Supreme Court appoints two, reappoints three to Language Access Committee

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed two people to the Language Access Committee and reappointed three more. 

The committee makes recommendations to the Supreme Court to ensure that people with limited English skills can access services from Kansas district courts. 

The court appointed Lundy Settle and Steven Crossland to fill unexpired terms.  

Settle will serve through June 30, 2022, and Crossland will serve through June 30, 2023.  

Settle is the court administrator in the 20th Judicial District, which consists of Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell, and Stafford counties.  

Crossland is the court administrator in the 1st Judicial District, which consists of Atchison and Leavenworth counties.  

Reappointed to the committee were: 

• Oscar Marino, a court interpreter from Lawrence 

• Maura Miller, a court interpreter from Overland Park 

• District Judge Teresa Watson, as the committee chair, who serves in the 3rd Judicial District, which is Shawnee County 

Their terms began July 1 and end June 30, 2024. 

The committee is made up of judges, court administrators, lawyers, and interpreters. 

Also serving on the committee are: 

• Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger of the Kansas Court of Appeals 

• Chief Judge Bradley Ambrosier of the 26th Judicial District, composed of Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton, and Stevens counties 

• Chief Judge Laura Lewis of the 16th Judicial District, composed of Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade counties 

• District Magistrate Judge Erich Campbell, who serves in Pottawatomie County in the 2nd Judicial District 

• Tabitha D.R. Owen, county attorney for Smith County 

• Thomas R. Fields, an attorney from Kansas City, Kansas