KS HB2357

Court records in residential eviction cases under the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act are automatically sealed upon filing, with access limited to parties, their attorneys, court staff, and those with written party permission or court order.

Sealed cases remain sealed if dismissed, resolved through mediation, or result in judgment for the tenant; cases are unsealed only when the landlord wins a judgment for damages or possession, unless parties agree otherwise or the court finds good cause to keep them sealed.

Tenants may file for free expungement of eviction judgments after 3 years if monetary obligations are satisfied and no additional eviction judgments occurred during that period.

Consumer reporting agencies, tenant screening companies, and landlords are prohibited from collecting or disseminating sealed eviction information; violations constitute unconscionable acts under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.

Courts must consider mediation in residential eviction cases unless finding it would not materially aid the parties, and defendants may appear via two-way audio-video communication instead of in person.