TOPEKA, Kan. — A three-judge panel of the Kansas Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments Tuesday, Nov. 14, in Sterling College’s Heritage Hall in Sterling.
Judge Kathryn Gardner will be joined by Judges Michael Buser and Gordon Atcheson (pictured above) to hear oral arguments in five cases. Three will be heard starting at 9 a.m. with the remaining two starting at 1:30 p.m. These cases have been to trial, but have been appealed.
After each docket session, the judges will be available to answer questions from the public about the court and court procedures.
Gardner, the presiding judge for the panel, was born in Sterling and attended Sterling College, as did her daughters (Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah Gardner), her parents (Joe and Roberta [Dill] McFarland), and their parents.
“It’s always a pleasure to return to the town of Sterling and to experience the hospitality of Sterling College,” Gardner said.
Gardner said that the Court of Appeals regularly hears cases throughout the state.
“Nearly every month, panels of Court of Appeals judges hear cases in Topeka, Wichita, Kansas City, and a location farther west, which varies.” Gardner said. “We enjoy sitting at locations such as Sterling College, to make the court accessible to more people.”
Attorneys for each side will have an opportunity to present arguments to the judges, and the judges will have a chance to ask questions. The court will then take each case under consideration and will issue a written decision at a later date, usually within 60 days.
There are 14 judges on the Court of Appeals, and the judges sit in three-judge panels to decide cases. In addition to the Court of Appeals panel hearing cases this week in Sterling, other three-judge panels of the Court of Appeals will be hearing cases in Overland Park, Wichita, and Topeka. All hearings are open to the public.
In fiscal year 2016, the Court of Appeals resolved appeals in 1,932 cases, including 1,304 in which the court issued a formal written opinion.
The five cases to be heard at Sterling College arise from cases in Lyon, Finney, Ford, Russell, and Ellis counties.