About the Elk County Clerk's Office
Elk County's court-record clerk is the Clerk of the District Court. The official Elk County District Court page names Erin Meador as Clerk of District Court and places the office on the second floor of the Elk County Courthouse in Howard.
The Elk County District Court page identifies the court clerk, judge, office hours, phone, and core court duties.
This official source anchors the Clerk page because it distinguishes court-file duties from county administrative clerk duties.
The District Court clerk processes traffic, civil, and criminal cases, receives and receipts money, helps attorneys, law enforcement, jurors, and the public on court matters, maintains legal documents under court rules and state statutes, collects fees, receives fine payments, enters case dispositions, and schedules court appearances.
Elk County Court Clerk's Office
Clerk: Erin Meador
127 N. Pine, 2nd Floor
PO Box 306
Howard, KS 67349
620-374-2370
Fax: 620-374-3531
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; public counter hours include lunch closure and Thursday district-wide staff meeting closure.
What the Clerk Does in Elk County
The Clerk of the District Court is the main office for court records in Elk County. The clerk's responsibilities are different from Kerry Harrod's Elk County Clerk office on the first floor, which handles county administration, elections, budgets, tax-roll duties, permits, licenses, and county KORA requests.
The 13th Judicial District Elk County page explains public access, appointment rules, fees, and the Elk County court clerk contact block.
Use this court source when the request involves a District Court case file, docket, certified copy, recorded hearing, or court payment.
- Processes and maintains legal documents in traffic, civil, criminal, probate, family, and related District Court cases.
- Receives fine payments, collects appropriate fees, and enters case dispositions on court computers.
- Provides counter service for attorneys, law enforcement, jurors, and members of the public on court matters.
- Schedules court appearances and supports public review of open court files by appointment.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies are used when a requester needs official proof of a court order, decree, judgment, disposition, or other filed document. In Elk County, copy and certification requests should identify the case number whenever possible because the 13th Judicial District page says case numbers are required for file-review appointments.
- Search Kansas CaseSearch or prior paperwork to identify the case number and court location.
- Decide whether you need inspection, plain copies, certified copies, authentication, or a recorded hearing.
- Submit the 13th Judicial District written request form with the specific nature of the request.
- Pay copy, certification, authentication, research, or recorded-hearing fees when assessed.
- Arrange pickup, email, fax, or mailing as allowed by the clerk after the request is processed.
Records Request Form Fields
The court public-record request form requires requester contact information and a specific description of the court record. It also includes a certification acknowledging the Kansas restriction on prohibited commercial use of name and address lists.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Requester name. |
| Business/Organization | No | Used when an entity is requesting records. |
| Address | Yes | Mailing or contact address. |
| Telephone or Email | Yes | The form allows either telephone or email. |
| Specific nature of request | Yes | Include case numbers if applicable and state whether access or copies are requested. |
| Recorded hearing details | Conditional | Provide case name, case number, hearing date, and a separate request for each hearing recording. |
| Signature and date | Yes | Certification includes the K.S.A. 45-230 list-use restriction. |
Elk County Clerk Fees
The researched Elk County court-record fees come from the 13th Judicial District public-access material and court request form. County administrative KORA records use a different fee schedule through the Elk County Clerk.
The K.S.A. 45-230 statute page is the official Kansas source for the list-use certification that appears on public-record request forms.
This certification is relevant when court or county records include lists of names or addresses.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Copy fee | Minimum $0.50 per page |
| Fax copy fee | Minimum $1.00 per page |
| Email copy fee | No cost when less than one hour of research and compilation; research fee applies after that |
| Certification fee | Minimum $1.00 per certified document |
| Authentication fee | Minimum $3.00 per packet |
| Research fee | Minimum $12.00 per hour |
| Recorded hearing copy | $50.00 per hearing, up to one day in length |
Common Clerk Forms
Use court forms for court files and county KORA forms for county administrative records. The Elk County Clerk page is still useful because it links county open-record materials, but those materials are for county offices, not District Court files.
The Elk County Clerk page identifies Kerry Harrod's administrative county clerk office and its KORA links.
That page helps when the request is for county administrative records, election records, budgets, tax rolls, or permits rather than District Court case documents.
- 13th Judicial District Request for Public Records Form - Court records and recorded hearing requests for Butler, Elk, and Greenwood counties.
- Elk County Clerk KORA Open Records Request Form - County administrative records handled by the Elk County Clerk.
- Elk County KORA brochure - County open-record request methods, fees, and timing.
Mail and Online Filings
For public access, Elk County uses Kansas CaseSearch, the courthouse public access computer, appointment-based review of open files, and written records requests. The 13th Judicial District page also notes a drop box for documents or payments submitted to the Clerk of the Court or Court Services Department, with retrieval Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
Howard Municipal Court is separate from District Court. The Howard Municipal Court page describes city citation first appearances, the $70 court fee when listed on the ticket, City Office contact, and hearings at the Cox Building.
Use the municipal court path for Howard city tickets and ordinance matters; use the District Court clerk for Elk County District Court files.