Municipal Courts
The Independence Municipal Court on the first floor of Independence City Hall hears cases involving traffic violations, violence, assault or anything that violates a city code. City Hall is at 111 E. Maple Ave.
HOURS – Presiding Judge Garry Helm hears cases on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
DOCKETS –
• Domestic violence cases are heard Fridays at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
• Housing code cases are heard at 3 p.m., once a month.
•‑Student drug and tobacco cases are heard at 2:30 p.m. once a month.
•‑Truancy cases are heard at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., once a month.
•‑The city prosecutor can be reached at 816-325-7222.
• Traffic tickets not requiring a court appearance can be paid by mail or at the court cashier. The cashier’s office operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can also be paid at www.ci.independence.mo.us/municourt.
For more information, call the court at 816-325-7230.
Circuit Court
The 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County oversees most criminal and civil cases. Eight divisions serve Eastern Jackson County.
Cases are heard in two courthouses, 415 E. 12th in Kansas City and at the courthouse annex at 308 W. Kansas Ave. in Independence. For more information, call the court at 816-881-3934.
The county prosecutor is James Kanatzar. He can be reached at 816-881-3555.
To obtain civil records, call 816-881-3522 to reach the Kansas City courthouse or call 816-881-4573 to reach the Independence location.
For criminal records, call 816-881-4351 to reach the Kansas City office or 816-881-4500 for the Independence Courthouse office.
Family court is also a part of the 16th Circuit Court at 625 E. 26th St., Kansas City. It has jurisdiction over juvenile offenses and other legal matters involving minors. For more information, call 816-474-3606.
• ATTORNEYS
James F. Kanatzar, the county’s elected prosecutor, can be reached at 816-881-3555.
Two public defenders can be utilized by those who cannot afford attorneys. They can be reached at 816-889-2099.
Jury duty
Citizens are selected for jury duty from a pool that contains all registered voters, licensed drivers and persons with a state identification card in Jackson County. To be eligible to serve as a juror, one must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen, a Jackson County resident, able to read, write and understand English, free of felony convictions and not an active member of the military.
Potential jurors are notified by mail, but may not be selected to serve. Under certain circumstances, the court can postpone or excuse a potential juror’s service. A person should not be requested for jury duty more than once every three years.
Jurors are paid $6 a day and 7 cents a mile for travel reimbursement.
For information about jury duty, call the Kansas City Jury Office at 816-881-3602 or the Independence Jury Office at 816-881-1619. The 16th Circuit Court Web site, is www.16thcircuit.org.
Federal Court
The U.S. District Court of Western Missouri hears federal cases at Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse, 400 E. 9th St. in Kansas City.
The court handles bankruptcy, civil and criminal cases. For information for bankruptcy court, call 816-512-1800.
Circuit Judges
(names, phones, office locations)
• Division 2, Michael W. Manners, 816-881-4402, Independence Courthouse Annex 2nd floor
• Division 5, W. Stephen Nixon, 816-881-4405, Independence Courthouse Annex 2nd floor
• Division 16, Marco A. Roldan, 816-881-4416, Independence Courthouse Annex 2nd floor
• Division 28, Vernon E. Scoville III, 816-881-4606, Independence Courthouse Annex Suite 001
• Division 30, Twila K. Rigby, 816-881-4506, Independence Courthouse Annex 3rd floor
• Division 32, Robert L. Trout, 816-881-4518, Independence Courthouse Annex 3rd floor
• Division 33, Jeffrey L. Bushur, 816-881-1783, Independence Courthouse Annex ground floor
