Court Administration

Court administration

The Kansas Constitution provides for one court of justice with administrative responsibility vested in the Kansas Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court meets its constitutional mandate through support from the Office of Judicial Administration, Supreme Court rules, and help from a host of boards, committees, and commissions. 
 

Office of Judicial Administration

The Office of Judicial Administration implements the rules and policies of the Supreme Court as they apply to the operation and administration of the judicial branch of government. This office approves state expenditures for court operations, and fulfills other duties as prescribed by law or directed by the Supreme Court.

All non-judge employees of the Kansas court system are under a personnel plan adopted and administered by the Supreme Court. Personnel and payroll records of all court employees throughout the state are maintained in the Office of Judicial Administration.

About the Office of Judicial Administration
Judicial branch budget

Supreme Court rules

Supreme Court rules set mandatory procedure for parties and their lawyers on matters within the jurisdiction of Kansas courts.

Search Kansas Supreme Court rules

Supreme Court rules encompass time limits, document formatting, filing procedures, filing fees, and many other important legal matters, including:

• court operations;

• admitting attorneys to practice law and providing for their annual registration;

• examination and certification of official court reporters.

• professional conduct for judges, attorneys, and court reporters.

​Boards, committees, and commissions

The Supreme Court depends on many boards, committees, and commissions to help it administer courts in Kansas.

Some commissions have significant responsibility, such as the Commission on Judicial Conduct, which helps the Supreme Court exercise its responsibility with regard to the conduct of judges in Kansas.

Another example is the Board of Law Examiners, which serves as an adjunct of the Supreme Court and has general supervision over admitting attorneys to the bar.

There also are short-term committees that fulfill a certain function within a specified timeframe. An example is the Supreme Court Ad Hoc Pretrial Justice Task Force, which is examining pretrial detention practices in Kansas district courts.

Long-term committees focused on a single aspect of justice provide updates to the Supreme Court at regular intervals. The Access to Justice Committee is one example. It meets regularly to discuss access to justice and to provide recommendations for reducing barriers to justice.