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Judges tell commission elevator failures threaten jury trials; judges ask for weekly updates and contingency plan
Summary
Chief Judge Amy Hart warned repeated elevator outages have disrupted jury trials and could lead to dismissals if the courthouse is not reliably operational; judges asked the commission for weekly updates and alternative arrangements by August 9.
Chief Judge Amy Hart told Bourbon County commissioners the courthouse elevator has been unreliable since mid‑June, causing jury trials to be postponed and threatening speedy‑trial deadlines. The judge said court staff documented outages and safety concerns and that the fire marshal is being engaged; she urged the commission to develop a firm short‑term contingency and a timeline for repairs.
"This elevator thing isn't gonna work out for us long term," Judge Hart said, explaining that juror summonses must be issued with certainty about access and that prolonged outages could force case dismissals. Commissioners agreed to provide weekly updates to the judiciary and to consider temporary off‑site courtroom locations (for which approval from the Kansas Supreme Court may be required) if the elevator cannot be assured by the next jury‑date window.
The commission committed to follow up with the court’s point people and county staff to coordinate an expedited plan and to report back within a week. Chair Samuel Tran said commissioners would continue working with the county counselor and contractors to accelerate communications with the elevator vendor and relevant state officials.
