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Johnson County, KS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Johnson County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Johnson County District Court, in Kansas's 10th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-211) |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, probate desk, first floor of the Johnson County Courthouse (K.S.A. 20-343) |
| Courthouse address | Johnson County Courthouse, 150 W Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS 66061 |
| Mailing address | Clerk of the District Court, Probate Clerk, 150 W. Santa Fe Street, Olathe, KS 66061 |
| Probate phone | 913-715-3370 |
| Clerk phone | 913-715-3500 |
| Fax | 913-715-3401 for filings that do not require payment. Use 913-715-3405 for a new case or any filing that requires a fee, with the Johnson County fax payment cover letter. |
| [email protected] for probate filings that do not require a fee. The court does not accept payment by email. | |
| Hours | The clerk's office and probate desk are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. The court asks that filings and other business reach the clerk by 11:45 a.m. or 4:15 p.m. The courthouse building is open 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $133.00 as of August 2026 to open a probate estate: $109.50 statutory docket fee as of August 2026, plus the $22 surcharge as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104), plus Johnson County's $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). Other court costs are taxed and billed against the estate as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)). |
| Payment | In person by card, cash, check or money order payable to Clerk of the District Court. By mail by check, money order or cashier's check. By fax by card only, with the court's fax payment cover letter. Paying by card in person or by fax adds a $4.95 processing charge as published in August 2026. |
| Local forms | Yes. Johnson County requires its fax payment cover letter when filing by fax with a payment. The court also links local copies of several Kansas Judicial Council forms. |
| E-filing | Kansas-licensed attorneys must e-file under Rule 122. Johnson County is the only Kansas county with its own approved electronic filing system alongside the statewide Kansas Courts system. A person filing without a lawyer uses the counter, mail, fax, and, for no-fee pleadings, the probate email channel. |
| Case search | Kansas Courts CaseSearch is the free statewide search. Johnson County documents are available online from the court's Kansas eCourt start date, November 5, 2024; older files may show case information without documents. |
| Remote appearance | Rule 103 allows the judge to permit a remote appearance. Johnson County says the assigned judge decides how the case is heard and that virtual hearings use Zoom. Ask by motion or by the assigned division's instructions, and copy all counsel and unrepresented parties. |
| Website | https://courts.jocogov.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Johnson County, list the assets, debts and accounts. The $133.00 opening cost as of August 2026 is a flat local total for a probate estate (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b)), but the right estate settlement path depends on what exists, whether real estate is involved and what the inventory and valuation due 30 days after letters will need to show (K.S.A. 59-1201). Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts before they choose a filing path.
Then plan around timing. The Olathe probate counter closes for lunch, asks for business by 11:45 a.m. or 4:15 p.m., and Johnson County's local probate rule requires the petitioner to get a hearing date and submit an Order for Hearing at filing. Those local steps matter when the Kansas deadline to petition for probate of a will within six months of death is close (K.S.A. 59-617).
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Johnson County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Johnson County Courthouse, 150 W Santa Fe St. in Olathe (K.S.A. 20-343). The court is the Johnson County District Court, and Johnson County is the entire 10th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-211), so Johnson County estates are not filed in another county's courthouse.
The Olathe courthouse serves Johnson County communities including Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood, Prairie Village, Gardner, De Soto, Merriam, Mission, Spring Hill and Roeland Park. The venue rule in Kansas turns on residence and real property: if a Kansas resident owned real property in the county of residence, file there; if the resident owned no real property in the county of residence, file in that county or in a county where the decedent owned real property; for a nonresident, file in a county where estate property is to be administered (K.S.A. 59-2203). The first legally commenced proceeding extends to all Kansas property, and a misfiled case is transferred to the proper county rather than dismissed (K.S.A. 59-2203).
Because Johnson County sits on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metropolitan area, families may find accounts, advisers or property spread across state lines. For Johnson County probate, focus first on where the decedent lived and where the decedent owned Kansas real property, not where a bank branch happened to be located.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if one exists and an asset list. Johnson County's local materials make clear that the court expects probate filings to be tied to documents, and the estate settlement route depends on the assets and debts.
