Kansas Supreme Court Decisions
Located in Topeka, the Kansas Supreme Court consists of seven justices who serve six-year terms. State law imposes a mandatory retirement age of 70 on each justice, although they can finish an ongoing term if they turn 70 before it ends. To be eligible to serve on the Kansas Supreme Court, a candidate must be at least 30 years old and have actively and continuously practiced law in Kansas for at least 10 years. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Chief Justice of the Court is determined by seniority. In other words, when the current Chief Justice retires, the remaining justice who has served for the longest time on the Court succeeds them automatically.
Rather than electing justices to the Supreme Court, Kansas uses an appointment procedure that is facilitated by a selection commission. Members of the Supreme Court Nominating Commission represent each congressional district in Kansas. The Commission starts the process of selecting a new justice by choosing three candidates to recommend to the Governor of Kansas. The Governor will appoint one of the candidates. A new justice must go through a retention election one year after they are appointed. If they survive the retention election, they can serve a six-year term.
Article 2 of the Kansas Constitution outlines the three methods for removing a justice from the Supreme Court. First, a justice may be removed through an impeachment process if they are found to have engaged in misconduct. The Supreme Court also has the discretion to remove a justice if the commission on judicial qualifications recommends their removal. Finally, the Governor of Kansas has the authority to remove a justice if they become incapacitated.
- 2025 (27)
- 2024 (112)
- 2023 (73)
- 2022 (114)
- 2021 (133)
- 2020 (119)
- 2019 (152)
- 2018 (155)
- 2017 (147)
- 2016 (126)
- 2015 (128)
- 2014 (166)
- 2013 (162)
- 2012 (173)
- 2011 (132)
- 2010 (100)
- 2009 (130)
- 2008 (156)
- 2007 (142)
- 2006 (149)
- 2005 (128)
- 2004 (126)
- 2003 (150)
- 2002 (176)
- 2001 (181)
- 2000 (172)
- 1999 (155)
- 1998 (184)
- 1997 (177)
- 1996 (39)
- 1995 (110)
- 1994 (138)
- 1993 (140)
- 1992 (138)
- 1991 (140)
- 1990 (120)
- 1989 (115)
- 1988 (98)
- 1987 (132)
- 1986 (143)
- 1985 (176)
- 1984 (173)
- 1983 (194)
- 1982 (169)
- 1981 (116)
- 1980 (168)
- 1979 (160)
- 1978 (193)
- 1977 (181)
- 1976 (257)
- 1975 (231)
- 1974 (251)
- 1973 (273)
- 1972 (254)
- 1971 (197)
- 1970 (198)
- 1969 (211)
- 1968 (192)
- 1967 (217)
- 1966 (193)
- 1965 (204)
- 1964 (186)
- 1963 (144)
- 1962 (154)
- 1961 (155)
- 1960 (204)
- 1959 (219)
- 1958 (180)
- 1957 (202)
- 1956 (186)
- 1955 (160)
- 1954 (196)
- 1953 (192)
- 1952 (157)
- 1951 (176)
- 1950 (177)
- 1948 (1)
Recent Decisions From the Kansas Supreme Court
Date: April 25, 2025
Docket Number: 126314
Justia Opinion Summary: Marquise Johnson was injured when his friend, André Lewis, accidentally shot him while attempting to disassemble a handgun in a car. Lewis believed the gun could not fire without the magazine, but it discharged, hitting…
Date: April 18, 2025
Docket Number: 124904
Justia Opinion Summary: Nancy Karanja-Meek and Aaron Meek were married, and during their marriage, Aaron suffered severe work-related injuries from an explosion. Both received separate personal injury awards, with the remaining amounts placed…
Date: April 11, 2025
Docket Number: 125846
Justia Opinion Summary: Benjamin Ballard was charged with two counts of failing to register as an offender under the Kansas Offender Registration Act (KORA). He was convicted on both counts by a jury. One conviction was for failing to register…
Date: April 11, 2025
Docket Number: 126747
Justia Opinion Summary: Javan Ervin was convicted of seven counts, including felony murder, after a series of events that began when he arrived at a gas station with Jaime Chavez. Law enforcement officers were present to arrest Chavez. Ervin,…
Date: March 7, 2025
Docket Number: 125734
Justia Opinion Summary: Austin Properties, LLC, submitted an application to the Shawnee City Council to build a multi-unit residential complex. The city council denied the application, leading Austin Properties to petition the district court to…
Date: March 7, 2025
Docket Number: 126348
Justia Opinion Summary: Ricky Hollins was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder after an altercation with S.D. on October 21, 2020, resulted in S.D.'s death. Hollins intended to meet S.D. for a paid sexual encounter, but the situation…
Date: March 7, 2025
Docket Number: 127273
Justia Opinion Summary: Ronald Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to a hard 50 sentence. Over the years, he has filed multiple actions challenging his conviction and sentence. In January 2023, Johnson filed a pro se…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
