Osborne County Clerk Office
The court-records office is the Clerk of the District Court. The Osborne County District Court page names Sabrina Spurgin as Clerk of the District Court and Michelle Domsch as Deputy Clerk. The Kansas Judicial Branch 17th Judicial District page confirms the same office at the Osborne County Courthouse. This clerk keeps the district court file and is the practical point of contact for case records, docket entries, certified copies, local court questions, and public terminal access.
The District Court office handles records that can involve confidential data, so the local source stresses accurate computer entry and confidentiality. That is why a statewide online search is only one channel. Some public records may need courthouse review, and some records will not be released without redaction, a court order, or proof that the requester is entitled to the document.
Osborne County Clerk of the District Court
Clerk: Sabrina Spurgin
Deputy Clerk: Michelle Domsch
Osborne County Courthouse
423 W Main Street
PO Box 160
Osborne, KS 67473-0160
785-346-5911
Fax: 785-346-5992
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00-5:00 p.m.
The Kansas Tourism listing for the Osborne County Courthouse confirms the public courthouse location tied to local court access.
The tourism listing is not a records portal, but it confirms the courthouse location that anchors in-person clerk access.
Osborne County Clerk Duties
The Clerk of the District Court supports the District Court as the official case-records office. In Osborne County, that means the clerk is the first local stop for copies of district court documents, certified court records, docket questions, public terminal access, and questions about how to submit filings to the court. The clerk does not act as a lawyer, does not choose forms for a party, and does not decide what a judge should do.
- Maintains District Court case files and docket records for Osborne County.
- Receives filings in civil, criminal, probate, domestic, juvenile, traffic, small claims, and related case types.
- Processes public record copy and certified-copy requests under Kansas court guidance.
- Routes local rules, filing, and hearing questions to the proper District Court channel.
- Protects restricted details, sealed records, juvenile material, and private identifiers when access limits apply.
The clerk's role is tied to the 17th Judicial District. That district includes Decatur, Graham, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, and Smith counties. Some judges and administrators serving Osborne County are based in other county seats, but local record access still starts with the Osborne clerk for Osborne County District Court files.
Osborne County Clerk Split
Kansas and Osborne County use a split-clerk structure. The elected Osborne County Clerk is Heather Betzold, who is also the Osborne County Election Officer. That office is at the courthouse and handles county-administration and election functions. It is not the office that issues certified District Court case copies.
Use the County Clerk for county government records, election questions, and county alert help. The county homepage directs residents who need help signing up for Text Osborne County alerts to the County Clerk's Office at the courthouse. Use the Clerk of the District Court for court files, probate case papers, divorce decrees, criminal case documents, state traffic case records, and court-certified copies.
| Office | Use it for | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the District Court | Court case records, certified court copies, probate, divorce, criminal, civil, traffic, juvenile, and small claims files | 785-346-5911 |
| Osborne County Clerk | County administration, elections, county alerts, and county office routing | 785-346-2431, clerk@osbornecounty.gov |
Osborne County Clerk Certified Copies
Certified copies are official copies issued by the court clerk with certification. They are often needed for legal filings, agency submissions, name changes, probate administration, divorce proof, and other uses where a plain photocopy is not enough. Kansas court records guidance lists a certification fee plus page-copy and mailing fees.
- Search Kansas CaseSearch first if you need the case number, party name, case type, or filing date.
- Write down the exact document needed, such as decree, order, journal entry, judgment, petition, will filing, or sentencing entry.
- Call the Osborne County Clerk of the District Court at 785-346-5911 to confirm whether the record is public, on-site, archived, or restricted.
- Ask for the current total, including 25 cents per page, $10 per certified document, mailing charges, and any staff-time estimate.
- Submit the request by the channel the clerk confirms, such as in person, mail to PO Box 160, fax if accepted, or another Kansas court records process.
Note: If the case is sealed, expunged, juvenile, adoption-related, or otherwise restricted, the clerk may be unable to release it through an ordinary public request.
Osborne County Records Request Fields
No Osborne-specific online court-record request form was located in the county sources. A good court-record request still needs enough detail for the clerk to identify the right file and document. If the request is vague, the office may need follow-up before it can quote fees or search older records.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Best when known | Use the exact Kansas district court case number from CaseSearch or court papers. |
| Party names | Yes | Include full names and former names if the case may be domestic, probate, or old. |
| Case type | Helpful | Identify civil, criminal, probate, divorce, traffic, small claims, juvenile, or other type. |
| Document requested | Yes | State whether you need a decree, order, judgment, docket sheet, petition, will, or full file. |
| Certified or plain copy | Yes | Certified copies cost more and are required for many official uses. |
| Delivery method | Yes | Ask whether pickup, mail, fax, or another approved delivery channel is available. |
Osborne County Clerk Fees
Kansas court records guidance gives the copy and certification figures used by district court clerks. Filing fees are set by Kansas court schedules and vary by case type, so a requester should verify the current filing cost before sending payment. The researched copy fee items are the reliable figures for Osborne County court-record requests.
| Item | Amount or channel |
|---|---|
| Plain copies of Kansas court records | 25 cents per page |
| Certified court document | $10 per document certified |
| Mailing first five pages | 50 cents |
| Mailing additional five-page increments | 25 cents each |
| Staff time and expenses | Reasonable fees may be charged, and estimates or advance payment may be required |
| Public terminal access | Available at courthouse terminals for public records not shown online, subject to access rules |
Osborne County Self-Help Center
In April 2026, the Kansas Judicial Branch announced a new Osborne County District Court self-help center. The release said the center is open 8 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except state and federal holidays. Clerk Sabrina Spurgin described it as an important resource for people representing themselves.
The Kansas Judicial Branch release naming Paula Hofaker chief judge is an official 17th Judicial District source.
The chief judge source helps explain why Osborne County records are local, while some court administration and judges serve across the broader district.
A later Kansas Supreme Court chief judge reappointment release gives updated district-leadership context.
Those district-level sources do not replace the local clerk, but they show the regional court structure behind Osborne County case administration.
Osborne County Clerk Access Channels
Osborne County does not publish its own county-built case search. Online district court access starts with Kansas CaseSearch. Kansas court guidance also says courthouse terminals can provide access to public records that are not available through the public portal. That makes the local clerk's phone line important when a search result is missing, when a certified copy is needed, or when the file may be old, restricted, or not digitized.
Mail for the District Court goes to PO Box 160, Osborne, KS 67473. The fax number is 785-346-5992. For county administrative records outside the court file, use the custodian office or the elected County Clerk. For court filings, case files, and certified documents, use the Clerk of the District Court.