- Check the Kansas will deadline first. A will of someone who died a Kansas resident cannot pass property unless a petition for probate is filed within six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617). If the family is not ready to open an estate, filing a will and affidavit, or a copy of the will with the affidavit, can preserve the will for later probate (K.S.A. 59-618a). Johnson County lists a will filed to record at $72.00 as of August 2026, which reflects K.S.A. 59-104 plus the Johnson County law library fee under K.S.A. 20-3129(b); confirm the current total for a particular will filing with the probate desk.
- Choose the filing path. A small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, for qualifying personal property, is given to the bank or other holder and is not filed with the clerk. Other court paths include refusal to grant letters (K.S.A. 59-2287), determination of descent (K.S.A. 59-2250), informal administration (K.S.A. 59-3301), and simplified or supervised administration (K.S.A. 59-3202).
- Prepare the petition. A petition for administration is drafted from K.S.A. 59-2219, and a petition for probate of a will is drafted from K.S.A. 59-2220. If you want simplified administration, ask for it in the petition and give reasons (K.S.A. 59-3202). Johnson County does not publish a fill-in petition to open an estate.
- Add the required statewide filing documents. A new case needs the Kansas Judicial Council case-filing cover sheet, and a person filing without a lawyer must also file the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form.
- File with the clerk of the district court at the probate desk in Olathe (K.S.A. 20-343). Pay $133.00 as of August 2026 for a probate estate, consisting of the $109.50 statutory docket fee as of August 2026, the $22 surcharge as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104), and Johnson County's $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). If you cannot pay, file a Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104. A self-represented filer may file in person, by mail, or by fax to 913-715-3405 with the Johnson County fax payment cover letter. Paying by card in person or by fax adds a $4.95 processing charge as published in August 2026. Kansas-licensed attorneys must e-file under Rule 122.
- Get the hearing date at the same time you file. Johnson County's local probate rule requires the filing attorney or self-represented petitioner to obtain a hearing date when the petition is filed and to present an Order for Hearing for signature. Filing the petition alone will not place the matter on the calendar. The court fixes the hearing (K.S.A. 59-2222).
- Publish and mail the hearing notice. When notice is required under K.S.A. 59-2209, it is published once per week for three consecutive weeks, the first publication is made within 30 days after the order fixing the hearing, and the petitioner mails the notice within seven days after first publication with the petition, attachments and will where applicable (K.S.A. 59-2209). Notice to creditors must be given within 30 days after filing a petition for administration or probate of a will (K.S.A. 59-709). Johnson County's local probate rule puts the duty to know notice requirements and time limits on the filing party.
- Mail the surviving spouse the will and statutory elective-share notice within 10 days where the statute applies (K.S.A. 59-2233).
- Attend the hearing. The hearing date is not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the last publication when K.S.A. 59-2209 applies. Johnson County hears matters in person and virtually, and the assigned judge decides how the case is heard. A remote appearance request is discretionary under Rule 103, and the Kansas Judicial Council publishes a free Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video.
- After the hearing, the judge admits the will if appropriate and grants letters testamentary to an executor (K.S.A. 59-701) or letters of administration to an administrator (K.S.A. 59-705).
- File the inventory and valuation within 30 days after the letters (K.S.A. 59-1201). Johnson County's local probate rule adds that the inventory and valuation must be filed on time even if some asset information is still missing unless the court grants an extension for good cause, and that it must be supplemented within 30 days after a new asset is discovered.
- Handle claims, debts and taxes. A demand is barred unless presented within the later of four months from first publication or, for a creditor given actual notice, 30 days after that notice (K.S.A. 59-2239). Pay debts and taxes before final settlement.
- Close the estate with a petition for final settlement and accounting and the court's final decree assigning the estate (K.S.A. 59-2247; K.S.A. 59-2249). If real estate is involved, a certified copy goes to the county clerk's transfer record. If more time is needed, Johnson County's local probate rule requires the extension request to show good cause, include an accounting based on information gathered so far and go out on notice unless interested parties have filed consents or waivers.
