The District Court Trustee is responsible for all matters relating to the establishment, modification, and enforcement of support orders issued by the Douglas County District Court. The District Court Trustee is empowered to pursue all civil remedies which would be available to a recipient in…

The office opened on May 1, 1995. All orders for support entered effective January 1, 1995, require the District Court Trustee to provide enforcement services for the case. Payments are to be made through the Kansas Payment Center, and are disbursed within 48 hours of receipt. 

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Printable versions of forms and documents related to child support, parenting time/visitation, and other services offered by the District Court Trustee can be acquired on line by visiting the Court Trustee Documents page. You can also obtain copies of all forms and documents by visiting the…

For any new or modified support order entered on or after January 1, 1995, the District Court Trustee will automatically provide enforcement services. A mandatory fee of 5% will be deducted from support collected to defray the expenses of the office. In most instances, the value of the services…

Douglas County Court Services is located in the basement level of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center located at 111 E. 11th street Lawrence, KS. 

Payments for court costs, restitution and fines can be made in person or via mail.  If payment is being made in person, it may be paid by cash, check, money order or cashier’s check, payable to DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, in the Clerk’s Office, located in the basement level of the Law…

In all felony cases a Pre Sentence Investigation (PSI) is ordered by the court upon a conviction/plea prior to sentencing. The PSI report will contain an individual’s criminal history along with the current severity level of conviction(s). The report will provide the sentencing court…

Your Probation Officer will work with you to help you successfully abide by/complete all conditions of your probation. In addition to promoting public safety, probation is designed to help you work on areas of your life that may have contributed to your current involvement with the legal system…

It is up to the individual discretion of each judge. In general, it is not permitted. The judges feel it is important that jurors focus their attention on witnesses and information rather than on taking notes.

You do not need to bring anything with you. You may want to bring a jacket, book, or something else to do during the brief period of waiting.

Deferment is not always a possibility, but we try to accommodate your busy schedules as much as we can. To request a deferment, you should complete the appropriate section of the juror questionnaire. You will receive a letter from the court with either your new service dates or a denial of your…

You can request hardship for any reason on your Juror Questionnaire. All excusal requests are subject to review by the Chief Judge. You will receive an email as well as a letter in the mail with a response to your request within four weeks.  If you have any questions, please contact the…

Yes, but the court requires a letter from your physician stating you should be excused.  For more information on what is needed and where to send it, please contact the Jury Coordinator at Jury@dgcoks.gov or 785-832-5213.

Judicial ethics prohibit judges from speaking directly with parties about their cases. 

Jurors must be randomly selected and summoned to be able to serve on a jury. You cannot volunteer for service. In Douglas County, jurors are randomly selected from a list of people with Douglas County addresses provided by the Kansas DMV.

Kansas law provides job protection for jurors. According to Kansas law, employers may not fire or threaten to fire an employee because of jury service. The court can provide documentation of jury service upon request.

If you are charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense, you must appear in court. Seat belt violations do not require a court appearance, even though they are often marked as misdemeanors on the tickets. If you were charged with no proof of insurance, but you had insurance at the time of the stop…

You may wish to consult an attorney on any action you file or that is filed against you. In small claims court, an attorney cannot represent you, unless an individual, who is an attorney, is suing you. For more information, call the Access to Justice Advice Line at 1-800-675-5860.

Yes. The "court costs" in traffic cases are actually docket fees that must be paid whether or not you appear in court. Docket fees are used to defray the expenses of processing a court case from beginning to end.

Yes. It is impossible to predict the number of trials that will take place each week. Some of the jury trials that are scheduled are settled, dismissed, or otherwise resolved without requiring a jury. For this reason, we have implemented the juror call-in system. Jurors need to call 785-832-5108…

Cases will usually be heard by juries of six or twelve jurors. A larger group, called a panel, will be sent to the courtroom where the jurors will be questioned by the lawyers in a process called Voir Dire (jury selection). During Voir Dire, attorneys will take turns asking the jury panel…

You can call the Access to Justice Advice Line at 1-800-675-5860. You also may want to consider Limited Scope Representation. 

You should fill out the Notice to Defendant (Earnings or Non-earnings) that accompanies the Order of Garnishment sent to your employer and/or bank and file it in the District Court division your case is assigned to. If you did not receive the Notice to Defendant from your employer or your bank,…

When picking up your license, you will be given a card with the judge's contact information. All arrangements must be made with the judge's assistant. There is a $50 fee for this service. Additional fees apply for ceremonies held off-site, on weekends, or on holidays. For information on…

You may appear in court at the time specified on your ticket to request additional time to pay. Be sure to bring your copy of the ticket to court with you. If you fail to pay in full or appear in court by the date specified on your ticket, the court will send a letter to the address listed on…