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County attorney reports rising appeals caseload, says AG's office handles briefs; intern to join office for summer
Summary
The county attorney reported that appeals filings have increased relative to prior years and described how the Kansas Attorney General's office coordinates multi-county appeals. He also said the office is fully staffed and will host a law student intern from Washburn this summer.
The county attorney told commissioners that the number of cases with notices of appeal has increased compared with the three-year average. He said that between 2020 and 2023 the office recorded 18 cases noticed for appeal; in April 2024 five cases had been filed for that calendar year and, as of the meeting, 19 cases were on appeal or docketed with the court of appeals.
The attorney explained that the Kansas Attorney General's office often takes lead on appeals that affect multiple counties. "Whether I do the appeal or they do the appeal, they get to direct how the appeal is done," he said, describing instances where the AG's office standardizes briefs across several counties to ensure consistency and efficiency.
On staffing, the county attorney said the office was at full staff and that paralegal positions were filled; he said he expected a law student intern, Elise Jones of Washburn University, to begin in June and to work through August under a student practice permit that allows supervised legal research and court appearances.
Why this matters: A growing appeals caseload can affect staff time and county legal costs; coordination with the Attorney General can centralize strategy for multi-county legal issues. The intern hire is a short-term staffing boost and may support local legal recruitment.
Next steps: The county attorney will continue coordinating with the Attorney General on appeals and will bring the intern on for supervised work. No formal board action was required.
