Child Safety Seats - What is the law on child safety restraints?

K.S.A. 8-1344 requires:

• A child under the age of four years must be in an appropriate, safety approved, child safety restraining system.
• A child four years of age, but under the age of eight years and who weighs less than 80 pounds or is less than 4'9" in height, must ride in an approved child booster seat, or passenger safety restraining system.
• A child eight years of age but under the age of fourteen or who weighs more than 80 pounds or is more than 4'9" in height, must wear a seatbelt.

Protection from Abuse Orders - What are they and how do I obtain one?

 

A Protection From Abuse Order (PFA) is a court action intended to bring about an end of the abuse towards you and/or your children.

To qualify for a Protection From Abuse Order, you and the person you want restrained must be intimate partners or household members, meaning you must:

* Be residing together, OR
* Have formerly resided together, OR
* Be the parent of or living with a child who has suffered abuse by the party you are attempting to restrain, OR
* Have a child in common, OR
* Be in or have been in a dating relationship, AND
* The person has intentionally attempted to cause you or a child bodily injury, or intentionally or recklessly caused bodily injury, OR
* The person has intentionally placed, by physical threat, you or a child, in fear of imminent bodily injury, OR
* The person has engaged in certain sexual conduct with a child less than 16 years of age who is not the spouse of the offender.

• How to Apply for a Protection From Abuse Order

* You may call 1-800-723-6953 to contact the Legal Services of Southeast Kansas. This is the organization that assists residents in Woodson County in obtaining a PFA.

* Forms for obtaining a PFA order may also be found on-line at http://www.kansasjudicialcouncil.org/legal-forms/protection-orders/protection-abuse

www.kspop.org -- Protection Order Portal

• What can happen with a PFA Order?

When you receive a Protection Order, the court is empowered to order any or all of the following:

* Restraining the defendant from abusing, molesting or interfering with the privacy or
rights of the plaintiff or of any minor children of the parties.

* Granting possession of the residence or household to the plaintiff, to the exclusion of the defendant.

* Requiring the defendant to provide suitable, alternate housing for the plaintiff and any minor children of the parties.

* Awarding custody and establishing a parenting plan with regard to minor children.

* Ordering a law enforcement officer to evict the defendant from the residence or household.

* Ordering support payments by the party for the support of a party's minor child or a party's spouse.

* Awarding costs and attorney fees to either party.

* Making provision for the possession of personal property of the parties and ordering a
law enforcement officer to assist in securing possession of that property, if necessary.

* Requiring the person against whom the order is issued to seek counseling to aid in the cessation of abuse.

* Restraining the defendant from cancelling utility service to resident for 60 days.

* Ordering or retraining any other acts necessary to promote the safety of the plaintiff and the minor children.

• What you should Know

You may request that the PFA order be in effect for up to one year. You may file only two PFA petitions within a 12-month period.

Your PFA order is not enforceable until it has been served on the defendant by authorized personnel. If the defendant violates the order before it is served, you can still call the police. The police will not be able to arrest him for violating the order, but they can still protect you.

If the defendant needs to pick up personal property from the home, be prepared to tell the judge when that is convenient for you. The defendant must have a police escort if he needs to come to the home for personal belongings.

The defendant can be ordered to pay child or spousal support. Take time before the second hearing to make a list of expenses and how much you will be asking for. You may be asked to complete this information at the time you file your petition if you are asking for support.

You can ask for court-ordered counseling for the defendant.

If there are children, the Court may require you to file a temporary parenting plan with the petition and/or final order. Be precise about visitation times, location and duration. Avoid vague language such as "reasonable". If you are requesting no visitation or supervised visitation with the defendant, be prepared to explain to the judge why such an order is necessary. The Court may also ask you to provide information about where the children have been living for the last few months.

Your PFA order is enforceable where it is issued and in all other jurisdictions. This includes all 50 states, Indian tribal lands, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

The information on this page is a summary of the law. For more information or legal advice, you should seek the assistance of an attorney.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR COPY OF THE PFA ORDER WITH YOU!

 

Personal Property Exchange - How can I get my belongings?

• We frequently receive requests to accompany individuals to a residence to recover personal property. As long as the deputies are not busy on other calls or something of higher priority we will assist as long as the property exchange can be done in 15 minutes or less. If the exchange will take longer than that the individual will need to contact the Sheriff Department and make arrangements in advance. This way something can be arranged to have someone around to handle the exchange.
• The only reason that a deputy will accompany parties to a residence to make an exchange is to keep the peace. If disputes arise over ownership of certain property the stand-by will cease and all property in dispute will stay at the residence until a Judge orders otherwise. Deputies will not be the judge over whom gets what, even if you provide receipts or paperwork indicating who bought the items.

