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.

Browse Opinions From the Kansas Supreme Court
Recent Decisions From the Kansas Supreme Court
Williams v. C-U-Out Bail Bonds, LLC  
Date: October 11, 2019
 Docket Number: 116883

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the opinion of the court of appeals affirming the decision of the district court granting the motion to dismiss filed by the City of Overland Park, holding that dismissal was improper on that g...

State v. Perkins  
Date: October 4, 2019
 Docket Number: 112449

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming Defendant's conviction for driving under the influence, holding that the good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule permits the State to use ev...

In re Shepherd Two-year Suspension Disciplinary video
Date: September 27, 2019
 Docket Number: 120875
In re Mathews Published Censure Disciplinary video
Date: September 27, 2019
 Docket Number: 120924
State v. Gentry  
Date: September 20, 2019
 Docket Number: 116371

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and related crimes but vacated in part the restitution order, holding that the district court made a legal error wh...

In re Najim Reinstatement
Date: September 11, 2019
 Docket Number: 116943
In re Herron Reinstatement
Date: September 11, 2019
 Docket Number: 119726
Hill v. State  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 114403

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the judgment of the court of appeals affirming the judgment of the district court granting summary judgment for Defendants and dismissing Plaintiff's complaint alle...

State v. Perez-Medina  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 114589

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming Defendant's conviction and the sentencing judge's imposition of a registration requirement under the Kansas Offender Registration Act (KORA), Kan....

State v. Toothman  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 114944

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions of seven sex crimes and reversed the court of appeals, which reversed two of the convictions sua sponte and remanded the case with directions to resentence Defendant for...

In re Estate of Moore  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 115628

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming the judgment of the district court upholding the validity of a transfer-on-death deed that was signed by a benefiting party at the direction of th...

State v. Ballou  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 116252

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming Defendant's convictions of rape and aggravated indecent liberties with a child and vacated the portion of district court's judgment imposing postr...

State v. Boothby  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 116505

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the district court convicting Defendant of aggravated assault and criminal threat, holding that an erroneous judicial comment made in front of the jury that is not a jury instru...

State v. Howling  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 116524

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming Defendant's conviction for aggravated criminal sodomy, holding that the district court did not err in admitting testimony about the videotaped int...

Northern Natural Gas Co. v. ONEOK Field Services Co., LLC  
Date: September 6, 2019
 Docket Number: 118239

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the district court granting summary judgment against Northern Natural Gas Company, holding that certification from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permitting Nor...

The opinions published on Justia State Caselaw are sourced from individual state court sites. These court opinions may not be the official published versions, and you should check your local court rules before citing to them. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site, or the information linked to on the state site.