District Courts

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court celebrates 10th anniversary

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:22:18 +0000

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court celebrates 10th anniversary tim.dodderidge… Mon, 03/09/2026 - 12:22 March 9, 2026

District Court Judge Timothy P. McCarthy delivers remarks for veterans, staff and community members at a 10th anniversary event for the Veterans Treatment Court on Friday, March 6, at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court recently celebrated 10 years of serving veterans in the criminal justice system and helping to place eligible service members into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration.

Johnson County founded the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas in January 2016 and celebrated its first graduate a year later. It then added a Behavioral Health Court and an Adult Treatment Court in 2023 to serve people experiencing mental health issues and substance use disorders.

“We’ve had a lot of success with this treatment court, and that’s due to the great team that has come together to help these veterans succeed,” said Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring Veterans Treatment Court to the county. “From law enforcement to court staff to volunteer mentors and many more, seeing everyone working together to help our veterans turn their lives around is truly remarkable.”

Some highlights of the court during the last 10 years include:

88 veterans have graduated from the Veterans Treatment Court in Johnson County, with another 13 currently enrolled.
Veterans from each branch of the U.S. military except the Space Force have graduated from the program.
The program has served veterans of the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When the program was founded in Johnson County, it was the 287th Veterans Treatment Court in America. Today, there are more than 530, including six in Kansas.

Staff members and others involved with the program gathered Friday afternoon at the Johnson County Courthouse for an event to celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary.

Learn more about Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court.

Department:

Court Services

District Attorney

District Courts

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News Releases

Latest graduates honored as Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court begins its 10th year

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:52:16 +0000

Latest graduates honored as Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court begins its 10th year tim.dodderidge… Wed, 01/28/2026 - 16:52 January 29, 2026

Four veterans were honored during the latest Veterans Treatment Court graduation ceremony (left to right): Douglas Henderson, Todd Graham, Will Vonsteiger and Manny Peine

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court, a treatment program for veterans in the criminal justice system, honored its latest graduates with a ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Four veterans were honored during the graduation, which took place at the Johnson County Courthouse:

Douglas Henderson – Army
Manny Peine – Army
Todd Graham – Marine Corps
Will Vonsteiger – Army

After Wednesday’s ceremony, a total of 88 veterans have graduated from Veterans Treatment Court in Johnson County, and 13 are currently in the program.

District Court Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring Veterans Treatment Court to the county, presided over the graduation ceremony. Courthouse and county officials were in attendance. Sheriff Byron Roberson, who served eight years in the Marines, was the ceremony’s guest speaker.

“Our four new graduates of Veterans Treatment Court should be very proud of their accomplishment. Through this program, they’ve put in the hard work and dedication to turn their lives around, and they will carry this experience with them as they move out of the criminal justice system,” Judge McCarthy said.

In 2026, Veterans Treatment Court celebrates its 10th anniversary in Johnson County. Johnson County District Court founded the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas in January 2016. A year later, the court recognized its first veteran to graduate from the program.

Veterans Treatment Court’s mission is to identify veterans in the criminal justice system and to place eligible service people into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration. Nationally, Veterans Treatment Court has a 95% success rate – that is, 95% of graduates never return to the criminal justice system.

Graduates of the county’s program have served in a variety of foreign conflicts, including the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many combat veterans return with post-traumatic stress disorder, and some have experienced traumatic brain injuries.

The program assigns each participant with a volunteer mentor, a military veteran who walks side by side with them throughout the entire program. Around 50 mentors have served in the program the past 10 years. Mike Ralls, a Vietnam veteran, is the current head of mentors.

Upon its launch, the county’s program was the 287th Veterans Treatment Court in the United States. Today, there are six Veterans Treatment Courts in Kansas and 530 across the country.

“People are seeing that treatment courts work,” Judge McCarthy said. “Sometimes supervising people through treatment with a team and frequent court appearances can get people out of the system. I appreciate our great team and everyone who has worked with us to get here.”

A Behavioral Health Court and an Adult Treatment Court launched in 2023, joining the county's Veterans Treatment Court in serving individuals’ mental health and substance use disorder needs.

A special celebration in honor of the county’s 10th anniversary of Veterans Treatment Court will take place March 6 at 1 p.m. in the Courthouse's Jury Assembly Room.