Concealed Handgun License - How do I obtain a permit?

• The Woodson County Sheriff's Office will process Concealed Carry Permits on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Residents can obtain an application from the Woodson County Sheriff's Office or on the Kansas Attorney General's Website (www.ksag.org).
• Applicants must provide fingerprints, photo identification, written documentation of completion of approved safety course, along with a cashier's check or money order for $110.00 made payable to the Kansas Attorney General's Office and another cashier's check or money order made payable to the Woodson County Sheriff's Department in the amount of $40.00.

Registered Offenders - How do I find them?

• The Woodson County Sheriff’s Office closely monitors the registration status of offenders required to register with the Sheriff’s Office under the Kansas Offender Registration Act. We will take immediate enforcement action on offenders who refuse or fail to maintain a current and accurate registration status.

  These offenders may be convicted of certain violent, drug related, or sex crimes.

  Residents may find offenders by clicking on the tab on the home page of this website. From there you can review a list of offenders in Woodson County.

Registered Offenders - I am required to register as an offender. What do I need to do?

• The Woodson County Sheriff's Department conducts Offender Registrations Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.

  Offenders will need to bring appropriate court documents or those from probation / parole officers, along with current information on home address, work address, vehicle, license plate, etc... In addition, all offenders are required to pay the $20.00 fee every time they register or update their registration.

  The Woodson County Sheriff's Department closely monitors Registered Offenders to insure they are in compliance. If you fail to comply with your registration compliance, we will seek criminal charges against you.

Vehicle Inspections - How do I get my vehicle inspected?

• The Woodson County Sheriff's Office conducts V.I.N. Inspections Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• You will need to call in and make an appointment to either bring your vehicle to the department, if it is legal to drive, or schedule a time for the deputy to come to your location. You will need to have the original title, driver's license and the $20.00 inspection fee.

Unlocking vehicles - Can the Sheriff's Office unlock my vehicle?

• The Woodson County Sheriff's Office will unlock your vehicle if your keys have been locked inside. However, there are a few things for you to keep in mind when calling for our assistance.
• Unlocks are not priority if deputies are busy on other assignments, unless there is a child locked in your vehicle. Therefore, depending on call load or assignments it may take a little while for a response.
• You will be required to sign a waiver, releasing the Sheriff's department from all liability of property damage that could occur when unlocking your vehicle. For instance, if you have side airbags, they could be damaged.
• If you are hesitant in any of these situations the dispatcher can provide you with phone numbers for locksmiths upon your request.

Landlord / Tenant - Will the Sheriff's Department assist me in my dispute?

• The relationship between a landlord and his/her tenant is one of a private, civil nature. As such, the Sheriff's Office cannot mediate or decide these disputes. If the parties involved cannot reach an agreement, they will have to take their case to court. They may do this by contacting an attorney, or in some cases, file a case with the Clerk of the District Court.

  For additional information concerning the landlord/tenant relationship, visit
  www.HCCI-KS.org

Police Reports - How do I get a copy of a report?

• Most Sheriff's Office records are public information under the Kansas Open Records Act and are available for public viewing. There are several exceptions to this, including reports and paperwork relating to criminal cases remaining open and under investigation, certain personnel records, records sealed/expunged by court order, and records relating to juveniles (under 18 years of age).

  Accident Reports: Patrol Deputies prepare reports on traffic accidents they have investigated within Woodson County. These reports are typically filed within ten (5) days of the date of the accident.

Tickets and Fines - Where do I pay them?

Citations issued by Woodson County Sheriff’s Deputies may be paid, unless required to appear in court, at the Woodson County District Court Clerk’s Office. The Court Clerk’s Office is located on the 2nd story of the Woodson County Courthouse, which is at 105 W. Rutledge Street, Yates Center, Kansas. They can be reached Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or by calling (620)-625-8610.

• You may make an online payment after your citation information is entered into the system. This typically can take up to five (5) days from the date you received the citation.
• You may also choose to pay your fine online by clicking the Pay Tickets Online page listed on the left of the page. Follow the instructions and choose Woodson County as the court in the drop down box.
• The online payment method is only available to those who are not required to appear in court.

Fees

In-State Civil Process/paper service- $15.00

Out-of-State Civil process/paper serivce- $40.00

Copy of Accident report- $5.00

VIN inspections- $20.00  *you are required to bring the title and your Driver's license plus the required fee. We are not authorized to do vin's on vehicles with salvage titles so you will need to contact the Kansas Highway patrol at 620-431-2100

MVR(Motor vehicle reports) - $10.00

Fingerprinting- FREE