerated individuals in the Shawnee County Jail. The visitor will need to provide a valid photo ID. Visitors may not carry cell phones, cameras, and other electronic devices while seeing the inmate. Lockers are provided to store personal belongings. Visitors are also required to avoid wearing:
- See-through blouses or shirts
- Halter-tops, tank-tops, spaghetti straps, backless blouses, or sleeveless shirts
- Bandanas, hats or do-rags
- Torn or unsuitable jeans and/or shorts
- Clothing with visible profanity
- Dresses or skirts cut higher than 5 inches above the knee
- Shirts and/or blouses cut above the waist
Visitors should abide by the visitation rules to avoid having the visit canceled. Interested persons can contact the detention center at:
Shawnee County Department of Corrections
501 Southeast 8th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66607
Phone: (785) 251-5000
Court Records
Shawnee court records are documents that contain information about administrative procedures and judicial proceedings of courts within Shawnee. The records may be physical or electronic. They include video files, audio files, photographs, and other documents containing such information. Examples of the records are dockets, affidavits, decrees, and written transcripts. The Shawnee judicial system has one District Court and four Municipal Courts. The courts hear a variety of both civil and criminal cases.
Location of Courts in Shawnee County
Shawnee County District Court
Shawnee County District Court
200 Southeast 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251-4327
Fax: (785) 291-4908
Shawnee County Municipal Courts
Auburn Municipal Court
161 West 9th
P.O. Box 160
Auburn, KS 66402
Phone: (785) 256-2426
Fax: (785) 256-2908
Rossville Municipal Court
438 Main Street,
P.O. Box 337
Rossville, KS 66533
Phone: (785) 584-6155
Fax: (785) 584-6667
Silver Lake Municipal Court
218 West Railroad Street
P.O. Box 92
Silver Lake, KS 66539
Phone: (785) 582-4280
Fax: (785) 582-4195
Topeka Municipal Court
214 Southeast 8th Street
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 368-3776
Fax: (785) 368-3782
Are Shawnee County Court Records Public?
Shawnee County court records are generally public pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act. Therefore, interested members of the public have access to these records. However, some court records are exempted from public access. These records include juvenile records, grand jury proceedings records, adoption records, sealed or expunged records, and other files that are confidential.
Can You Look Up a Shawnee County Court Case Online?
Shawnee County court records are available online. Interested persons can use the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal or the Record Search Application to access the records. Users can use the record number or the name of the parties to complete the search. The results can also be filtered with the location, case number, citation number, business name, attorney bar number, and other details. However, the records provided through the search portal should not be used for official purposes and the content is limited to what can be displayed on a public access portal. For copies of the full and official records, interested persons would need to make in-person or mail requests to the relevant courthouse.
How to Obtain Shawnee County Civil Court Case Records?
The Records Department of the Shawnee County Clerk of District Court maintains court records of all cases filed within the county and heard in the county courts. Interested persons may view or copy these records by using the public-access self-service terminals available in the county courthouse. Members of the public can also request copies by filling out a Kansas Open Records Act Request Form and submitting it in person or via mail at the window of the records department.
Self-service using the available terminals is free unless the services of court staff are engaged. Requests that are processed by court staff attract a $12 per hour research fee, plus an additional $.50 per page if copies are requested. Requests are processed at:
Clerk of the District Court
200 Southeast 7th Street
Room SB-15
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251-6712
Fax: (785) 251-4908
Fax: (785) 251-4911
How to Obtain Shawnee County Criminal Court Records?
Shawnee County criminal court records are maintained by the Records Department of the Shawnee County Clerk of District Court. Interested persons can obtain copies of the records either in person or by mail. The courthouses in the County have public-access self-service terminals for interested persons to find records of cases. Requests may also be made by completing the Kansas Open Records Act Request Form. The Form should be submitted in person or by mail to the Records Department.
