Court operations during pandemic
Chief Justice Marla Luckert and the Kansas Supreme Court have issued a series of administrative orders to define how
district and appellate courts will safely operate during the COVID pandemic. This allows state courts to continue to
provide vital services to the people of Kansas while following public health guidelines that protect judges, court
staff, and the people who come into our courts.
(12-21-22) Supreme
Court issues new administrative order, personnel policies related to COVID-19
(07-01-21) Chief
justice reinstates additional statutory deadlines and time limitations beginning August 2
(05-24-21): Supreme
Court issues updated COVID-19 policies and procedures
(03-31-21): Most time
limitations, deadlines in court proceedings reinstated effective April 15, 2021
Missing deadlines or statutes of limitations can cause cases to be dismissed.
Administrative
orders related to COVID-19
News
releases related to COVID-19
Pandemic court initiatives
The Supreme Court formed two groups to examine issues related court operations during the pandemic.
Ad Hoc Jury Task
Force
Ad Hoc
Virtual Court Proceedings Committee
District court operations
For current information about a district court's operations, visit the court’s website. If a court website does
not give you the information you need, call the court clerk.
Find a district court
Find court forms
Judicial branch court forms (forms created since
the beginning of the pandemic)
File using a district court drop
box
Kansas District and Appellate Court COVID-19 Personnel Policies
Deadlines and time limitations
The chief justice
reinstated most statutory deadlines and time limitations effective April 15, 2021. On July 1, 2021, the chief
justice reinstated more statutory deadlines and time limitations beginning August 2.
Speedy trial statute
During the 2021 session, the Kansas Legislature passed House Bill 2078, which temporarily suspends provisions in K.S.A. 22-3402, the speedy trial statute in the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill was requested by the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association, and it became effective on its March 31 publication in the Kansas Register. 2021-PR-100 does not impact suspensions under K.S.A. 22-3402.
Constitutional speedy trial protections remain in place.
Time calculation when suspensions lift
For a deadline or time limitation suspended because of an order issued by the chief justice, on the date the order terminates, a person has the same number of days to comply with the deadline or time limitation as the person had when the deadline or time limitation was suspended.
For a deadline or time limitation that did not begin to run because of an order issued by the chief justice, on the
date the order terminates, a person has the full period provided by law to comply with the deadline or time
limitation.
Remote hearings
The chief justice issued Administrative Orders 2021-PR-021 and 2021-PR-022 to authorize municipal, district, and appellate courts to use two-way audio-visual communication in proceedings.
Administrative Order 2021-PR-021 applies to appellate and district court proceedings.
Administrative Order 2021-PR-022 applies to municipal
court proceedings.
Kansas Judicial Center open
The Kansas Judicial Center is open to the public with minimum standard health protocols in place. Visitors are advised not to enter if they have:
-
had a fever at or over 100.4°F in the last 48 hours;
-
tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 5 days; or
-
tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days and are still showing symptoms.
Masks are recommended when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists Shawnee County’s COVID-19 Community Level
as “high.”
Public health resources
Kansas Department of Health and Environment COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
COVID-19
World Health Organization Coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) pandemic
Preparing for a public health emergency
NCSC: Coronavirus and the courts
NCSC: Preparing for a Pandemic:
An Emergency Response Benchbook and Operational Guide for State Court Judges and Administrators
Signs
Visitor alert
Alerta a los
visitantes
Face mask
recommended
Se recomienda
mascarilla