TOPEKA—District Judge John Bosch of Riley County and District Judge Keven O'Grady of Johnson County will sit with the Kansas Supreme Court to hear and help decide one case on the court's May 28 docket that will take place by videoconference.
"The Supreme Court looks forward to Judge Bosch and Judge O'Grady hearing this case with us. They will read the case materials, prepare for oral argument, and deliberate with the court on its decision," said Chief Justice Marla Luckert. "We thank them for helping us, especially because we know they already have significant caseloads in their district courts to handle."
Bosch serves in the 21st Judicial District, composed of Clay and Riley counties. He was appointed judge in 2012.
“I am honored to be asked to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court, and I look forward to the opportunity,” Bosch said.
Before becoming a judge, Bosch was in private practice and served as Clay County attorney. He earned a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University in 1978 and a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1981.
O'Grady serves in the 10th Judicial District, which is Johnson County. He was appointed judge in 2012.
“It is a special privilege and honor to have the opportunity to contribute, even in a small way, to the work of our Supreme Court," he said. "Participating in, and observing close up, our justices at work will be a valuable experience that can only help me to become a better trial court judge.”
Before becoming a judge, O'Grady practiced law in Overland Park. He earned a bachelor's degree from Rockhurst College in 1984 and a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1987.
O'Grady has chaired the Kansas Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee since July 2020 and the Kansas Advisory Council on Dispute Resolution since August 2017. He was a member of the Kansas Supreme Court Access to Justice Committee from August 2008 to July 2013.
All cases on the May 24–28 docket will be heard by videoconference and livestreamed on the Supreme Court YouTube channel.
Bosch and O'Grady will join justices by videoconference at 9 a.m. Friday, May 28, to hear oral arguments in:
Appeal No. 121,109: Stormont-Vail Healthcare Inc. v. Harold E. Sievers
Shawnee County: (Petition for Review) After Stormont-Vail Healthcare obtained a consent judgment against Sievers, Stormont-Vail requested orders of garnishment to collect the judgment. Sievers objected to the garnishment order that attached to his property held by Capitol Federal Savings Bank, arguing the funds in his bank account were earnings exempt from attachment under K.S.A. 61-3505. The district court overruled Sievers' objection after an evidentiary hearing. The Court of Appeals held the district court correctly determined the funds in Sievers' bank account were not exempt from attachment. Judge Melissa Standridge dissented and would hold because the wages were electronically paid to Sievers by his employer via direct deposit to his bank account, they clearly meet the statutory definition of earnings and are exempt from attachment through garnishment. Issue on review is whether the district court and Court of Appeals erred by concluding the wages Sievers earned lost their status as earnings once they were deposited into his bank account and became garnishable under K.S.A. 61-3505.