Kansas. Supreme Court

A supreme court was created in Kansas when it became a territory in 1854, composed of a chief justice and two justices appointed by the president for terms of four years each. When Kansas became a state, the constitution created a Supreme Court consisting of one chief justice and two associate justices elected from the state at large for six-year terms. In 1895, the legislature dealt with the problem of increasing case loads by creating the Kansas Courts of Appeal. However, this also was a temporary means of assistance, as the act that created the Courts of Appeal also provided that the courts should expire in 1901. In 1900, a constitutional amendment was approved by voters to increase the number of justices to seven, the same number as today. In 1958, another constitutional amendment changed the selection of justices from a partisan election to an appointment process. Under the plan adopted in 1958 and still in existence today, there is an initial screening of candidates by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The commission nominates three persons for appointment by the governor. The governor makes the appointment and that justice stands for retention elections every six years. The Court of Appeals was re-established in 1977 as a seven-member intermediate appellate court. Between 1901 and 1977, the Supreme Court assumed the duties of the original Court of Appeals. It was expanded to 10 members in 1987 and has 13 members today. Persons who lose their appeal at the Court of Appeals level may petition the Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals decision, but the justices are not required to do so. [Kansas Judicial Branch. "History of the Appellate Courts." http://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/general-information/history.asp (accessed November 10, 2008.)]

From the description of Records of the Kansas Appellate Courts, 1859 - [ongoing]. (Kansas State Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 692343045

The Kansas Supreme Court is a constitutional agency established in 1861. The Supreme Court, by constitutional mandate, has general administrative authority over all Kansas courts. Its rules govern appellate practice in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, and procedures in the district courts. It consists of seven justices, each of whom is selected by the governor. The governor appoints from a list of three qualified individuals submitted by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission. After the first year in office, a justice is subject to a retention vote in the next general election. If a majority of electors votes to retain the justice, he or she remains in office for a term of six years. Justices are subject to a similar retention vote at the conclusion of each term. The justice who is senior in terms of continuous service is designated by the Kansas Constitution as the chief justice, unless he or she declines or resigns the position. The chief justice has general administrative supervision over the affairs of the court and of the unified judicial department of the state. Justices of the Supreme Court ordinarily do not conduct trials. They decide an appealed case by reading the record of the trial and written briefs filed by the parties and hearing oral arguments of lawyers. They research and review the law involved in the case and then write an opinion which is usually published in bound volumes. The court announces its decisions by filing them with the Office of the Clerk of the Appellate Courts. [Kansas Judicial Branch. "Kansas Supreme Court Purpose and Authority." http://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/supreme-court/purpose-and-authority.asp (accessed November 10, 2008.)] [Kansas Judicial Branch. "Supreme Court." http://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/supreme-court/default.asp (accessed November 10, 2008.)]

From the description of Records of the Kansas Supreme Court, 1861 - 1999. (Kansas State Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 692343054