Learn more about Veterans Treatment Court and court services available in Johnson County.

Veterans Treatment Court celebrates its 10th anniversary

Department:

Department of Corrections

District Attorney

District Courts

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News Releases

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during Sept. 24 ceremony

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:10:09 +0000

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during Sept. 24 ceremony tim.dodderidge… Wed, 09/24/2025 - 13:10 September 24, 2025

Veterans Treatment Court graduates Evan O'Dell (left) and Aaron Crouch (center) with Judge Timothy P. McCarthy (center)

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court honored its latest program graduates with a ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Two veterans were honored during the graduation: Evan O’Dell (Navy, 2007-11) and Aaron Crouch (Army, 1993-96). After Wednesday’s ceremony, a total of 85 veterans have graduated from VTC in Johnson County.

District Court Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring VTC to the county, presided over the recognition ceremony. Courthouse and county officials were present for the ceremony.

Johnson County District Court founded the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas in January 2016. A year later, VTC recognized its first veteran to graduate from the program.

A behavioral health court and an adult treatment court launched in 2023, joining the county's veterans treatment court in serving individuals’ mental health and substance use disorder needs. The county honored its first adult treatment court graduates during a ceremony on May 16.

VTC’s mission is to identify veterans in the criminal justice system and to place eligible service people into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration.

In 2008, Judge Robert Russell in Buffalo, New York, began the first docket dedicated to veterans after he saw an increase in the number of military servicemen appearing on his drug and mental health court dockets.

Learn more about Veterans Treatment Court and court services available in Johnson County.

Veterans Treatment Court in Johnson County

Department:

Department of Corrections

District Attorney

District Courts

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News

Johnson County celebrates first Behavioral Health Court graduate

nathan.carter@jocogov.org — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:53:55 +0000

Johnson County celebrates first Behavioral Health Court graduate nathan.carter@… Wed, 09/03/2025 - 08:53 September 3, 2025

Johnson County celebrated the first graduate of its Behavioral Health Court at a ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Johnson County's Behavioral Health Court was launched in 2023 to provide treatment services and community supports to individuals in the criminal justice system with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, helping them successfully integrate back into the community and reducing the likelihood of future involvement with the criminal justice system.

At Thursday's ceremony, Judge Robert Wonnell of the Kansas 10th Judicial Court celebrated the graduate, Preston, telling him that his completion of the four-phase program represented the "first day of the best of your life."

Behavioral Health Court participants attend court hearings every two weeks or monthly to review their progress and celebrate their successes. They meet regularly with a probation officer and a Johnson County Mental Health Center case manager, who helps them engage in treatment, set goals, find stability and work toward long-term recovery.

Wonnell, who presides over Behavioral Health Court, said Thursday's graduation would not have been possible without a collaborative effort from many partners, including District Court, the District Attorney's Office, Johnson County Mental Health Center and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

"Years ago, we came together and asked if there was something we could do as a court and as a team to come alongside individuals who have a serious mental illness to help them successfully complete their probation and be in a position for this time to be the last time they're ever in the justice system," said Wonnell. "To now have an individual who has successfully graduated, it's an accomplishment for the team and the individual, but it's also motivation to keep offering this program."

Behavioral Health Court is Johnson County's third specialized treatment court. In 2016, Johnson County launched the first treatment court for veterans in Kansas. 83 veterans have since graduated from Veterans Treatment Court, including four graduates honored at a ceremony in June. Adult Drug Treatment Court, which also launched in 2023, celebrated its first two graduates at a ceremony in May.

Department:

Department of Corrections

District Attorney

District Courts

Mental Health

Sheriff

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News

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during June 4 ceremony

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:03:40 +0000

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during June 4 ceremony tim.dodderidge… Wed, 06/04/2025 - 13:03 June 5, 2025

Left to right: Judge Timothy P. McCarthy with three of the graduates, Justin Tomison, Odean Justice and Pablo Cuadra-Stanford

Johnson County’s Veterans Treatment Court honored its latest program graduates with a ceremony on Wednesday, June 4 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

A total of four veterans were honored during the graduation:

Pablo Cuadra-Stanford – Army Infantry
Justin Tomison – Army Reserve
Odean Justice – Army
Dakota McLanahan – Army

After Wednesday’s ceremony, a total of 83 veterans have graduated from VTC in Johnson County.

