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Judge Hanley stresses courtroom experience, training and rural perspective in nomination interview
Summary
Judge Hanley told the commission her decades of courtroom and appellate experience, teaching and statewide committee work prepare her to contribute to the Kansas Supreme Court; she emphasized delivering clear opinions and training lawyers to improve public trust.
Judge Hanley, introduced to the commission as the next applicant, recounted long experience prosecuting and adjudicating across Kansas and said the most rewarding work affected victims and advanced rehabilitation rather than headline cases. "The single most rewarding case has been the case that directly impacted the victims the most," she said, describing work that prioritized victims' long‑term needs and, at times, rehabilitation over incarceration.
Hanley highlighted extensive trial, appellate and administrative experience — including pattern jury instructions and a statewide jury task force — and said that teaching and training lawyers strengthens public trust by improving courtroom performance. She described steps she takes when motions to recuse are filed, including self‑reflection, conferring with colleagues and reviewing the record to guard impartiality. Hanley also told commissioners she would scale back outside teaching if necessary to meet the demands of a Supreme Court docket and would focus on timely, clear opinions that litigants can understand.
