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JURISDICTION OF JUDGES
K.S.A. 20-302
20-302. District judges; power and authority. The district judge provided for in the
Kansas constitution shall have and exercise the full judicial power and authority of a district
court.
20-302d. District magistrate judges; jurisdiction, powers and duties; appeals.
(a) A district magistrate judge shall have the jurisdiction and power, in any case in which a
violation of the laws of the state is charged, to conduct the trial of traffic infractions,
cigarette or tobacco infractions or misdemeanor charges to conduct the preliminary
examination of felony charges and to hear felony arraignments subject to assignment
pursuant to K.S.A. 20-329 and amendments thereto. In civil cases, a district magistrate
judge shall have concurrent jurisdiction, powers and duties with a district judge, except
that, unless otherwise specifically provided in subsection (b), a district magistrate judge
shall not have jurisdiction or cognizance over the following actions: -
(1) Any action, other than an action seeking judgment for an unsecured debt not sounding
in tort and arising out of a contract for the provision of goods, services or money, in which
the amount in controversy, exclusive of interests and costs, exceeds $10,000, except that
in actions of replevin, the affidavit in replevin or the verified petition fixing the value of the
property shall govern the jurisdiction; nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as
limiting the power of a district magistrate judge to hear any action pursuant to the Kansas
probate code or to issue support orders as provided by paragraph (6) of this subsection; - (2) actions against any officers of the state, or any subdivisions thereof, for misconduct in
office;
- (3) actions for specific performance of contracts for real estate;
- (4) actions in which title to real estate is sought to be recovered or in which an interest in
real estate, either legal or equitable, is sought to be established, except that nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed as limiting the right to bring an action for forcible detainer as
provided in K.S.A. 2000 Supp 61-3801 through 61-3808, and amendments thereto; and
nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the power of a district magistrate
judge to hear any action pursuant to the Kansas probate code;
- (5) actions to foreclose real estate mortgages or to establish and foreclose liens on real
estate as provided in the acts contained in article 11 of chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes
Annotated, and amendments thereto;
- (6) actions for divorce, separate maintenance or custody of minor children, except that
nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the power of a district magistrate
judge to: (A) Hear any action pursuant to the Kansas code for care of children or the
Kansas juvenile justice code; (B) establish, modify or enforce orders of support, including,
but not limited to, orders of support pursuant to the Kansas parentage act, K.S.A. 23-451
et seq., 39-718a, 39-718b, 39-755 or 60-1610 or K.S.A. 23-4,105 through 23-4,118, 23-4,125 through 23-4,137, 38-1542, 38-1543 or 38-1563, and amendments thereto; or (C)
enforce orders granting a parent visitation rights to the parent's child;
- (7) habeas corpus;
- (8) receiverships;
- (9) change of name;
- (10) declaratory judgments;
- (11) mandamus and quo warranto;
- (12) injunctions;
- (13) class actions;
- (14) rights of majority; and
- (15) actions pursuant to K.S.A. 59-29a01 et seq. and amendments thereto.
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(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), in the absence, disability or
disqualification of a district judge, a district magistrate judge may: -
(1) Grant a restraining order, as provided in K.S.A. 60-902 and amendments thereto;
- (2) appoint a receiver, as provided in K.S.A. 60-1301 and amendments thereto; and
- (3) make any order authorized by K.S.A. 60-1607 and amendments thereto.
- (c) In accordance with the limitations and procedures prescribed by law, and subject to any
rules of the supreme court relating thereto, any appeal permitted to be taken from an
order or final decision of a district magistrate judge shall be tried and determined de novo
by a district judge, except that in civil cases where a record was made of the action or
proceeding before the district magistrate judge, the appeal shall be tried and determined
on the record by a district judge.
- (d) Upon motion of a party, the chief judge may reassign an action from a district
magistrate judge to a district judge.
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