District Court Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring VTC to the county, presided over the recognition ceremony. Courthouse and county officials were present for the ceremony.

Johnson County District Court founded the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas in January 2016. A year later, VTC recognized its first veteran to graduate from the program.

VTC’s mission is to identify veterans in the criminal justice system and to place eligible service people into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration.

Learn more about Veterans Treatment Court and court services available in Johnson County.

Department:

Department of Corrections

District Attorney

District Courts

Category:

News

Ceremony honors first Johnson County Adult Drug Treatment graduates

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Fri, 16 May 2025 20:57:14 +0000

Ceremony honors first Johnson County Adult Drug Treatment graduates tim.dodderidge… Fri, 05/16/2025 - 15:57 May 16, 2025

Johnson County honored the first two graduates of its new Adult Drug Treatment Court during a ceremony on Thursday, May 15, at the Johnson County Courthouse.

The treatment court launched in 2023 to serve individuals with substance use disorder as a treatment-based alternative to incarceration. A new Behavioral Health Court also launched that year to serve individuals with mental health needs.

Graduates George Radee and Brandon Stevens completed the six-level program in 18 months. “Given the demands of this program, that is a record pace,” said Judge Kelly Ryan of the Kansas 10th Judicial Court. Ryan presides over the treatment court and meets with participants at least once every two weeks. Additional court staff also meet with participants to monitor and chart their progress on therapy, drug testing and job performance.

“We are in their face all the time,” Ryan said. “It’s at least 18 months, and that’s when they are gliding through. We hear that drug courts, treatment courts, are just for people to avoid prison. But that’s not true. These people volunteer (to participate). They want the help.”

The Adult Drug Treatment Court is the result of a partnership between District Court, Community Corrections, the District Attorney’s Office, A Connecting Pointe rehabilitation center, private defense counsel, the Johnson County Mental Health Center, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office.

The Adult Drug Treatment Court and the Behavioral Health Court follow the success of the county’s Veterans Treatment Court, which serves veterans with substance use and mental health issues. Veterans Treatment Court launched in 2016 as the county’s first treatment court, as well as the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas.

Adult Treatment Court Graduation: Video

Department:

Department of Corrections

District Attorney

District Courts

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News Releases

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during Feb. 26 ceremony

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:07:03 +0000

Veterans Treatment Court honors latest graduates during Feb. 26 ceremony tim.dodderidge… Wed, 02/26/2025 - 11:07 February 26, 2025

Left to right: Judge Timothy P. McCarthy; Mark McMahon, Friends in Service of Heroes; Andrew Bergman, veterans treatment court graduate; Bill Meyer, Bergman's mentor in the program

Johnson County’s veterans treatment court honored its latest program graduates with a ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Among the graduates included the first graduate to serve in the Coast Guard. A total of four veterans were honored during the graduation:

Mark Sterling – Army (1985-1989)
Justin Scoville – Coast Guard, Active Duty (2002-2022)
Andrew Bergman – Army (2001-2015)
Brian Burch – Army (2006-2012)

After Wednesday’s ceremony, a total of 79 veterans have graduated from veterans treatment court in Johnson County.

District Court Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring veterans treatment court to the county, presided over the recognition ceremony. Courthouse and county officials were present for the ceremony.

Johnson County District Court founded the first treatment court for veterans in the state of Kansas in January 2016. A year later, veterans treatment court recognized its first veteran to graduate from the program.

A behavioral health court and an adult treatment court launched in 2023, joining the county's veterans treatment court in serving individuals’ mental health and substance use disorder needs.

Veterans treatment court’s mission is to identify veterans in the criminal justice system and to place eligible service people into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration.

Learn more about Veterans Treatment Court and court services available in Johnson County.

Department:

Court Services

District Attorney

District Courts

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News

Johnson County celebrates Women's History Month

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:48:00 +0000

Johnson County celebrates Women's History Month tim.dodderidge… Wed, 02/26/2025 - 10:48 March 1, 2025

March is National Women’s History Month, recognizing and honoring women and women’s history.

With a 2025 theme of “Moving Forward Together,” Johnson County joins the nation in celebrating Women's History Month in March celebrating women educating and inspiring generations. This year's theme celebrates the significant role women have played in building a more equitable future through their dedication to education and leadership.

