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FAQ Civil Process

CIVIL PROCESS FAQs

Need to file documents and don't have the forms?  Please contact your local District Court or, if located in Kansas, click here to access Kansas Judicial Council on-line forms.

The Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office serves only documents that originate from a state or federal court and bear the appropriate stamp and court case number; private papers from attorneys will not be processed.

How much does it cost to have papers served?

In-State Service Fee
In compliance with state law, the Sheriff's Office requires a $15.00 Process Service Fee for each document served. Payments must be made via check or money order, payable to the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office. Documents lacking this fee will be returned to the court as "No Service."

In Kansas civil process papers exempted from service fees include:
Protection from Abuse or Protection from Stalking papers
Papers filed by Government Entities
Post Decree Motions in divorce cases
Probate orders filed under KSA Chapter 59 for Mental, Drug and Alcohol Commitments
Documents and Writs filed under Chapters 21 (Criminal), Chapter 38 (Child in Need of Care), etc.
Criminal subpoenas

The Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office will upload all Return of Service documents to the Kansas District Court Portal.  Please access the portal to check the service status of your document by searching the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal or copying and pasting the URL in your web browser, https://prodportal.kscourts.gov/prodportal.
Visit the Kansas Judicial Branch website for portal instructions.  

Out-of-State Service Fee
The Sheriff's Office requires a $30.00 Process Service Fee for each document served. Payments must be made via check or money order, payable to the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office. Documents lacking this fee will be returned to the sender marked as "Unable to serve without proper fee." The Sheriff's Office will mail out-of-state returns of service to the originator of the documents, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope when sending this office documents.

Out-of-state civil process papers exempt from service fees include:
Protective Orders meeting the criteria of The Violence Against Women Act (18 U.S.C. 2265)
Documents filed by government entities

Can I pay by credit card?  All major credit cards are accepted for payment, however there is an additional $1.50 processing fee.  Documents must have been received by the Sheriff's Office prior to processing payment by credit card.  Please contact (913)758-5724 to pay with a credit card.

What should be included when I need out-of-state documents served?  

  • Payment of $30.00 for each document to be served (check, money order, or credit card only), attached to the top page of the document/s
  • A self addressed stamped envelope to send back the Return of Service
  • Specific service instructions are required by law
  • A cover letter that lists information on the person to be served (full name, home address, employer/employer address, telephone number etc.)
  • Contact information for the person/agency/firm/court that needs the documents served

Where do I bring/send the documents, so they will be served?

By fax to (913)758-4097.  We will contact you for credit card payment, please include a contact name and telephone number to call.  

By mailing to or dropping off at:

Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office
601 S 3rd St.
Suite 2007
Leavenworth, KS 66048

Is there a time limit on filing returns of service?  Most courts require a return of service to be filed five (5) days prior to the court date.  It is recommended that civil process papers be faxed or mailed, with an expedited mail service, if the court date is approaching (less than six weeks from court date).

I need information on a district court case, how do I get that? Please visit the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal. If the confirmation of service (ROS-Return of Service) is not present, please check the public portal later.  The site is intended to assist you in accessing available case information without visiting the courthouse. Only case information allowed by law to be viewed by the public using internet access will be displayed through the public access portal. The public may view additional case information as permitted by law at a courthouse terminal located at the district court office.

To search cases, register for a Kansas District Court Public Access Portal account. You can register by selecting Register in the top right corner of the site home page.

How do I serve papers to a person in prison?  This office will serve civil process documents to persons incarcerated in the Leavenworth County Jail, Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF), United States Penitentiary FCI - Leavenworth (formerly United States Penitentiary, USP), FCI Leavenworth Camp, United States Disciplinary Barracks (USDB) and Joint Regional Correctional Facility (JRCF), both on Fort Leavenworth.  Service at incarceration facilities requires additional time to get permission to enter the facility.  An inmate's full name, inmate number, date of birth, and/or social security number should be included for identification purposes.  If unable to identify the recipient the civil process will be returned marked unable to serve.

How do I get civil process served on Fort Leavenworth?  All civil process documents requiring service on Fort Leavenworth must be served by The Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office.  Additional time is required for permission to access the installation for service.

If your question is not answered above please contact the Civil Process Unit for further assistance at 913-682-5724.  It is important to note that while the Sheriff's Office can execute court orders, only licensed attorneys may provide legal advice.

Click here for a printable version of the Self-Representation Resource Listing

Self-Representation Resource Listing 

Find Court Forms - https://www.kansasjudicialcouncil.org/legal-forms  and https://kscourts.gov/Public/Find-a-Form

Kansas Judicial Branch Self-Help - https://kscourts.gov/Public#Self-Help

Request an Interpreter - https://kscourts.gov/Public/Request-an-Interpreter

Small Claims Self-Help - https://www.leavenworthcounty.gov/departments/district_court/small_claims.php

Leavenworth County Website - https://www.leavenworthcounty.gov/

Leavenworth County Treasurer Tax Search - https://www.leavenworthcounty.gov/government/county_treasurer_s_office

Lawyer Referral Service -

Kansas Bar Association - https://ksbar.org/

Kansas Legal Services - https://www.kansaslegalservices.org/

Kansas Legal Services by Phone - (800) 723-6953

Justice Advice Line - (800) 675-5860, Pay per minute legal advice, Open Mon. through Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Make Payments On-Line - 785-368-7070

Supreme Court Rules - https://kscourts.gov/Rules-Orders

Questions About Child Support Cases - https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/css/Pages/default.aspx

Child Support Payments On-Line - https://www.kspaycenter.com/
            Kansas Payment Center:
                        Parents - (877) 572-5722
                        Employers - (877) 729-6367

Cases in Collection - (866) 858-3636 or http://cbofks.com/

Marriage License Certified Copy - 758-296-1400 or https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1165/Office-of-Vital-Statistics

Birth Certificate - https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1165/Office-of-Vital-Statistics

Kansas Department Of Revenue Tax Warrant - https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/Misc/Miscellaneous/WarrantsOnWebDefault

Disclaimer:  Laws in Kansas may change and there may be times when information on this web site may not be current. This information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. This website is not a comprehensive treatment of the subject and is not a substitute for advice from an attorney.