Stafford County Clerk Records
The Stafford County Clerk is Lisa Weber. The County Clerk office is the county administrative records point for Board of County Commissioners minutes, election records, voter registration work, budget and taxation support, payroll and human resources records, legal publications, local candidate filing fees, and county Freedom of Information Officer duties. The office is not the District Court case-file clerk, so a civil, criminal, divorce, probate, or traffic case request should go to the Stafford County Clerk of the District Court.
For county administrative files, the Stafford County KORA policy asks requesters to submit written requests with enough detail for staff to identify the records. Requests should name the department that holds the record, describe the documents and time period, include contact information, and state the requested format when possible. Stafford County says requests for records not yet in existence or documents that would have to be created prospectively cannot be honored.
Stafford County Clerk
Clerk: Lisa Weber
209 North Broadway, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 296
St. John, KS 67576
(620) 549-3509
coclerk@staffordcountyks.gov
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed holidays
Register of Deeds
Register: Lu Ann Brister
209 North Broadway, 2nd Floor
St. John, KS 67576
(620) 549-3505
lbrister@staffordcounty.org
What the Stafford County Clerk Does
The County Clerk acts as clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and keeps the official minutes. The same office is also the county election officer, maintains voter registration rolls, collects local candidate filing fees, handles ballots and polling-site functions, maintains election abstracts, supports budgeting and taxation, and keeps legal publications and claims. The research also identifies the County Clerk as Stafford County's Freedom of Information Officer.
- Board of County Commissioners minutes and related county records
- Election administration, voter registration rolls, ballots, polling sites, and election abstracts
- Budgeting, taxation support, payroll, human resources, legal publications, and claims
- Kansas Open Records Act routing for county departments and public-record requests
- Taxing-unit maps used for state and local property valuation work
Request Stafford County Records
Stafford County's KORA policy says requests should be written so the county can understand what is being sought. The policy lists department emails for county records: County Clerk at coclerk@staffordcounty.org, Register of Deeds at lbrister@staffordcounty.org, Sheriff Department at rmurrow@staffordcounty.org, County Attorney at mrobinson@staffordcounty.org, Treasurer at vcornwell@staffordcounty.org, and Appraiser at cbudge@staffordcounty.org. Mail requests go to the department holding the record at 209 North Broadway, St. John, KS 67576.
- Identify whether the record is a county administrative record, sheriff record, attorney record, appraiser record, tax record, or Register of Deeds record.
- Send a written request to the department that keeps the record. Include your name, mailing address, phone number, and a detailed description.
- Ask for paper, email, fax, or inspection access, and ask for a fee estimate if the request may require staff time.
- Pay any estimated fee in advance if Stafford County requires it before staff search, review, redact, or copy the record.
- Watch for a response by the third business day after receipt. Production may take longer when redaction, closure review, or added payment is needed.
Stafford County KORA Form Fields
The county's KORA form is built to route a request to the right department and to document the requester's certification on use of names and addresses. A clear records description matters more than legal phrasing. Time period, record title, department, subject name, and preferred format help staff locate the file.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name, address, and phone | Yes | Needed so the department can respond and clarify the request. |
| Helpful | Useful when email copies or fee estimates are requested. | |
| Department requested from | Yes | Name the County Clerk, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Attorney, Treasurer, or other office. |
| Description of records | Yes | Give record type, date range, names, and enough detail to locate the file. |
| Requested format | Optional | Paper, email, or fax can be selected on the form. |
| Certification and signature | Yes if using form | The form includes a certification about prohibited commercial use of names and addresses. |
Stafford County Clerk Fees
Stafford County KORA fees are based on actual cost. Staff time can include retrieval, storage search, computer access time, non-computer search time, review for closure exceptions, and redaction. Time is charged in 15-minute increments based on the lowest-paid trained employee authorized to obtain the records. The county may require advance payment before work begins.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| KORA staff time | Actual cost, billed in 15-minute increments |
| KORA advance payment | May be required before search, review, redaction, or copying starts |
| Returned check | $30 |
| Register of Deeds hard copy | $0.50 per page |
| Register of Deeds faxed copy | $1.00 per page plus $0.50 per printed page if needed |
| Register of Deeds emailed copy | $1.00 first page plus $0.25 each additional page |
| Register of Deeds index page copy/email | $5.00 per page |
| Register of Deeds e-Search | $75 per month or $25 per day plus $0.25 per printed copy and card fee |
Register of Deeds Records
The Stafford County Register of Deeds records real-estate transactions, deeds, mortgages, mortgage assignments and releases, oil-and-gas leases, affidavits, mineral deeds, royalty sales, powers of attorney, plats, military discharges, federal and state tax liens, UCC filings, and mechanic liens on personal property. These are not court records, but they matter for probate, estate property, liens, and historical title research.
- Register of Deeds access - copy fees, remote access options, and office contact details
- General recording requirements - recording rules and real-estate sales validation notes
- Register of Deeds e-Search - paid day, month, or annual remote access where available
Indexed Register of Deeds documents are available for 1973-1983 and 1998-current, and most images from 1879-current are available. Documents from 1973-present can be viewed or printed by book and page. Older unindexed documents can be requested by phone or email and billed separately.
County Clerk vs Court Clerk
The split matters. The County Clerk / Register of Deeds page is for county government records, KORA routing, elections, commission minutes, legal publications, land records, liens, and recorded instruments. District Court records are different. Criminal, civil, divorce, probate, juvenile, protection order, small-claims, and District Court traffic files are kept by the Clerk of the District Court on the third floor of the courthouse.
Note: Stafford County probate cases are searched through the District Court Clerk, while inherited real-estate clues may also require Register of Deeds research.