Kansas Supreme Court appoints new members to Access to Justice Committee

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed five new members to the Access to Justice Committee and reappointed two others.

Four of the new members have terms that began July 1 and end June 30, 2021. They are:

• Chief Judge James Fleetwood of the 18th Judicial District, composed of Sedgwick County.

• Christie Campbell, Wichita, Kansas Legal Services.

• Ruth Wheeler, district court administrator, 5th Judicial District, composed of Chase and Lyon counties.

• District Judge William Ossmann of the 3rd Judicial District, composed of Shawnee County.

The court also appointed Marcia Hannon to complete an unexpired term that ends June 30, 2020. Hannon is assistant director of the Kansas Supreme Court Law Library and succeeds Stephine Bowman of Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

The court reappointed two others to serve additional three-year terms ending June 30, 2021:

• Chief Judge Joe Dickinson of the 9th Judicial District, composed of Harvey and McPherson counties.

• District Magistrate Judge Starla Borg Nelson, serving in Republic County of the 12th Judicial District, also composed of Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, and Washington counties.

The Access to Justice Committee makes recommendations to the Supreme Court about issues such as increasing the resources available for legal services for low-income litigants in civil cases; improving planning and coordination of legal services delivery; and reducing potential barriers to equal access to justice.

Two original members of the Pro Se Committee—as it was called in 2007 when it was created—are stepping down:

• John Steelman, court administrator of the 4th Judicial District, composed of Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties.

• Marilyn Harp, Lawrence, executive director, Kansas Legal Services.

Also leaving the committee are:

• Retired Judge A.J. Wachter, who was chief judge of the 11th Judicial District, composed of Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties.

• Chief Judge Van Hampton of the 16th Judicial District, composed of Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade counties.

Other members of the committee are:

• Melanie Branham, Overland Park, attorney.

• District Magistrate Judge James Kepple, serving in Riley County of the 21st Judicial District, which also is composed of Clay County.

• District Judge Bill Klapper of the 29th Judicial District, composed of Wyandotte County.

• Cindy MacDonald, district court clerk in Dickinson County of the 8th Judicial District, also composed of Geary, Marion, and Morris counties.

• Eric Rosenblad, Pittsburg, Kansas Legal Services.

• Chief Judge Nicholas St. Peter of the 19th Judicial District, composed of Cowley County.