Executor duties
| Local duty | What Johnson County adds |
|---|---|
| Inventory and valuation | The inventory and valuation is due within 30 days after letters (K.S.A. 59-1201). Johnson County's local probate rule says to file it on time even if some asset information is still missing, unless the court grants an extension for good cause. |
| New assets | Johnson County's local probate rule requires a supplemental inventory within 30 days after a new asset is discovered, with a copy of the amended inventory served on all interested parties. |
| Extension for final settlement | If the estate cannot close on time, the Johnson County extension request must show good cause, include an accounting based on information gathered so far and be noticed to all interested parties unless written consents or waivers have been filed. |
| Accounting | Johnson County's local probate rule states that the duty to account cannot be waived and must be completed before the estate is settled. |
| Bond when required | Where a Kansas statute requires a bond in a probate administration case, Johnson County requires sufficient sureties and does not accept a personal bond except as Supreme Court Rule 114 allows and where it is supported by sufficient non-exempt property. |
| Scheduling discipline | The local rule places the duty to know notice requirements and statutory time limits on the filing party, and states that court staff will not advise on the law. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Johnson County
Kansas publishes free statewide forms through the Kansas Judicial Council, and Johnson County adds one local filing form of its own. The local form is the Johnson County fax payment cover letter, required when a self-represented filer faxes a new case or another filing that requires payment to 913-715-3405.
| Form | Use in Johnson County |
|---|---|
| Johnson County fax payment cover letter | Required with a fax filing that requires a fee. It is separate from the statewide Rule 119 fax transmission sheet. |
| Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b | Johnson County links a local copy and states that this form does not get filed with the clerk. It is given to the bank or other holder of personal property. |
| Probate Notice of Hearing | Johnson County links the Kansas Judicial Council notice form on its probate page. |
| Petition for Allowance of Demand | Johnson County links the Kansas Judicial Council claim form on its probate page. |
| Case-filing cover sheet | Required for a new case and available from the Kansas Judicial Council. |
| Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form | Required when you file without a lawyer and available from the Kansas Judicial Council. |
| Poverty Affidavit | Used to ask for waiver of all or part of the filing fee under K.S.A. 59-104. |
| Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video | Used to ask for a remote appearance under Rule 103. |
There is no fill-in Johnson County form for the petition that opens a probate estate. That petition is drafted from K.S.A. 59-2219 or K.S.A. 59-2220, or with a lawyer's help.
Fees
Johnson County is one of the Kansas counties with a local add-on to probate filing costs. To open a probate estate here, the total is $133.00 as of August 2026: the $109.50 statutory docket fee as of August 2026, the $22 surcharge as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104), and Johnson County's $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). The local fee is authorized by statute and funds the Johnson County Law Library.
| Filing | Johnson County total |
|---|---|
| Probate estate | $133.00 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b)) |
| Informal administration | $133.00 as of August 2026, as listed by Johnson County for this filing (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b); K.S.A. 59-3301) |
| Determination of descent | $73.00 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b); K.S.A. 59-2250) |
| Refusal to grant letters | $72.00 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b); K.S.A. 59-2287) |
| Will filed to record | $72.00 as of August 2026, with the current total for a particular will filing to be confirmed with the probate desk (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b)) |
| Card processing | $4.95 as published in August 2026 when paying by card in person or by fax. The court's payment form lists Visa, Mastercard and Discover. |
Other fees and expenses in a probate matter, including publication of legal notice, appraiser fees, executor fees and attorney fees, are additional court costs taxed and billed against the estate as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)).
Timeline
- Get the hearing date when you file. Johnson County's local probate rule says the filing attorney or self-represented petitioner must obtain a calendar setting at the time of filing and present an Order for Hearing for signature. A petition filed by itself is not scheduled.
- Bring counter business in before the local cutoffs. The probate desk is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the court asks for filings and other business by 11:45 a.m. or 4:15 p.m.
- If using a courthouse drop box, confirm its location with the probate desk first. Kansas treats a document deposited in a court drop box by 4:00 p.m. local time as filed that day, but Johnson County's published probate instructions list the counter, mail, fax and email for no-fee pleadings and do not publish a box location.
- A clerk must process a self-represented filing as quickly as possible and not more than eight business hours after receiving it under the Kansas temporary filing rule.
- When notice is required under K.S.A. 59-2209, the hearing is set not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the last publication.
