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.
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Recent Decisions From the Kansas Supreme Court
Date: November 27, 2024
Docket Number: 124913
Justia Opinion Summary: Patricia Nicholson filed a garnishment action after her husband was killed in an accident involving Ava Mercer, who was insured by Key Insurance Company. Key provided Mercer with an attorney but did not actively defend…
Date: November 27, 2024
Docket Number: 125241
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Francisco Alejandro Mendez, who was charged with multiple crimes following a crime spree in Topeka, Kansas, in April 2019. Mendez and his accomplices stole a car at gunpoint, shot at a group of Washburn…
Date: November 27, 2024
Docket Number: 125455
Justia Opinion Summary: Matthew Munoz, while held in the Mitchell County jail, attempted to invoke the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act (MDDA) to address a pending theft charge in McPherson County. Munoz filed the request with the…
Date: October 25, 2024
Docket Number: 126550
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2004, Jason Mashaney was convicted by a jury of aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child, involving his then-five-year-old daughter. He was sentenced to 442 months in prison. The…
Date: October 18, 2024
Docket Number: 123451
Justia Opinion Summary: James A. Willis was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and criminal possession of a firearm. The incident occurred outside a nightclub in Overland Park, where Willis shot Jurl Carter multiple times as Carter…
Date: October 11, 2024
Docket Number: 127346
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2016, Louis Scherzer was fatally shot outside a bar in Kansas City, Kansas. Filiberto B. Espinoza Jr. was linked to the shooting and charged with first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree felony murder,…
Date: October 4, 2024
Docket Number: 124601
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Kimberly S. Younger, who was convicted of capital murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to commit first-degree murder, and theft. Younger was implicated as the principal…
Date: October 4, 2024
Docket Number: 125006
Justia Opinion Summary: Tirrell Stuart was convicted of felony murder after Emilio Lopez was shot and killed during a marijuana transaction. Stuart, along with friends, initially purchased marijuana from Lopez. Later, Stuart arranged a second…
Date: September 27, 2024
Docket Number: 122713
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2015, Brennan R. Trass was charged with first-degree felony murder and criminal possession of a firearm after killing Jose Morales during a drug deal. Trass admitted to the shooting, claiming self-defense. Before…
Date: September 27, 2024
Docket Number: 124610
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Riley D. Moore, who was convicted of aggravated kidnapping, criminal threat, and domestic battery after a violent altercation with his ex-girlfriend, M.M. During a post-breakup conversation, Moore…
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.
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