Missing a court date is one of the fastest ways to end up back in jail. The frustrating part is that many missed dates happen simply because someone lost track of the date or did not know where to look. This guide explains how to check a court date in Sedgwick County so you never miss one.
First, Know Which Court Has the Case
In the Wichita area, criminal cases usually land in one of two places:
- Sedgwick County District Court (the 18th Judicial District), located at the Sedgwick County Courthouse on N Main in downtown Wichita. Felonies and many misdemeanors are handled here.
- Wichita Municipal Court, which handles city ordinance violations, like many traffic cases and some misdemeanors that happen inside Wichita city limits.
Your bond paperwork or release papers should show which court and the case number. Keep those papers somewhere safe.
How to Check a District Court Date Online
Kansas district courts use the Kansas eCourt system. The public can search case information, including hearing dates, through the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal, which is linked from the Kansas Judicial Branch website (kscourts.gov). To search:
- Go to the Kansas Judicial Branch website and find the District Court Records section.
- Accept the user agreement for the Public Access Portal.
- Search by case number or by name.
- Open the case and look for upcoming hearings or events.
The 18th Judicial District’s own website (dc18.org) also has helpful information about the court and its divisions.
How to Check a Wichita Municipal Court Date
The City of Wichita Municipal Court has online tools on the city’s website (wichita.gov) for looking up cases and paying certain citations. You can also call the court directly. If you are not sure about your date, call before the date you think it is. You can also read our post about the Wichita Municipal Court walk-in docket.
Ask Your Attorney
If you have a defense attorney, they should know every court date in your case. Ask them to confirm dates by text or email so you have them in writing. If a date changes, your attorney is often the first to know.
Ask Your Bondsman
Your bail bond company keeps track of your court dates too, because they have a stake in you showing up. At Eastep Bail Bonds we help our clients stay on top of their dates. If you are ever unsure, call us.
Tips to Never Miss a Court Date
- Put every date in your phone calendar with two reminders: one the day before and one the morning of.
- Take a photo of your paperwork that lists the date, time, and courtroom.
- Plan your ride and parking ahead of time. Downtown parking can take a while.
- Arrive early. Security lines at the courthouse can be slow.
- Share your dates with a family member who can remind you.
What if You Already Missed Court?
Do not hide from it. Call your attorney and your bondsman right away. Many missed court dates can be fixed if you act quickly. Our page on bench warrant bail bonds explains more about what happens after a missed date.
We Help You Stay on Track
Eastep Bail Bonds does more than post bonds. We help our clients understand what comes next and stay on schedule until the case is over.
Eastep Bail Bonds is a bail bond company. We are not attorneys and we do not give legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact Warrior Lawyers.
Questions about a court date? Call Eastep Bail Bonds 24/7 at (316) 391-3723.
