Cass County
Cass County, which was created in 1835 and originally named Van Buren County, lies in Western Missouri. It is home to a section of Kansas City, the state's largest city, and an estimated population of 111,732. It was renamed in 1849 in honor of Lewis Cass of Michigan, a former United States Senator and presidential candidate. Harrisonville is its county seat.
Cass County has several trial courts within its court system, including a circuit court and municipal courts. The Cass County Circuit Court, a general jurisdiction court, adjudicates all civil and criminal cases. Organized according to case types are various Circuit Court divisions, including:
- Associate Circuit
- Family Court
- Juvenile Court
- Probate Court
- Small Claims Court
- Municipal Court
- Traffic Court
The Associate Court Circuit judges have limited jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal lawsuits and infractions, while the Family Court division exclusively handles divorces, adoptions, child custody suits, legal separations, juvenile proceedings, name change petitions, and other cases related to the family and children. The Juvenile Court division presides over cases affecting minors, including juvenile delinquency, truancy, adoption, guardianships, and suits for children alleged to require care and treatment.
Furthermore, the Probate Court division oversees cases relating to decedents' wills, guardians' appointments, conservatorships, and trust administrations. In contrast, the Small Claims division handles civil claims below $3,000 via a simplified procedure.
The Municipal Courts in Cass County preside over ordinance violations committed within the municipalities, including parking violations and traffic infractions.
Cass County court records refer to legal information maintained in different forms by a court clerk about cases tried in the county courts. These records can generally be stored in paper or digital forms and typically include docket entries, indexes, charging documents, disposition sheets, pleadings, jury verdicts, and judgments. The following are common court records in Cass County:
- Family court records
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Juvenile records
The Cass County Circuit Court Clerk is the authorized court records keeper for the Circuit Court records, including civil and criminal case records. Requesters, per the Missouri Sunshine Law, can examine and copy public records, including records for Cass County courts, following formal requests and the payment of applicable fees. They can also use the state's case search service to access their desired records online or conduct in-person visits to the Circuit Clerk's Office for records inspection and/or copy at:
2501 W. Mechanic Street
1st Floor
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
