The Douglas County District Court currently operates across seven divisions, handling both criminal and civil cases in Douglas County. In 1977, the Probate Court, responsible for handling estates, wills, adoptions, delinquent and dependent children hearings, marriages, and town incorporations, merged with the District Court.

The majority of the county's court records for the years 1855-1863 were destroyed when Lawrence was burned down by William C. Quantrill's men in 1863. For this reason, there is a limited amount of material remaining from years prior to 1863.

This record group comprises a significant amount of records produced by the Douglas County District Court between 1861 and 1984. These records include civil and criminal appearance dockets, case files, depositions files, execution and judgment dockets, final records, probate division files, trial dockets, and jury and witness logs. Also included are records from the Office of the Clerk of the Court, the keeper of all court records.