- The inventory and valuation is due within 30 days after letters are granted (K.S.A. 59-1201), and Johnson County's local probate rule requires it on time even if some values are still missing unless an extension is granted for good cause.
Local nuance
Johnson County-specific considerations
| Consideration | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| One-county district | Johnson County is the whole of Kansas's 10th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-211). File Johnson County probate at the Olathe courthouse, not in another county. |
| Attorney e-filing system | Rule 122 approves the statewide Kansas Courts eFiling system and the Johnson County District Court Electronic Filing System. Johnson County is the only Kansas county named with its own approved system. This matters for attorneys; a family member filing without a lawyer uses the paper, mail, fax and local no-fee email options. |
| Local law library fee | Johnson County adds a $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 to all cases under K.S.A. 20-3129(b), so a probate estate costs $133.00 as of August 2026 instead of the statewide total (K.S.A. 59-104). The same statute treats that added amount as a docket fee for fee-waiver purposes. |
| Hearing date at filing | The local probate rule requires you to obtain a hearing date when the petition is filed and present an Order for Hearing. Filing the petition alone will not put the matter on a calendar. |
| Midday closure and counter cutoffs | The probate desk closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. and asks for business by 11:45 a.m. or 4:15 p.m., which matters when a filing deadline is close. |
| Fax payment form | A local fax payment cover letter is required when faxing a filing that requires a fee to 913-715-3405. Paying by card in person or by fax adds a $4.95 processing charge as published in August 2026. |
| Kansas eCourt date | Johnson County began operating on the statewide Kansas eCourt case management system on November 5, 2024. That date controls when documents in Johnson County cases can appear online through Kansas Courts CaseSearch. |
| Originals after electronic filing | For electronically filed cases, Johnson County's local probate rule requires the original will, original codicils and original tangible-personal-property list to be filed on paper with the clerk's probate desk within two business days of the electronic filing. The rule warns that electronic filing alone does not preserve the original. |
| Local civil rule update | Johnson County updated its local civil rules effective June 1, 2025, including a certification about generative artificial intelligence in pleadings and papers filed under those rules. Check the local rules index for what a particular filing requires. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2023 | The small estates affidavit amount under K.S.A. 59-1507b increased to $75,000 as of July 1, 2023. |
| November 5, 2024 | Johnson County District Court began operating on the statewide Kansas eCourt case management system. That is the date from which documents in a Johnson County case can appear online through Kansas Courts CaseSearch. |
| June 1, 2025 | Johnson County updated its local civil rules, including a certification about generative artificial intelligence in pleadings and papers filed under those rules, a new structured settlement rule, family court updates and changes tied to the court's move onto the statewide case management system. |
| November 2025 | Kansas Courts CaseSearch replaced the prior statewide district court search tool. |
| April 3, 2026 | The $22 surcharge added to each probate docket fee as of August 2026 had its authority extended through June 30, 2030 (K.S.A. 59-104), so the total to open a probate estate in Johnson County remains $133.00 as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). |
| April 9, 2026 | A nonresident personal representative's resident agent may now reside anywhere in Kansas rather than in the county where the appointment is made (K.S.A. 59-1706), which matters to an out-of-state executor serving in a Johnson County estate. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Johnson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with how the Olathe or Johnson County home is titled. If the deed made the spouses joint tenants, a termination of joint tenancy is a separate filing, $70.50 on the statewide fee chart as of August 2026, which reaches $72.00 in Johnson County once the county's $1.50 law library fee is added, as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104; K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). If an estate is opened, the spouse should know about the homestead allowance under K.S.A. 59-6a215, the spouse and minor children allowance under K.S.A. 59-403, and the right to receive the will and statutory elective-share notice within 10 days under K.S.A. 59-2233. Filing at the Olathe counter can be practical because the probate desk is on the first floor and the hearing date is obtained at filing. | Sunset finds accounts, debts and beneficiary clues across institutions on both sides of the state line, so the estate settlement plan and the inventory and valuation due 30 days after letters are based on a real asset list (K.S.A. 59-1201). |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies for the small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b and there is no real estate to transfer through court, use the Judicial Council form and give it to the bank or other holder. Johnson County's probate page links the form and states it is not filed with the clerk. If letters are needed, an out-of-state personal representative can serve after appointing a resident agent in Kansas in writing, with the agent's acceptance filed in the district court (K.S.A. 59-706; K.S.A. 59-1706). Johnson County allows filing by mail or by fax to 913-715-3405 with its fax payment cover letter, and the assigned judge may allow a remote appearance under Rule 103. | Sunset helps locate the accounts from out of state and assemble the packet, so one trip to Olathe, or no trip if the judge permits remote appearance under Rule 103, may be enough. