Municipal Court

Function

The De Soto Municipal Court is the Judicial Branch of the De Soto City Government. Traffic and city ordinance violations are processed in this court.  

Court Times

Court is held on the second and fourth Monday of each month unless a holiday is being observed on one of those dates. Please refer to your ticket for your court date. Court begins at 6 p.m.

Court Location

Court is held in the Council Chambers at City Hall and is presided over by the Honorable Randy McCalla. To get to the courtroom, please enter the building from 84th Street and follow the stairs and check in at the window to the right. There is an entrance on the east side of the building if wheelchair or other accessible accommodations are needed. Take the elevator to the first floor and proceed to your left.
Once you arrive to court, the Court Clerk will ask you to sign in so we will have a record of your attendance. Depending on what you are charged with, you may be instructed to see the Court Clerk or to have a seat until your name is called by the Judge or Prosecutor. 

Paying a Ticket or Fine

There are several options for paying a ticket or fine. Those that do not require a court appearance can be paid in person at the Municipal Court Clerk's office, by mail or online. 

Clerk's Office: Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mail to: De Soto Municipal Court, PO Box C, De Soto, KS 66018
Online: Click Here for De Soto Municipal Court Payments A transaction fee of $2.50 is charged for online payments by Tyler Technologies. 

Trials

Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In a trial, the burden of proof is on the city to prove that the defendant is guilty of the charges. There are no jury trials in Municipal Court, a judge hears all testimony, reaches a verdict and imposes the sentence. You have the right to be represented by an attorney. If you choose not to be represented by an attorney, you may act as your own attorney. The prosecutor will call witnesses to testify against you, and after each testimony you have the right to cross-examine the witness. You are also allowed to call any witness to testify on your behalf.

Court Appointed Attorney

You have the right to be represented by an attorney on any jailable offense. If you would like an attorney but cannot afford one, you are required to contact the De Soto Municipal Court Clerk's office for further information. You can then complete a Financial Affidavit to apply for a Court Appointed Attorney. Click here for a printable version of the Financial Affidavit.

Appeals

Anyone found guilty in Municipal Court has the right to appeal the conviction to the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas. You have 14 days after your conviction to file a "Notice of Appeal" at the Municipal Court office. An appeal bond set by the Judge plus the $96 filling fee is required at the time the notice is submitted to the Court.

Driver's License Status

To check the status of your Kansas Driver's License visit Kansas Department of Revenue webpage or call the Kansas Department of Revenue in Topeka at 785-296-3671.