TOPEKA—Judges, lawyers, and legal scholars from around the world have met with Kansas Supreme Court justices to learn more about the U.S. judicial system.
Through the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program, participants have had the opportunity to question Kansas' justices how the judicial system here works.
"It is a real privilege to meet with judges and other judicial personnel visiting Kansas from other countries," Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said. "We tell them about Kansas government and especially how the judicial branch works."
The visits are arranged by Global Ties KC, which has been bringing international visitors to the region for 65 years, including numerous visitors to the Kansas Judicial Center.
Sarah Martin, special program manager for Global Ties KC, said, "Through discussions and meetings with their counterparts, like Kansas Supreme Court justices, our international visitors obtain a deeper understanding of the democratic institutions responsible for ensuring an open, fair, and transparent government. Through conversations, each party can learn from one another to promote the same principles that make their respective countries stronger and safer."
On October 11, five Supreme Court justices and members of the High Council of Justice in Ukraine met with Justice Marla Luckert. They were particularly interested in the code of conduct Kansas judges must follow and the process for hearing complaints against judges.
"Speaking to Ukrainian officials involved in that country's judicial disciplinary process gave me the opportunity to explain Kansas' code of judicial conduct," Luckert said. "Our system of justice depends on an independent, fair, and impartial judiciary. The Kansas Code of Judicial Conduct provides standards to guide Kansas judges and to ensure each judge acts with integrity, avoids bias, and honors the judicial office as a public trust.
"If a judge falls short and violates the code, that judge faces discipline after receiving due process through proceedings before the Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct and, in some cases, the Kansas Supreme Court," Luckert continued. "Our judicial disciplinary process stands as one of the reasons Kansans can have confidence in the impartiality and integrity of our legal system."
The Ukrainian officials also wanted to know the types of educational opportunities that judges have. Kansas judges are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each year.
The group from Ukraine was the third to meet with Supreme Court justices this year. In September, 18 judges, lawyers, educators, and court officials from 12 nations in Africa and from Haiti visited with Nuss and Luckert. And in July, the two justices met with a delegation of provincial administrators from Bhutan.
"They have lots of questions as they compare their judicial offices to our branch of government," Nuss said of the visitors. "I think they leave with a true appreciation of the rights Kansans enjoy and a better understanding of how our judicial branch strives to maintain fair and impartial courts for all."