We wanted to take a moment to show appreciation for the women, past and present, who have guided, served or contributed in various ways to Johnson County. Thank you for the impact you make on our organization and our community every day.

Johnson County Board of County Commissioners

There have been 117 members of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners elected in the 170-year history of Johnson County. Only 13, or 11%, of the county commissioners have been women. They include the four female commissioners now serving on the Board.

District 1

Sue E. Weltner
Becky Fast (Current)

District 2

Susie Wolf
Johnna Lingle

District 3

Annabeth Surbaugh
Charlotte O’Hara
Julie Brewer (Current)

District 4

Janet D. Leick
Dolores Furtado
Elaine Beckers-Braun
Joan Bengtson
Janeé Hanzlick (Current and Vice Chair of the Board)

District 6

Shirley Allenbrand (Current)

This is the second time in Johnson County history that the board has had women in a majority. The first time occurred in the mid-1990s when four women served as county commissioners, then with a board of five members.

Johnna Lingle was first woman elected county commissioner in 1981 after being the first woman mayor in Lenexa (1973-1981). She served five consecutive terms (1981-2001) as Second District county commissioner.

In 1982, Lingle also was selected as the board’s first female chair, repeating that role in 1987, 1992 and 1997. At that time, the chairman was not elected by voters and was appointed annually by the board.

Annabeth Surbaugh, who was Third District county commissioner from 1993-2003, became the first publicly elected, at-large chair in 2003. She served two terms until 2011.

Johnson County Government Management

Penny Postoak Ferguson has served as county manager since 2018. Management of Johnson County Government has had an appointed chief executive officer by the Board of County Commissioners for 40 years.

The current County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson is the first woman to fill that role as it exists today. She was named county manager on July 15, 2018, after serving as interim county manager for six and a half months.

Postoak Ferguson joined the Johnson County leadership team as an assistant county manager in June 2010 and was deputy county manager from August 2012 to the end of 2017.

Julie Karins became deputy county manager on Feb. 27, 2023. Previous leadership team members included Bernice Duletski, assistant county manager from 2005-2010.

Johnson County and City Halls

Women gained the right to vote in Kansas municipal elections in 1887. In Johnson County history, Margaret Kelly became the first female mayor in 1890 in the city of Edgerton.

Mayor Kelly and the entire ticket of women candidates running for police judge and five city councilors won in 1890, leading to what the Kansas City Times reported as municipal affairs “administered by a petticoat government.”

According to Johnson County Museum, after serving only about a month “all of the women resigned (on May 19) from their positions after becoming offended by restrictions placed on proposed reforms” by law and men in the town. A special election was called to fill the vacancies – all by men.

It would be another 81 years for a woman to be elected mayor in Johnson County when Margaret W. Jordan was elected mayor of Leawood in 1971, serving one two-year term. Jordan then served as the first female Johnson County District Attorney from 1973 until 1977.

Current mayors in Johnson County cities include Melanie Hepperly, Fairway; Julie Sayers, Lenexa; Sollie Flora, Mission; and Rosemary Podrebarac, Westwood Hills.

Historically, Edgerton was not the first community in Kansas to elect women to serve in city government. That milestone occurred in 1887 when the town of Argonia, Kansas (Sumner County) selected Susanna Salter as the first woman mayor in the United States.

Also in 1887, voters in Syracuse became the first local government in Kansas to elect an all-female city council, but a man served as mayor. A year later, Oskaloosa became the first town in the nation with an all-woman city government, including city council members and the mayor.

Johnson County and Judges

In Johnson County history, Carolee Sauder Leek was the first career woman lawyer in Johnson County. She also was the county’s first female municipal judge, serving from 1965 to 1969 in the city of Mission.

The Tenth Judicial District of Kansas, often called Johnson County District Court, had its first female judge with the appointment of Jeanette Sheldon to the bench in 1977. At the time, the Johnson County Courthouse had four or five judges. Judge Sheldon retired in 2002.

Linda Trigg became the first female magistrate judge in 1999 and retired in 2017.

Rhonda Mason was appointed to the 10th Judicial District in 2016. When she was sworn in 2017, Mason became the first black district court judge to serve Johnson County and only the second in Kansas.

The Johnson County Courthouse currently has 22 district court and four magistrate judges. Nine, or 35%, of the judges are women.

