August 2020 News Releases

	08/28/2020 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for judge vacancy TOPEKA—The 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene September 30 to interview seven nominees to fill a district judge vacancy in Sumner County created when Judge R. Scott McQuin retired August 15.The nominating commission will convene at 8:15 a.m. September 30 in Wellington to interview nominees. The commission will announce ...
	08/27/2020 Pretrial Justice Task Force to host two public forums to discuss draft report and recommendations TOPEKA—Before a Kansas Supreme Court task force charged with examining pretrial detention practices delivers its final report to the court, it will offer two public forums to answer questions about its findings, recommendations, and proposed best practices.Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger, the Kansas Court of Appeals judge who chairs the task ...
	08/26/2020 Two fewer courts processing marriage license applications TOPEKA—Two fewer district courts are processing marriage license applications, but 16 others continue to provide the remote service by phone and email.District courts in Crawford and Miami counties no longer take marriage license applications, but both will finish processing ones they have already received if applicants pay the required fee ...
	08/14/2020 Supreme Court appoints two, reappoints two others to Municipal Court Judges Education Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed Randall Pankratz and Scott Wright to the Municipal Court Judges Education Committee.The court reappointed Katherine McElhinney and Karen Torline.Their terms began July 1 and end June 30, 2023.Pankratz is municipal judge for the cities of Burns, Halstead, Hesston, and Marion.Wright is municipal judge ...
	08/13/2020 Supreme Court appoints two to Judges Assistance Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed District Magistrate Judge Marty Clark and District Judge Mark Ward to the Judges Assistance Committee.They will serve four-year terms that began July 1 and end June 30, 2024.Clark serves in Russell County in the 20th Judicial District. Ward serves in the 6th Judicial District, composed of Bourbon ...
	08/12/2020 Supreme Court appoints new members to Access to Justice Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed four new members and reappointed three to the Access to Justice Committee.The new members are:Chief Judge Kevin Berens, who serves in the 15th Judicial District, composed of Cheyenne, Logan, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, and Wallace counties;District Judge Neil Foth, who serves in the 10th ...
	08/10/2020 Supreme Court accepting comment on new rule to allow courts to collect contact information TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court is accepting public comment on proposed Rule 124 that will allow courts to collect contact information from parties, witnesses, and potential jurors to help with case processing.Contact information will include current mailing address, phone number, and email address. The contact information is not a public ...
	08/07/2020 Supreme Court appoints four, reappoints two to Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program Board TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed four new members and reappointed two others to the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program Board.New members are:Justin Barrett, a lawyer at Barrett Law Firm, Colby;Emily Hartz, a lawyer at Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, Mcentire & Jarboe, Lawrence, who will complete an unexpired term ending June 30, 2023 ...
	08/07/2020 Supreme Court reappoints judge to District Magistrate Judges Certification Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed District Magistrate Judge James Kepple to the District Magistrate Judges Certification Committee.His four-year term began July 1 and ends June 30, 2024.Kepple serves in Riley County of the 21st Judicial District, which also includes Clay County.The committee oversees the certification of district ...
	08/06/2020 Supreme Court reappoints four to Kansas Sentencing Commission TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed four members to the Kansas Sentencing Commission.The reappointed members will serve two-year terms ending June 30, 2022. They are:District Judge W. Lee Fowler, who serves in the 5th Judicial District, composed of Chase and Lyon counties;Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Hill;District Judge Benjamin ...
	08/06/2020 Chief justice announces changes in Supreme Court staff TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert announced changes in job duties for four Supreme Court staff.General counselAshley Jarmer is named general counsel to the chief justice.She has been a research attorney for the chief justice since August 2019. She previously was a research attorney for Supreme Court Justice Lee Johnson and Court of Appeals ...
	08/05/2020 Kansas Court of Appeals panel will hear oral arguments by videoconference August 13 TOPEKA—Kansas Court of Appeals judges will hear appeals by videoconference Thursday, August 13. The oral arguments will be livestreamed on YouTube.Judge Sarah Warner is the presiding judge and is joined by Judges Melissa Taylor Standridge and Kathryn Gardner for the August 13 docket.9 a.m. • August 13, 2020Appeal No. 120,477: State of ...
	08/04/2020 Kansas Court of Appeals panel will hear oral arguments by videoconference August 11 TOPEKA—Kansas Court of Appeals judges will hear one appeal by videoconference Tuesday, August 11. The oral arguments will be livestreamed on YouTube.Judge G. Gordon Atcheson is the presiding judge and is joined by Judges David Bruns and Anthony Powell for the August 11 docket.10 a.m. • August 11, 2020Appeal No. 121,765: First Security ...
	08/04/2020 Kansas Court of Appeals panel will hear oral arguments by videoconference August 12 TOPEKA—Kansas Court of Appeals judges will hear appeals by videoconference Wednesday, August 12. The oral arguments will be livestreamed on YouTube.Judge Kim R. Schroeder is the presiding judge and is joined by Judges Henry Green Jr. and Michael Buser for the August 12 docket.9 a.m. • August 12, 2020Appeal No. 120,456: State of Kansas v. ...
	08/04/2020 Supreme Court issues administrative orders, guidance for courts to safely resume jury trials TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court today issued two administrative orders and a mandates and guidance document to give direction to courts as they prepare to safely resume jury trials.The orders and the guidance document incorporate best practices recommended in the report Resuming Trials Amid COVID-19 the Supreme Court received last week from ...
	08/03/2020 Kansas Court of Appeals panel will hear oral arguments by videoconference August 10 TOPEKA—Kansas Court of Appeals judges will hear appeals by videoconference Monday, August 10. The oral arguments will be livestreamed on YouTube.Judge Stephen Hill is the presiding judge and is joined by Judge Thomas Malone and Senior Judge Richard Walker for the August 10 docket.9 a.m. • August 10, 2020Appeal No. 120,054: Denise Ann ...
	08/03/2020 New Supreme Court justice to be sworn in August 3 TOPEKA—Keynen "KJ" Wall Jr., Lawrence, will be sworn in as a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court in a private ceremony at 11 a.m. today, August 3, at the Kansas Judicial Center.Chief Justice Marla Luckert will preside at the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on the Supreme Court YouTube channel.The ceremony will be considerably ...
	08/03/2020 Chief justice: Suspension of time limitations and deadlines will continue for now TOPEKA—Chief Justice Marla Luckert said today she will not reinstate statutes of limitation and statutory time standards or deadlines that apply to conducting or processing of judicial proceedings on August 17.Luckert had announced June 29 she planned to reinstate most time requirements effective August 3, based on the assumption that all ...