Kansas Court of Appeals to Hear Case
at Southwestern College
Winfield, Kan., April 2, 2024 — The Kansas Court of Appeals is slated to
hear cases in Cowley County this month and will hear a case at Southwestern
College on Tuesday, April 9, from 10 to 11 a.m., in the Richardson Performing
Arts Center. There will be a follow up question and answer time from 11a.m. to
noon in the Deets Library. Students, faculty, staff, and the public are invited
to attend. There is no admission charge.
“This would be a great opportunity for students, faculty, and members of
the public to see what they do and how Court of Appeals cases are handled,”
says J.K. Campbell, associate vice president for faculty affairs and dean of
faculty at Southwestern College.
Judges Amy Fellows Cline, G. Gordon Atcheson, and Rachel Pickering will
hear oral arguments starting at 10 a.m. The case being heard is a wrongful
termination case brought by Stephen Mattice against the city of Stafford.
Mattice brought a claim under the Kansas whistleblower statute after the city
of Stafford terminated his employment as police chief. The district court
originally dismissed the claim. The Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the
case for further proceedings. After discovery, the city moved for summary
judgment, contending that Mattice could not meet the elements of the statutory
claim. The district court granted summary judgment, and Mattice again appeals,
contending that the district court improperly resolved material fact disputes.
The 14-judge Court of Appeals hears all appeals from orders of the Kansas
Corporation Commission and all appeals from district courts in both civil and
criminal cases, except those that may be appealed directly to the Supreme
Court. In fiscal year 2022, the Court of Appeals resolved appeals in more than
1,000 cases, including 781 cases in which the court issued formal written
decisions.
The court may hear appeals en banc, which means by all 14 of its judges.
Most frequently, though, the court sits in panels of three judges.
Court of Appeals judges decide appealed cases by reading the trial record
and written briefs filed by the parties, and sometimes hearing oral arguments
from lawyers. They research and review relevant laws and write decisions, some
of which are published in bound volumes.