Johnson County and Law Enforcement

In January 2025, former Spring Hill Chief of Police Cindy Henson joined newly elected Johnson County Sheriff Byron Roberson’s leadership team as one of two undersheriffs. In her new role, she became the first female undersheriff in Johnson County history.

The first woman police chief in county history was Ellen Hanson, who served from 1991 for 21 years at the Lenexa Police Department. Her law enforcement career spanned 38 years at the department.

Hanson retired in October 2012 from the department. She unretired in January 2014 to become the first woman police chief, serving in an interim role, at the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. Her second retirement began effective at the end of 2014 when a new police chief was named.

On a sad note, Officer Deanna Rose was the first woman police officer in Kansas history and the first Overland Park police officer to die in the line of duty. The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, established in 1978 in Overland Park, was renamed in her honor in 1985.

The first woman elected sheriff in Kansas was Mabel Chase who served one term from 1926 to 1928 in Kiowa County.

Department:

Board of County Commissioners

Communications and Engagement

County Manager's Office

District Courts

Sheriff

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News

Johnson County transition update to Kansas Statewide eCourt case management and E-Filing system

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:13:44 +0000

Johnson County transition update to Kansas Statewide eCourt case management and E-Filing system tim.dodderidge… Thu, 10/24/2024 - 15:13 October 24, 2024

Johnson County Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kansas Supreme Court's Office of Judicial Administration in preparation for Johnson County District 10's transition to the Kansas statewide Case Management and E-Filing System.

After several years of collaboration between Johnson County and the OJA, Johnson County will go live on the state’s systems on Nov. 5, 2024, marking the final step in the statewide rollout.

The MOU allows the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office and other criminal justice partners to continue managing many of their existing operational processes for court cases in the Justice Information System. JIMS has served since 1993 as the official record and public interface for the Johnson County District court cases and as the case management system for the Court. The MOU formalizes the secure exchange of non-public and sensitive information to JIMS in compliance with Kansas Supreme Court rules.

Johnson County is the last county in Kansas to complete the transition, further enhancing the state's unified court case management system. The eCourt case management system is designed to streamline court operations and improve access to court services for all Kansas residents, offering online access to case records, e-filing capabilities for attorneys, and a statewide standard workflow for court staff.

The system launch on Nov. 5 will not impact election operations. Johnson County election systems and its website are completely separate, with no integration between the two systems.

"Johnson County's completion of the statewide transition represents a significant achievement in our partnership with the Office of Judicial Administration,” said Chief Judge Charles Droege, 10th Judicial District. “This is a major milestone for improving access to justice and enhancing the efficiency of our judicial system.”

“This project has been years in the making, and we are grateful for the collaboration with Johnson County,” added Stephanie Smith, Judicial Administrator at the OJA. “The implementation of the eCourt case management system across the state brings us closer to a more modern, accessible, and effective court system.”

Johnson County, including the Sheriff and District Attorney’s Office, working alongside Johnson County District 10 and OJA, have been preparing for the transition to ensure a smooth implementation, and residents can expect continued access to justice services with minimal disruption during the transition.

For more information on the Centralized Case Management System Project, please visit Centralized Case Management System Project - KS Courts or contact Lisa Taylor, Public Information Director, at 785-296-4872 or taylorl@kscourts.org.

Learn more in this FAQ at jocogov.org/eCourtTransition.

Department:

District Courts

Category:

News Releases

eCourt Transition

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 13:43:44 +0000

eCourt Transition tim.dodderidge… Thu, 10/24/2024 - 08:43

Transition to Kansas’ Statewide eCourt System

After several years of collaboration between Johnson County and the Office of Judicial Administration, Johnson County will go live on the state of Kansas’ statewide Case Management and E-Filing System on Nov. 5, 2024.

The system launch on Nov. 5 will not impact election operations. Johnson County election systems and its website are completely separate, with no integration between the two systems.

Kansas Judicial Branch Explainer on Johnson County District Court Go-Live News Release on eCourt Transition

Frequently Asked Questions

Since 1993, Johnson County has used an innovative and respected integrated system built by our own experts to handle our law enforcement, corrections, criminal justice and court-related activities. For more than 30 years, the Justice Information Management System, or JIMS, has been used by the 10th Judicial District (Johnson County District Court), the District Attorney, the Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, attorneys and the public for data sharing, automation, filings, case management for the court system and more.

