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Judge Whannell emphasizes specialty courts, public outreach and cautious AI use in nomination interview
Summary
Judge Robert Whannell told the commission he seeks to serve on the Kansas Supreme Court to advance fair case law and public-facing education; he highlighted work on behavioral health courts and cautious, practical uses of technology such as automated brief summaries.
Judge Robert Whannell, a district judge in the 10th judicial district, told the commission he applied because he wants to "serve Kansas as a justice on the Supreme Court" and to continue public education about the judicial branch. He described a background of private practice, appellate appearances across several states and a stint serving on the court of appeals by special appointment.
Whannell described his work on specialty dockets — including behavioral health and assisted outpatient treatment programs — as central to his interest in appellate work. He said the behavioral health and AOT dockets have measurable effects: "we had about 75 percent that for a 2 year period... didn't have another hospitalization," and he cited rates of reduced interactions with law enforcement among program graduates. He also addressed technology and artificial intelligence in court practice, saying he is "not a tech person" by trade but that appropriate tools can help (for example, automated summaries of briefs used as a listening aid) while cautioning against letting AI replace judicial judgment.
Throughout questioning, Whannell stressed public engagement — speaking to schools and civic groups — as important to promoting public confidence in the judiciary. He said administrative work at the Supreme Court level, such as statewide specialty‑court initiatives, was an appealing secondary role to the core responsibilities of writing clear opinions.