The use of the public-service self-service terminals is free unless the requester engages the services of court staff. Requests processed by court staff attract a $12 charge per hour research fee and 50 cents per page if copies of the records are requested. The request may be made at:
Clerk of the District Court
200 Southeast 7th Street
Room SB-15
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251-6712
Fax: (785) 251-4908
Fax: (785) 251-4911
What are Shawnee County Vital Records?
Shawnee County vital records are primarily maintained and issued by the Vital Statistics Division of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The office preserves records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces from 1911 to date. Older records (dating from 1894 through 1911) can be obtained locally at the Shawnee County Clerk’s Office as well as marriage record information. However, most vital records can only be obtained at the state level.
Where and How to Obtain Shawnee County Divorce Records?
The Clerk of the Shawnee County District Court maintains records of divorces and annulments granted by the Court. The records are available to the public. Interested persons can make requests to obtain the records. Obtaining the records involves paying the applicable fees. The request may be made in person or by mail to:
Shawnee County District Court
200 Southeast 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251-4327
Fax: (785) 291-4908
The Vital Statistics Office of the KDHE also maintains Shawnee County divorce records from July 1951 till date. The Vital Statistics Office processes requests for copies of Shawnee County divorce records. Interested persons would be required to complete the Application for Certified Copy of Divorce Certificate form to make a request for copies of the records. The request can be made by mail, in person, by telephone, or using the iKAN app service. Each copy of the records costs $15. There is an additional $5 charge for all copies of the records requested at a time. The app request takes between seven to ten working days. The phone request can be made by calling (877) 305-8315. It takes three to five business days to process phone requests. The phone requester can also pay an additional $13.95 for expedited service. Payments for requests by phone and through the app may be made by credit card.
For in-person and mail requests, the requester would need to complete the Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Divorce Certificate. The mail requester should include the fees, a copy of a photo ID, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Payment for mail and in-person requests can be made by money order or check. The requests should be made to:
Kansas Office of Vital Statistics
1000 Southwest Jackson
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221
Access to the records is limited to the parties to the marriage, close relatives of the parties, and other authorized persons.
Where and How to Get Public Shawnee County Marriage Records?
The Shawnee District Court Clerk maintains Shawnee County marriage records of marriage licenses granted by the Shawnee County District Court. The records are available to the public and interested persons may make requests for copies of the records. The request may be made in person or by mail to:
Shawnee County District Court
200 Southeast 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: (785) 251-4327
Fax: (785) 291-4908
The Vital Statistics Office of the KDHE maintains Shawnee County marriage certificates from May 1, 1913, till date. Interested persons can make requests in person, by mail, by telephone, or through the iKAN app service. Each copy of the records costs $15. There is an additional $5 charge for all copies of the records requested at a time. The app request takes between seven to ten working days. The phone request can be made by calling (877) 305-8315. It takes three to five business days to process phone requests. The phone requester can also pay an additional $13.95 for expedited service. Payments for requests by phone and through the app may be made by credit card.
Requesters would need to complete the Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Marriage Certificate. Mail requests should include the fees, a copy of a photo ID, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Payment for mail requests should be made either through a check or a money order. Requests should be made to:
Kansas Office of Vital Statistics
1000 Southwest Jackson
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221
Shawnee County marriage certificates are limited to the spouses, the close relatives of the spouses, and other persons authorized by law.
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Shawnee County?
All marriages in Shawnee County are considered public.
Where and How to Find Shawnee County Birth Records?
The Vital Statistics Office of the KDHE maintains Shawnee County birth records from 1860 till date. The records are made publicly available and interested persons can make requests for Shawnee County birth certificates. Requests for copies of the record can be made in person, by mail, by phone, or through the iKAN app service. There is a $15 charge for each copy of the record. There is an additional $5 charge for requests made by phone and the requests take between seven to ten days to complete. Telephone requests take three to five days to process and can be made by calling (877) 305-8315. Requesters by phone may choose to pay an additional $13.95 for expedited service. Payments for phone and in-app requests should be made by credit card.
