Contact InformationKim Leininger, Chief Deputy Clerk |
Quick Links |
Welcome to the District of Kansas Media Information page. The United States District Court of Kansas came into existence in 1861 when the U.S. Congress admitted Kansas as a state. The District of Kansas is part of the Tenth Circuit which also includes Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. Members of the press are welcome to visit our courthouses to attend public hearings or access case related information. The following information is intended to help you navigate access to our court.
Case Information
The press and public can access case information free of charge from public computer terminals at any clerk's office location. You may also access case information by using PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information from federal appellate, district and bankruptcy courts, and from the U.S. Party/Case Index. Electronic access to most courts is available by registering with the PACER Service Center, the judiciary's centralized registration, billing, and technical support center.
Ordering Transcripts
To obtain a copy of a transcript for a fee, please send an email to: ksdml_courtreporter_request@ksd.uscourts.gov and provide the case name or number and the date of the proceeding. If you prefer, you may submit the completed Transcript Order form (AO 435).
When a transcript is ordered, the first party to order it pays the original transcript rate, and subsequent requesters pay a copy rate (see Maximum Per Page Transcript Rates). When a court reporter or transcriber delivers the original transcript to the ordering party, the court reporter or transcriber is also required to file a certified electronic copy to the clerk of court. This copy will be available, for inspection only, at the clerk’s office in Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita, for a period of 90 days (unless extended by the court). After the 90-day period has ended, the filed transcript will be available for inspection and copying in the clerk’s office for a fee or can be downloaded through PACER. For more information on transcripts, please visit USCourts.gov.
Phones, Cameras, and Recording Devices in the Courthouse
Phones are prohibited in courtrooms absent special permission from the presiding judge.Radio or television broadcasting and the use of photographic, electronic, or mechanical reproduction or recording equipment is prohibited during case-related proceedings. Ceremonial proceedings such as the administration of oaths of office to appointed officials of the court, naturalization, and presentation of portraits or awards may be photographed in or broadcast from the courtroom, only with permission and under the supervision of the court. For additional information or for permission to attend a ceremonial proceeding, please contact Kim_Leininger@ksd.uscourts.gov.
Attending Court Hearings
Journalists are welcome to visit our courthouses. You must show a photo ID to enter the courthouse and pass through courthouse security. Please review the court’s policy on bringing electronic communication devices in our courthouses (D. Kan. Rule 83.2.4). If you have any questions or need to locate a courtroom, please stop by the district court clerk’s office where we are happy to assist you.
Information for Journalists
- A Journalist’s Guide to the Federal Courts
- About Federal Courts
- Glossary of Legal Terms
- The Federal Judicial Center's website also has helpful information for journalists, including judges' biographies, reports and studies, and historical timelines.