TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court announced the two cases it will hear in a special session Thursday, March 30, at Southwestern College, the next destination in the court's ongoing outreach to familiarize Kansans with the high court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary.
The court will be in session from 6:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m. in the Richardson Performing Arts Center in the Christy Administration Building on the Southwestern College campus at 100 College Street. After the session concludes, the justices will greet the public in an informal reception in the lobby of the performance hall.
“The Supreme Court extends a personal invitation to the people of Winfield and surrounding communities to come see your state's highest court in action,” said Chief Justice Lawton Nuss. “It’s a much more personal experience than watching the online broadcasts we’ve provided of all our court sessions since 2012. Plus, we get the pleasure of visiting with you afterward.”
The docket for March 30 includes the following cases:
Appeal No. 111,671: Staci Russell v. Lisa May, M.D., Victoria W. Kindel, M.D., and Tana Goering, M.D.
Russell seeks compensation in this medical malpractice action against three doctors she claims were professionally negligent when they delayed diagnosing her breast cancer, lessening her chance for recovery and long-term survival. At trial, a Sedgwick County District Court judge dismissed the primary care physician from the action and the jury found the remaining two providers were not at fault. The Court of Appeals affirmed.
Appeal No. 112,035: State of Kansas v. Marcus Gray.
Gray appeals his Harvey County District Court convictions for drug possession, interfering with law enforcement, driving on a suspended license, and failing to signal. In part, Gray argues he was unlawfully stopped by law enforcement based on his race, and the district court should have suppressed evidence collected as a result.
Anyone who wants to attend the special session should plan to arrive at the school before 6 p.m. to allow time to get through security screening. Court security offers these guidelines to ease the process:
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Do not bring food or drink.
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Do not bring large bags, large purses, backpacks, computer cases, or briefcases.
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Do not bring knives, pepper spray, firearms, or weapons.
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Do not bring electronic devices like laptop computers, handheld games, personal digital assistants, or tablets. If you must carry a cell phone, turn it off and store it out of sight while court is in session.
Audience members are prohibited from talking during oral arguments because it interferes with the attorneys’ remarks and questions asked by the justices. If someone arrives after proceedings start, or must leave the auditorium before it ends, he or she should be as quiet as possible entering and exiting the auditorium. Talking immediately outside the auditorium is also discouraged.
Southwestern College is the court’s 13th destination since 2011, when it first convened outside of the Kansas Judicial Center to mark the state sesquicentennial. Stops in 2011 included the historic Supreme Court courtroom in the Capitol, and locations in Salina, Greensburg, and Wichita. The court visited Overland Park in 2012, Pittsburg in 2013, Kansas City in 2014, Hays and Garden City in 2015, and Topeka, Hiawatha and Hutchinson in 2016.
The court started conducting evening sessions when it visited Hays in April 2015. That event drew a crowd of nearly 700 people. Subsequent evening sessions have also drawn crowds numbering in the hundreds.