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The small estates affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b cannot move a house. Discuss with a lawyer whether refusal to grant letters, which can support marketable title as ordered by the court and requires a bond (K.S.A. 59-2287), informal administration (K.S.A. 59-3301), or simplified or supervised administration (K.S.A. 59-3202) fits. The deadline to petition for probate of a will within six months after death still matters (K.S.A. 59-617). Even in a simplified estate, notice of a petition to sell real property is not eliminated (K.S.A. 59-3202). Johnson County's local rule also requires sufficient sureties where a Kansas statute requires a bond, and the hearing date must be obtained at filing. | Sunset builds the asset and debt picture for the petition and inventory, then connects the family to a local probate attorney when a sale has to be cleared through the court. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps in Johnson County |
|---|---|
| Johnson County District Court Help Center | Located on the first floor at 150 W. Santa Fe Street, Olathe. Phone 913-715-3385. Email [email protected]. Open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. It is staffed and offers forms, court information, form review, filing help, referrals, paper forms, computers, printers, private Zoom rooms and community resource guides. Its published focus is family law and a short list of other case types, not estate administration, so probate questions should go to the probate desk at 913-715-3370. |
| Johnson County Law Library | In the Johnson County Courthouse at 150 W. Santa Fe St., Olathe. Phone 913-715-4154. Open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday except county holidays. It provides legal research materials, and it is funded in part by Johnson County's $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). |
| Kansas Judicial Branch self-help, probate and elder law | Statewide probate and elder-law information, including glossary terms and links to forms. The site states that informational resources do not replace legal advice. |
| Kansas Judicial Council forms | Free forms include the Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, case-filing cover sheet, Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form, Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104 and Motion to Appear in Court by Phone or Video under Rule 103. |
| Kansas Courts CaseSearch | Free statewide case search. Johnson County documents can appear online from November 5, 2024 forward, with the full public record available at a courthouse terminal. |
| Kansas Judicial Branch hearing reminders | Parties may register for text message hearing reminders in probate cases. The reminders supplement, and do not replace, court orders and mailed notices. |
| Kansas Legal Services | Nonprofit civil legal help for low and moderate income Kansans in all 105 counties, subject to eligibility. Intake is 316-267-3975, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Online application is available from 8:00 a.m. Monday through 4:30 p.m. Thursday. |
| Kansas Elder Hotline | Kansas residents age 60 and older may be eligible for free legal advice through Kansas Legal Services at 316-267-3975. |
| Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | No charge to be referred. Participating attorneys set their own fees. The service states that if no attorney contacts you within seven to ten days, no attorney was found, and it is not a pro bono or reduced-fee service. |
Court staff, Help Center staff and Judicial Council staff cannot give legal advice or choose a course of action for you. Johnson County's local probate rule also states that court staff are not responsible for advising on substantive or procedural law.
When to hire an attorney
Consider talking with a Kansas probate attorney if real estate must be sold, title has to be cleared, the will deadline is close, family members disagree, the estate may be insolvent, the petitioner lives outside Kansas, or the Johnson County local scheduling and notice rules are hard to manage. The court's local probate rule puts the burden of getting notice periods and statutory deadlines right on the filing party, while Kansas-licensed attorneys use e-filing under Rule 122 and can manage the local hearing-setting process. Sunset connects the family to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, debts and other assets that shape the Johnson County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the petition, notices, inventory and valuation and related documents, then helps you understand what must be filed in Olathe and what should be taken to a bank or other holder instead.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Johnson County estate involves real estate, a contested will, a bond issue, an out-of-state personal representative or a looming deadline, Sunset can connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset. If legal help is needed, Sunset can help identify a vetted attorney and the family decides whether to hire that lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Johnson County, Kansas?
