K.S.A. » Chapter 22
Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 22-2301 (2026)

Commencement of prosecution

✓ current as of May 2026
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22-2301. Commencement of prosecution. (1) Unless otherwise provided by law, a prosecution shall be commenced by filing a complaint with a magistrate. A copy of the complaint shall forthwith be supplied to the county attorney of the county and a copy thereof shall be furnished to the defendant or said defendant's attorney upon request.

(2) A judge of the district court may in extreme cases, upon affidavits filed with such judge of the commission of a crime, order the county attorney to institute criminal proceedings against any person, but any such judge shall be disqualified from sitting in any case wherein such order was entered and is further prohibited from communicating about such case with any other judge appointed to preside therein.

History: L. 1970, ch. 129, § 22-2301; L. 1976, ch. 163, § 2; January 10, 1977.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1977–2025 · leading case: State v. Dunn, 375 P.3d 332 (Kan. 2016).
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State v. Dunn, 375 P.3d 332 (Kan. 2016). · cites it 4× “22-2202 defines a complaint as a "written statement under oath of the essential facts constituting a crime.”
State v. Donlay, 853 P.2d 680 (Kan. 1993). · cites it 2× “"); K.S.A. 22-2301(1) ("Unless otherwise provided by law, a prosecution shall be commenced by filing a complaint with a magistrate.”
State v. Keys, 510 P.3d 706 (Kan. 2022). “See K.S.A. 22-2301 (complaint); K.S.A. 22- 2303 (information).”
State v. Bristor, 682 P.2d 122 (Kan. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 4× “8-2108 and K.S.A. 22-2301 (1). The criminal prosecution of Bristor had not begun when any of the events on the night of July 30 transpired.”
State v. Waugh, 712 P.2d 1243 (Kan. 1986). · cites it 2× “No judicial proceedings were commenced against Waugh until March 27, 1984, when the complaint was filed.”
State v. Martens, 54 P.3d 960 (Kan. 2002). “K.S.A. 22-2301. The complaint shall be a plain and concise written statement of the essential facts constituting the crime charged.”
State v. Overton, 112 P.3d 244 (Kan. 2005). · cites it 3× “22-2302(1) requires a magistrate to issue a warrant or a summons after determining that there is probable cause supporting a complaint, the issuance of a warrant or summons is not required for commencing a prosecution pursuant to K.S.A. 22-2301(1). K.S.A. 2004 Supp.…”
State v. Mincey, 963 P.2d 403 (Kan. 1998). “K.S.A. 22-2301. The complaint shall be a plain and concise written statement of the essential facts constituting the crime charged.”
State v. Garza, 286 P.3d 554 (Kan. 2012). “22-2104 (all prosecutions are brought in the name of the State); K.S.A. 22-2301(1) (prosecution begins by filing complaint.”
State v. Jordan, 537 P.3d 443 (Kan. 2023). “"); K.S.A. 22-2301 ("Unless otherwise provided by law, a prosecution shall be commenced ‘ by filing a complaint with a magistrate.”
State v. Pennington, 80 P.3d 44 (Kan. 2003). “K.S.A. 22-2301; McCorgary, 218 Kan. at 361 .”
State v. Jones, 660 P.2d 965 (Kan. 1983). “Under our law, prosecution is commenced when a magistrate receives a complaint (K.S.A. 22-2301). The complaint must contain sufficient facts to allow a magistrate to make an intelligent and independent determination that probable cause exists to believe that a specific crime has…”
Show all 34 citing cases →
— K.S.A. § 22-2301(1) — 16 cases
State v. Dunn, 375 P.3d 332 (Kan. 2016). “22-2202 defines a complaint as a "written statement under oath of the essential facts constituting a crime.”
State v. Donlay, 853 P.2d 680 (Kan. 1993). “"); K.S.A. 22-2301(1) ("Unless otherwise provided by law, a prosecution shall be commenced by filing a complaint with a magistrate.”
State v. Bristor, 682 P.2d 122 (Kan. Ct. App. 1984). “8-2108 and K.S.A. 22-2301 (1). The criminal prosecution of Bristor had not begun when any of the events on the night of July 30 transpired.”
State v. Garza, 286 P.3d 554 (Kan. 2012). “22-2104 (all prosecutions are brought in the name of the State); K.S.A. 22-2301(1) (prosecution begins by filing complaint.”
State v. Overton, 112 P.3d 244 (Kan. 2005). “22-2302(1) requires a magistrate to issue a warrant or a summons after determining that there is probable cause supporting a complaint, the issuance of a warrant or summons is not required for commencing a prosecution pursuant to K.S.A. 22-2301(1). K.S.A. 2004 Supp.…”
— K.S.A. § 22-2301(2) — 4 cases
State v. Dunn, 375 P.3d 332 (Kan. 2016). “22-2202 defines a complaint as a "written statement under oath of the essential facts constituting a crime.”
State v. Oliver, 186 P.3d 1220 (Kan. Ct. App. 2008).
Nichols v. Kansas Governmental Ethics Comm'n, 18 P.3d 270 (Kan. Ct. App. 2001).
State v. Dunn (Kan. 2016).
— K.S.A. § 22-2301(a) — 1 case
State v. Overton, 112 P.3d 244 (Kan. 2005). “22-2302(1) requires a magistrate to issue a warrant or a summons after determining that there is probable cause supporting a complaint, the issuance of a warrant or summons is not required for commencing a prosecution pursuant to K.S.A. 22-2301(1). K.S.A. 2004 Supp.…”
— K.S.A. § 22-2301(a)(l) — 1 case
In re Williams, 528 B.R. 814 (Bankr. D. Kan. 2015).
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