TOPEKA—District Judge Mark Ward of the 6th Judicial District has been appointed to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court to hear one case on the court's September 9 docket.
After hearing oral arguments, Ward will join Supreme Court justices in their deliberations and decision drafting.
“I am pleased that District Judge Ward is taking time from his duties in the 6th Judicial District to sit with the Supreme Court,” said Chief Justice Lawton Nuss. “It's a great help to our court, and we look forward to his contributions in deliberating and eventually deciding this case.”
Ward became a judge in 2007 in the 6th Judicial District, which is composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.
“It is a great honor to be assigned to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court," Ward said. "This unique experience will expand my knowledge of the process of how the Supreme Court looks at decisions of the lower courts.”
Ward received a bachelor's degree from Pittsburg State University and law degree from Washburn University School of Law. Before becoming a judge, he was general counsel for the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, county attorney for Bourbon County, an adjunct professor at Pittsburg State, and in private practice.
All Supreme Court oral arguments are webcast live through the Watch Supreme Court Live! link in the right-hand column of the Kansas Judicial Branch website at www.kscourts.org.
The case Ward will hear is first on the court's September 9 docket:
Appeal No. 116,761: State of Kansas v Corey Leroy Yazell
Johnson County: (Petition for Review) In early 2016, Yazell pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and driving while his license was suspended. The district court sentenced him to 12 months' probation with an underlying prison sentence of 14 months. His probation was later revoked, and he appealed the revocation. On December 13, 2017, the Court of Appeals issued a show cause order to dismiss Yazell's appeal as moot because he should have fully served his sentence and been discharged from custody. The Court of Appeals dismissed Yazell's appeal as moot. Issue on review is whether the Court of Appeals properly found Yazell's appeal was moot under Hilton, 301 Kan. 991 (2015).