File with the clerk of the district court at the probate desk on the first floor of the Johnson County Courthouse, 150 W Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS 66061 (K.S.A. 20-343). The court is the Johnson County District Court, in Kansas's 10th Judicial District (K.S.A. 4-211). The probate line is 913-715-3370, and the clerk's office is 913-715-3500.
How much does it cost to open a probate estate in Johnson County?
$133.00 as of August 2026: the $109.50 statutory docket fee as of August 2026, plus the $22 surcharge as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 59-104), plus Johnson County's $1.50 law library fee as of August 2026 (K.S.A. 20-3129(b)). Paying by card in person or by fax adds a $4.95 processing charge as published in August 2026. A Poverty Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-104 can ask the court to waive all or part of the fee. Other costs, including publication, appraiser fees and executor and attorney fees, are taxed and billed as the court directs (K.S.A. 59-104(d)).
Can I e-file a probate case in Johnson County if I do not have a lawyer?
Use the paper filing channels if you do not have a lawyer. Kansas-licensed attorneys must e-file under Rule 122, and Johnson County is the only Kansas county with its own approved electronic filing system alongside the statewide one. A self-represented Johnson County filer uses the counter, mail, or fax to 913-715-3405 with the local fax payment cover letter. Pleadings that do not require a fee may be emailed to [email protected], but payment is not accepted by email.
What are the clerk's hours, and is there a filing cutoff?
The probate desk is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. The court asks that filings and other business reach the clerk by 11:45 a.m. or 4:15 p.m. The courthouse building is open 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
How do I get a probate hearing date in Johnson County?
Get it when you file. Johnson County's local probate rule requires the petitioner, including a self-represented petitioner, to obtain a hearing date at the time the petition is filed and to present an Order for Hearing for the judge's signature. Filing the petition alone will not place the matter on the calendar. The court fixes the hearing (K.S.A. 59-2222), and when K.S.A. 59-2209 applies, the date is not earlier than 10 days and not later than 30 days after the last publication.
Do I have to travel to Olathe for the hearing?
Not necessarily. Johnson County says the assigned judge decides how a case is heard and that virtual hearings use Zoom. Rule 103 allows the judge to permit a remote appearance, including where travel cost or time outweighs the benefit of appearing in person. Ask by motion or by the assigned division's instructions, notify every other party, and wait for the court's answer. The judge can deny the request.
Can I look up a Johnson County probate case online?
Yes. Kansas Courts CaseSearch is the free statewide case search. Johnson County began operating on the statewide Kansas eCourt case management system on November 5, 2024, so documents can appear online from that date forward. Older files may show case information without online documents. Public terminals are available with court records staff at 150 W Santa Fe, Suite 1100.
Are there Johnson County probate forms?
There are a few. Johnson County publishes a required fax payment cover letter for fax filings that require a fee, and it links the Kansas Judicial Council Small Estates Affidavit under K.S.A. 59-1507b, probate notice of hearing and petition for allowance of demand. A new case also needs the Kansas Judicial Council case-filing cover sheet, and anyone filing without a lawyer must file the Self-Represented Litigant Certification Form. There is no fill-in Johnson County petition to open an estate.
Is there a deadline to probate a will in Kansas?
Yes. A will of someone who died a Kansas resident cannot pass property unless a petition for probate is filed within six months after death (K.S.A. 59-617). Filing a will and affidavit, or a copy of the will with the affidavit, inside that window can preserve the will for later probate (K.S.A. 59-618a). Johnson County lists a will filed to record at $72.00 as of August 2026, reflecting K.S.A. 59-104 and the Johnson County law library fee under K.S.A. 20-3129(b); confirm the current total with the probate desk.
Is there help at the courthouse if I am doing this myself?
Johnson County has a staffed District Court Help Center on the first floor at 150 W. Santa Fe Street, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Its published focus is family law and a short list of other case types rather than estate administration, so probate questions should go to the probate desk at 913-715-3370. The Johnson County Law Library is also in the courthouse and is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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