For in-person and mail requests, the Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Birth Certificate should be completed. Mail requests should also include the applicable fees, a copy of a photo ID, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Payment for in-person and mail requests can be made either by check or money order. The requests should be made to:
Kansas Office of Vital Statistics
1000 SW Jackson
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221
Persons eligible to make requests for Shawnee County birth certificates are the adult registrant, a close relative of the registrant, and other persons with legitimate interests or claims.
Where and How to Find Shawnee County Death Records?
The Vital Statistics Office of the KDHE maintains Shawnee County death records from July 1, 1911. Copies of the records are generally available to members of the public. However, eligible individuals may obtain certified copies. These eligible individuals include the deceased’s spouse, close relatives, and other persons authorized by law. Requests for copies of the record can be made in person, by mail, by phone, or through the iKAN app service. There is a $15 charge for each copy of the record. There is an additional $5 charge for requests made by phone and the requests take between seven to ten days to complete. Telephone requests take three to five days to process and can be made by calling (877) 305-8315. Requesters by phone may choose to pay an additional $13.95 for expedited service. Payments for phone and in-app requests should be made by credit card.
For in-person and mail requests, the Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Death Certificate should be completed. Mail requests should also include the applicable fees, a copy of a photo ID, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. In-person and mail requests should be made to:
Kansas Office of Vital Statistics
1000 Southwest Jackson
Suite 120
Topeka, KS 66612-2221
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Shawnee County?
Shawnee County property records are considered public under the Kansas Open Records Act. These records are available to interested requestors who submit applications to the county's record keepers. Requestors must note that under KSA 45-230, lists of names and addresses derived from the county's public property records cannot be sold or offered for sale.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Shawnee County?
Anyone in need of property records may apply to the Shawnee County Appraiser's Office. The office appraises and estimates the most likely selling price of all real and personal properties, which is eventually used to inform tax calculations. Persons interested in the Appraiser's records may submit requests using the following details:
Shawnee County Appraiser's Office
Shawnee County Annex
1515 NW Saline
Topeka, KS 66618
Phone: (785) 251-2882
Fax: (785) 251-4903
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays
The Shawnee County Clerk also maintains real estate records and ownership information. As part of its statutory duties, the Clerk's Office regularly receives related information from the Appraiser's Office and updates its own files. Public access computers are also available at the Clerk's Office for public inspection of these records. Requestors can visit the office or send mail applications for desired records using the following contact information:
Shawnee County Clerk's Office
200 SE 7th Street
Room 107
Topeka, KS 66603-3971
Phone: (785) 251-4155
Fax: (785) 251-4912
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays
Email: countyclerk@snco.us
Alternatively, requestors may contact the Shawnee County Register of Deeds Office. The office maintains books, deeds, maps, and other related documents and makes them available to the public. Requestors are charged $1.50 per page, microfilm, or fax. To access the Register's records, record seekers should submit applications to the:
Shawnee County Register of Deeds Office
200 SE 7th Street
Room 108
Topeka, KS 66603-3971
Phone: (785) 251-4020
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday
How to Look Up Shawnee County Property Records
Using the Appraiser's Office's real estate search, anyone can find online Shawnee County property records by entering the property address, owner's name, parcel ID, QuickRef, or subdivision. Other details available online include area information, value summary, property description, land details, sales information, and an image.
The Register of Deeds website also provides online access via a third-party service. Each search on the Tapestry platform costs $6.95 plus an additional $1 per-page fee if searchers need to print obtained records. Users may search by name, document number, document type, recorded date, subdivision, and parcel number.
Location of Shawnee County Property Assessors
Shawnee County Appraiser's Office
Shawnee County Annex
1515 NW Saline
Topeka, KS 66618
Phone: (785) 251-2882
Fax: (785) 251-4903
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays
