Cass County, Missouri State Court Records
Cass County court records refer to all official documents and filings generated by court clerks in relation to cases heard in the Cass County court system. The Cass County Circuit Clerk is the primary public agency responsible for maintaining, preserving, and providing access to these records. The county also has smaller municipal courts whose records are maintained by their individual city clerks.
Court records encompass information about all case types, including civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and other cases. Furthermore, they are often interconnected with other public records. For example, arrest records can lead to criminal court cases, while some court judgments (such as name changes or divorces) may connect to vital records maintained by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Are Cass County Court Records Public?
Yes, Cass County court records are generally public, as provided by the Missouri Sunshine Law outlined in RSMo 610. However, court rules and certain statutory provisions restrict access to specific court records in order to balance the public's right to know with important safety, privacy, and fairness concerns. These exemptions exist to protect minors, ensure the safety of witnesses and victims, protect active investigations, and protect national security interests. Common exemptions from the Sunshine Law include
- Juvenile identification information
- Mental health proceedings
- Some domestic violence victim-related file
- Records sealed by court order
- Adoption records
- Information about confidential informants and witnesses
- Information protected by attorney-client privilege
What Information is Available in Cass County Court Records?
- Party names (plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners)
- Case number and filing date
- Case type and status
- Docket entries and hearing dates
- Judgments and dispositions
- Charges (in criminal cases)
- Final decrees (e.g., divorce judgments)
- Motions and court orders (public portions)
Cass County Court Records Search
Retrieving case information typically requires Cass County court record searches, which can be performed using any of the following methods:
Online Access
Online case record searches are available through the CaseNet, a statewide search portal for circuit court records (and some other courts). Users can view docket entries, scheduled hearings, parties involved, charges, judgments, and, for documents filed after July 1, 2023, many actual court documents. Keep in mind that records do not include confidential or sealed records.
Case searches require a party name, case number, filing date, scheduled hearing date, or judgment index for searches.
In-Person Access
Actual case documents filed before July 1, 2023, sealed records, certified copies, and confidential documents are only available at the clerk's office of the courthouse where a case was filed. Record seekers may visit the relevant clerk's office with information about the case and the applicable fee.
For non-public records, an eligible requester is typically required to possess a valid ID for proof in order to access records. Most court records are available through the Circuit Clerk's Office at
17th Judicial Circuit
Kim York, Circuit Clerk
Cass County Justice Center
1st Floor
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville MO 64701
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mail and Phone Requests
Copies delivered by mail cost $10.00. Use the following to contact the Circuit Clerk's Office by mail, phone, or email:
Kim York, Circuit Clerk
Cass County Justice Center, 1st Floor
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8195 or (816) 380-8225
Email: Cass.Copies@courts.mo.gov
Fees for Court Records in Cass County
Under RSMo Section 610.026, court clerks and other public record custodians are permitted to charge a reasonable fee for copies of records. Fees are typically determined by the type of copy sought, the volume of the request, and the hourly rate of the clerical staff for research time and duplication.
Payment options include cash, money order, and debit/credit cards. These fees are only applicable when a person seeks to obtain copies and not when they are viewing records provided at the clerk's office. The following are Cass County Circuit Court copy costs:
- Certification of document: $1.00
- Photocopy per page: $0.25
- Certification of probate document: $1.50 ($1.00 for plain photocopies)
- Faxed copies: $3.00
Cass County Courthouse Locations
Cass County has a circuit court, which is the county's general-jurisdiction court. The county also has municipal courts that handle ordinance violations. See below for a directory of the county's courthouse locations.
Cass County Circuit Court
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Archie Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Belton Municipal Division
7001 East 163rd Street
Belton, MO 64012
Phone: (816) 331-2798
Fax: (816) 348-4439
Cleveland Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Creighton Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Drexel Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Drexel, MO 64742
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
East Lynne Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Freeman Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Garden City Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Harrisonville Municipal Court - City Hall
300 East Pearl Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8903
Fax: (816) 380-8910
Lake Annette Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Lake Winnebago Municipal Court
10 Winnebago Drive
Lake Winnebago, MO 64034
Phone: (816) 537-4140
Fax: (816) 366-0089
Peculiar Municipal Court
220 North Main Street
Peculiar, MO 64078
Phone: (816) 779-5104
Fax: (816) 779-5105
Pleasant Hill Municipal Court
City Hall
203 Paul Street
Pleasant Hill, MO 64080
Phone: (816) 540-3135
Contact information is for the Court Clerk's Office in City Hall. Court is held at the Pleasant Hill Memorial Building, 212 Cedar Street.
Raymore Municipal Court
100 Municipal Circle
Raymore, MO 64083
Phone: (816) 331-1712
Fax: (816) 331-0634
Strasburg Municipal Division
Cass County Justice Center
2501 West Mechanic Street
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Phone: (816) 380-8227
Fax: (816) 380-8225
Criminal Records Access in Cass County
Local criminal records heard in the Criminal Division of the Cass County Circuit Court are generally public and available through the clerk's office for a fee. A statewide search on CaseNet, which usually involves Cass County records, can also be used to retrieve case information. Note that this site does not provide information about sealed cases.
Standard criminal background checks are not provided by the courts. Interested persons (record subjects) may contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) or use the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) for name-based or fingerprint-based searches. This service costs $15.00 per request and requires an email to create a login ID. Searches require a person's full name, date of birth, and, if available, social security number (for more specific results).
For fingerprint-based searches, complete the fingerprint card (FD-258) through any authorized vendor. While the MSPH only charges $20.00 for this service, its official vendor (IDEMIA) charges an additional $12.00, bringing the total fee to $32.00.
Cass County Probate Records
The Probate Division of the Cass County Circuit Court handles probate matters, such as decedent estate administration, guardianship and conservatorship, trusts, and determination of heirship. Probate records refer to all documents filed or created in association with such cases, including petitions. These records are publicly available but requesters cover the administrative fees: $1.00 per copy, $1.50 per certified copy, and $10.00 per envelope of records received through certified mail.
Despite being presumed public, the following probate records are not public: documents related to mental health proceedings, alcohol and drug-related records, sealed records, full names of minors involved, and unfiled wills.Cass County Family Court Records
The Cass County Circuit Court has a Domestic Division that handles family law matters filed in the county, including child custody, child support, paternity, change of name, and marriage dissolutions. Case records are available through CaseNet and at the circuit clerk's office. Certain family matters, including adoption and child custody records, are usually nonpublic.
To obtain these and other nonpublic family records, the requester must be the case party, their attorney, or other close family members. Third parties with a legitimate interest that justifies their access to the record may appeal to the court for authorization. Only then can they be granted access to the records-in person at the clerk's office only.
Federal Court Records in Cass County
The Western Division of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri handles federal cases arising from Cass County. Digital court records are managed using the online case management system, Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).
PACER also facilitates public access to federal court records in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. For records not found on PACER, use the PACER Case Locator-a national federal case record index-to retrieve the case number and specific courthouse where a case was heard. These details may help with record retrieval at the court clerk's office. Searches on PACER cost $0.10 per page, with the cost for any single document capped at $30.00.
