July 2019 News Releases

	07/31/2019 Kansas Court of Appeals announces August 8 swearing-in ceremony for Sarah Warner TOPEKA—The Kansas Court of Appeals announced today that Sarah Warner will be sworn in as that court’s 14th judge in a 2 p.m. ceremony Thursday, August 8, in the Supreme Court courtroom of the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka.The swearing-in ceremony will take place before an invited audience. The public can access a live webcast of the ...
	07/30/2019 Kansas Supreme Court appoints new members to Access to Justice Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed six new members to the Access to Justice Committee.Five of the new members will serve terms that began July 1 and end June 30, 2022.They are:Christie Koehn, chief court services officer of the 6th Judicial District, which includes Miami, Linn, and Bourbon counties;District Magistrate Judge Kenton ...
	07/30/2019 Three to represent judicial branch on criminal justice reform commission TOPEKA—Three representatives from the Kansas judicial branch have been appointed to serve on the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission.Under authority granted by state statute, Chief Justice Lawton Nuss appointed Chris Mechler, court services specialist in the Office of Judicial Administration.Also under statutory authority, the Kansas ...
	07/26/2019 Chief Justice Lawton Nuss to retire December 17 TOPEKA―Chief Justice Lawton Nuss announced today that he will retire from the Supreme Court effective December 17, 2019.Nuss has served as a justice on the Supreme Court since 2002 and as chief justice since 2010."I consider my service on the Supreme Court to be the greatest privilege of my 37-year legal career," Nuss said. "It has ...
	07/24/2019 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for district magistrate vacancy TOPEKA—The 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene August 19 to interview three nominees to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in Kingman County.The vacancy was created by the retirement of District Magistrate Judge Roseanna Mathis.The commission will convene at 8 a.m. Monday, August 19, in the Kingman County ...
	07/24/2019 New member joins eCourt Steering Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed a new member and reappointed others to the eCourt Steering Committee, which is overseeing implementation of a centralized case management system.The system will allow all district and appellate case data to reside on a single web-based platform, transforming the way state courts serve the people of ...
	07/24/2019 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission submits four nominees for district judge vacancy in Riley County TOPEKA—The 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of four nominees for district judge to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy created by the June 16 retirement of Judge Chief Judge Meryl Wilson.The 21st Judicial District is composed of Clay and Riley counties.The four nominees:Amy J ...
	07/23/2019 Supreme Court Nominating Commission accepting nominations for upcoming court vacancy TOPEKA—The Supreme Court Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court created by the September 8 retirement of Justice Lee Johnson.Johnson's retirement triggers a merit-based nomination process that Kansans voted to add to the Kansas Constitution in 1958.When there is a vacancy on the bench ...
	07/23/2019 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for judge vacancy nominees TOPEKA—The 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene July 24 to interview seven nominees to fill a district judge vacancy in Riley County created by the June 16 retirement of Chief Judge Meryl Wilson.The commission will meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, in the Riley County Courthouse, 100 Courthouse Plaza, Manhattan ...
	07/18/2019 Supreme Court appoints two to Municipal Court Clerks Education Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed Sara Javier, municipal court clerk for the city of Maize, to a three-year term on the Municipal Court Clerks Education Committee.The court also reappointed Cathy Schroeder, municipal court clerk for the city of Goddard.Their terms began July 1 and will end June 30, 2022.The committee recommends and ...
	07/17/2019 Two judges appointed to Municipal Court Judges Education Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed Steve Baccus and Ted Griffith to the Municipal Court Judges Education Committee.Baccus is municipal judge for the city of Minneapolis. Griffith is municipal judge for the city of Wichita.Their terms began July 1 and end June 30, 2022.The committee recommends and organizes education and training ...
	07/15/2019 Five appointed to Kansas Continuing Legal Education Commission TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed three new members to the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Commission and reappointed two others.The commission oversees continuing legal education requirements for lawyers licensed to practice in Kansas. Attorneys must earn a minimum of 12 credit hours each year.New members are:Aida Alaka ...
	07/11/2019 Judge Alford reappointed to District Magistrate Judges Certification Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed District Magistrate Judge Peggy Alford to the District Magistrate Judges Certification Committee.Her four-year term began July 1 and ends June 30, 2023.Alford serves in Grant County of the 26th Judicial District, which also includes Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton, and Stevens counties.The ...
	07/10/2019 Justice Lee Johnson to retire September 8 TOPEKA—Justice Lee Johnson, who has served on the Kansas Supreme Court since 2007, announced today he will retire September 8.Johnson was appointed to the Supreme Court after serving on the Kansas Court of Appeals from 2001 to 2007."It has been a profound honor and privilege to be a part of the highest court in Kansas, as well as the ...
	07/09/2019 Two reappointed to Judicial Education Advisory Committee TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed District Magistrate Judge Wade Dixon and Denise Kilwein to the Judicial Education Advisory Committee.Their terms began July 1 and end June 30, 2022.Dixon serves in Greeley County of the 25th Judicial District.Kilwein is director of education for the Kansas judicial branch's Office of Judicial ...
	07/08/2019 3rd Judicial District Nominating Committee seeks nominees for judge vacancy in Shawnee County TOPEKA—The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge position in Shawnee County being vacated by Judge Franklin Theis on July 31.The 3rd Judicial District is composed of Shawnee County.Justice Marla Luckert, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 3rd Judicial District, said ...
	07/02/2019 Five appointed to Alternative Dispute Resolution Council TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed three new members to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Council and reappointed two more.All will serve from July 1 through June 30, 2022.New members are:Mickey Armstrong, Hays, a mediator in the 23rd Judicial District, composed of Ellis, Gove, Rooks, and Trego counties;Lindsey Anderson, Topeka ...
	07/02/2019 Supreme Court appoints members to Task Force on Permanency Planning TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed two people to the Supreme Court Task Force on Permanency Planning and reappointed two others.Their four-year terms began July 1 and end June 30, 2023.The new members are:Kerrie Lonard, Lawrence, a guardian ad litem with Kansas Legal Services; andVicki Ford, Kansas City, Kansas, a court services ...