Kansas District Court's

   District courts are created by the Constitution. They are the trial courts of Kansas, with general original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, including divorce and domestic relations, damage suits, probate and administration of estates, guardianships, conservatorships, care of the mentally ill, juvenile matters, and small claims. It is here that the criminal and civil jury trials are held. Kansas is divided into judicial districts, with a varying number of judges in each district. There is a district court in each county and an office of the clerk of the court where cases may be filed.
   The state is also divided into six judicial departments, each of which includes several judicial districts. One justice of the State Supreme Court serves as departmental justice over each department. The departmental justice may assign judges from one judicial district to another.

Judges of the district court must be lawyers. Some counties have district magistrate judges, who may or may not be lawyers, and whose jurisdiction is limited. By state law, there is at least one resident judge in each county.

   The State Supreme Court appoints a district judge as chief judge for each judicial district. The chief judge, in addition to his or her judicial responsibilities, has general control over the assignment of cases within the district and general supervisory authority over the clerical and administrative functions of the court.

   Appeals may be taken from the district courts to the Court of Appeals and in some cases to the Supreme Court.