Entry of judgments is subject to subsection (b) of K.S.A. 60-254, and amendments thereto. No judgment is effective unless and until a journal entry or judgment form is signed by the judge and filed with the clerk. When judgment is entered by judgment form, the clerk must serve a copy of the judgment form on all attorneys of record within three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Service may be made as authorized by K.S.A. 60-205, and amendments thereto. Failure of service of a copy of the judgment form does not affect the judgment's validity.
K.S.A. 60-258.Entry of judgment
Last amended July 1, 2010 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceKansas Rule 60-258 makes a judgment effective only once a journal entry or judgment form is signed by the judge and filed with the clerk, requires the clerk to serve attorneys of record within three days when judgment is entered by judgment form, and says a service failure doesn't affect validity.
Full Text of K.S.A. 60-258
Amendment History
L. 1963, ch. 303, 60-258; amended by Supreme Court order dated July 28, 1976; L. 2005, ch. 101, § 8; L. 2010, ch. 135, § 131; July 1.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 60-258 opens by tying entry of judgment to K.S.A. 60-254(b), the provision on partial judgments involving multiple claims or parties. From there, the rule sets a hard rule about when a judgment takes effect: no judgment is effective unless and until a journal entry or judgment form is signed by the judge and filed with the clerk. Neither the judge's decision nor the parties' agreement makes a judgment operative on its own — the signed, filed document does.
When judgment is entered by judgment form, the clerk must serve a copy on all attorneys of record within three days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, using any method K.S.A. 60-205 authorizes. But that service requirement is a notice mechanism, not a condition of validity: if the clerk fails to serve a copy, the judgment itself is still valid and effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a Kansas judgment become effective?
Only once a journal entry or judgment form is signed by the judge and filed with the clerk. Nothing else makes the judgment effective before that.
How quickly must the clerk notify attorneys after a judgment form is entered?
Within three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, the clerk must serve a copy of the judgment form on all attorneys of record.
What happens if the clerk never serves a copy of the judgment on my attorney?
Nothing to the judgment's validity. Rule 60-258 states that failure of service of a copy of the judgment form doesn't affect the judgment's validity.
How does 60-258 relate to judgments involving multiple claims or parties?
The rule opens by making entry of judgment subject to K.S.A. 60-254(b), which governs when a court can direct entry of a final judgment on fewer than all the claims or parties in a case.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the
Kansas Statutes Annotated, enacted by the Kansas Legislature. Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: kansas entry of judgment rulewhen is a kansas judgment effectivejournal entry vs judgment form kansas60-258 kansas civil procedure