As an injured party, or “plaintiff,” you will need to know which courthouse to file your claim, the filing procedure, and the deadline for filing. An attorney can help with all of these tasks, but for your own personal knowledge, here’s an overview of the courthouses in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City Municipal Court
The Kansas City Municipal Court is the largest municipal court in the state. It’s also a division of the 16th Judicial Court Circuit. This court has eight full-time judges and a Court Administrator. It processes around 200,000 cases each year. You might need to go to the Kansas City Municipal Court if you need to go to a courthouse for traffic violations, ordinance violations, building code and nuisance violations, or animal health and public safety violations. Common reasons for going to this courthouse include:
- Speeding tickets
- Driving under the influence charges
- Parking tickets
- Trespassing charges
- Assault charges
- Animal abuse/neglect charges
- Dog bite claims
The Kansas City Municipal Court hears criminal cases involving violations of city ordinances. The courthouse address is 1101 Locust Street Kansas City, MO 64106. Phone number: (9816) 513-2700.
Jackson County Courthouse
The Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, located on 415 E. 12th Street in Kansas City, MO, is the courthouse that hears the majority of civil cases. Civil cases include those involving injuries and wrongful death. This courthouse hears most types of civil claims but does not include family law matters such as divorce or probate. It also does not hear criminal cases.
The Jackson County Courthouse exists within the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri. Use the Small Claims Booklet from this courthouse for more information about how to file a civil claim against someone for recover sums of $5,000 or less. If your claim is worth more than $5,000, you will have to file outside of the small claims court. The phone number to reach the Jackson County Courthouse in KC is (816) 881-1330.
Family Justice Center
The Family Court Division of the 16th Judicial Circuit is primarily for family law cases in Kansas City. It has the authority to hear cases regarding juveniles and domestic relations. These might include guardianships, adoptions, child dependency, juvenile delinquency, legal separation, divorce, child custody, annulment, and paternity actions. The Family Court Division is located in the same complex as the Jackson County Courthouse on E. 12th Street. Phone number is (816) 435-4700.
Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex
The Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex, located at 1315 Locust in KC, Missouri, hears criminal cases, juvenile criminal cases, and family law cases. It provides restorative justice to the victims of crimes as well as hears family law cases such as those involving legal guardianship, child support and custody, and divorces. Call this courthouse at (816) 881-3934.
Missouri Court of Appeals
The Western District Missouri Court of Appeals is the state’s largest appellate court. The courthouse, built in 1982, has eleven judges who hear about 40% of intermediate appellate cases in the state of Missouri. You might need to visit this court if you need to appeal court decisions made from district court divisions in Jackson County. It’s located at 1300 Oak Street in Kansas City, MO. Phone number: (816) 889-3600.
Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse
The Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse is the federal courthouse in Kansas City. You might need to visit or file a claim with this courthouse if you are filing for bankruptcy or filing a civil complaint against a government agency. The location is at 400 E. 9th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Contact the bankruptcy court at (816) 512-1800, the probation and pretrial services at (816) 512-1300, or the U.S. District Court at (816) 512-5000.
Have You Been Injured in Kansas City, Missouri? You Should Speak With an Experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyer
If you've been injured in the Kansas City area you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our office directly at 816.832.4688 to schedule your free consultation. We are proud to serve Kansas City, Missouri, and the surrounding area and look forward to speaking with you.