In 2017, the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration initiated the Centralized Case Management System (CCMS) project to implement a unified electronic court case management system across the state. In 2020, Johnson County District Court (District 10) was included in this statewide transition plan, becoming the final district in Kansas to move to the new eCourt system, known as Odyssey.

The public—including attorneys and county justice partners—will interact with the system through a web portal and eFiling system. JIMS will continue to support the County by automating court-related processes and maintaining non-court functionalities.

Currently, the public and attorneys can go to jococourts.org to access court records, which is part of the JIMS system. Moving forward, they can still access that information at that link but will be redirected to the state system, accessible at this link.

The hope is that all other impacts will be very minimal. The public and stakeholders can expect tools like automation processes built by JIMS staff, redirecting URLs and online information alerts to help them navigate through the transition.

Johnson County’s transition to the statewide eCourt case management system will take place between Oct. 31 and Nov. 5. The transition will affect some processes as early as Oct. 24.

At 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, Johnson County District Court will stop taking online payments and payments by phone in existing cases.

At 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, the Court will stop taking credit card payments, including fax payments.

At noon on Saturday, Oct. 26, the court will stop taking electronic filings.

The new Kansas Courts eFiling System will be available at 8: 00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Filings between these dates will need to be done (in paper form) directly through the Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse.
Note: Cash, personal check or money orders will be the only acceptable payment methods.
To register for the new eFiling system, please go to Register to eFile - KS Courts.

The county is unable to assist with issues related to state systems. If you need help registering, please email efilingadministrator@kscourts.org.

Other information can be found at Centralized Case Management System Project - KS Courts.

From Oct. 28 to Nov. 1:

The court is open, operating, and accepting paper filings.
The court will accept payments made by cash, paper check, cashier's check, or money order. Payment can be made at the clerk window or delivered by U.S. Mail. All payments will be processed with a manual receipt.
Visitors to the court's self-help center and records management department will not be able to search cases using courthouse terminals. Court staff will be able to complete searches for visitors.

From Oct. 26 to Nov. 4, please note the status of the online search tool for public records using jococourts.org.

Case data on this site will not be updated effective at 5pm on Monday, October 28, 2024. while the court is transitioning to the new Statewide Odyssey Case Management System.
This new system is expected to be active by Monday, November 4, 2024. However, fully updated case information may not occur until Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
If you are unable to search here, please go to Search District Court Records - KS Courts
The county is unable to assist with issues related to state systems. If you need help, please refer to the Kansas website or email tcs@kscourts.org.

On Monday, Nov. 4 the Johnson County District Court clerk office and self-help center are closed to the public. Electronic filing and electronic payments are still turned off.

At 8 a.m. on Nov. 5, the Johnson County District Court will be fully operational on the eCourt case management system. Electronic filing and payments resume, and the clerk office and self-help center reopen.

Yes, Johnson County has been working with the Kansas Judicial Branch and its vendor for several years to ensure a smooth integration between the two systems for the benefit of employees, the public and stakeholders in the public safety and criminal justice systems.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Johnson County and the state to formalize the data sharing agreement was signed by the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 24.

Not at this time. However, the state has future plans to introduce a new module on its statewide system for handling all aspects of jury duty.

The county and the state are working on a robust and targeted communication campaign to make sure all involved parties are prepared for the transition and have a contact if they need assistance after the transition. The Judicial Branch has a webpage that provides additional details. The county will also make information available on this page.

If you have a court filing due between Oct. 28 and Nov. 5, the Court recommends you file it early, even though Johnson County District Court will accept paper filings during the transition.

Those who have received instructions from the state on setting up various accounts or login information should do so at their earliest convenience.

Attorneys and non-attorneys who will efile in Johnson County District Court must register for an account in the Kansas Courts eFiling system. You will no longer use JIMS to efile.

To pay filing fees to the courts operating on the Kansas eCourt case management system, you must set up a TOGA wallet account under your user profile in the Kansas Courts eFiling system.

Public records will be available through the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal. The Search District Court Records webpage describes how to search the public access portal and what information is and is not available.

Everyone who has traditionally accessed JIMS for court case management is being asked to exercise patience at the beginning of this transition. While years of planning, work and collaboration have led to this transition, as with anything that is new, there could be hiccups or delays at first.