Friday, March 12, 2010

Court furloughs are here

On March 12, 2010, the KSC issued Administrative Order 241, which officially orders furloughs for the Kansas Judicial Branch. Specifically, the KSC stated:

Kansas district and appellate courts will be closed on April 9, 16, 23, and May 7, 2010. These closures apply to all court offices, including the offices of the clerks of the district court, the court services offices, the office of the Clerk of the Appellate Courts, the Reporter of Decisions, the Supreme Court Law Library, the Office of Judicial Administration, the office of the Disciplinary Administrator, the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program, the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Commission, and any other offices staffed by Kansas Judicial Branch personnel.


During the furlough dates, the district courts will be closed, but they will still be allowed to conduct the following critical functions in criminal cases:

- Determining probable cause for arrests without a warrant

-Conducting first appearances

-Setting appearance bonds and conditions of release pending prelim or trial

-Issuing warrants for arrest, probation violations, searches and seizures, violation of supervised release, holding a material witness, and violation of diversions

-Issuing orders for wiretaps

-Conducting inquisitions

AO 241 also lists a number of other critical functions that will be allowed to be conducted in Juvenile/CINC cases, PFA cases, care and treatment cases, and other miscellaneous cases.

The order also notes that the district courts' fax machines are to be "operating and maintained" when the courts are closed and that the chief judge of each judicial district is required to notify the bar of how to contact a judge for the performance of any critical function.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

CJOnline in Topeka is reporting the dates for furloughs, Fridays: April 9, 16, 23rd and May 7.