KS Supreme Court in Great Bend

Supreme Court visiting Great Bend for special evening session

6:30 p.m.
Wednesday
April 6, 2022

The Kansas Supreme Court is heading to the Great Bend Events Center in Great Bend as part of its ongoing outreach to familiarize Kansans with the high court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary.

It will be the Supreme Court's first visit to city in the court's 161-year history (began 1861), and it will be the 12th time the court will hear cases in the evening.
 

Oral argument and public reception

The public is invited to attend the special session to hear oral arguments in person. Court will be in session from 6:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in the B-29 Superfortress Conference Room in the Great Bend Events Center.

The public is invited to observe the proceedings as the court hears oral arguments in two cases. After the session concludes, the justices will greet the public in an informal reception at the venue.
 

Quiet, please

Audience members are prohibited from talking during oral arguments because it interferes with the attorneys’ remarks and justices' questions. Those arriving after proceedings start or leaving before they end should be as quiet as possible entering and exiting the ballroom. Talking immediately outside the ballroom is also discouraged.
 

Security screening to enter

If you attend in person, plan to arrive before 5:30 p.m. to allow time to get through security screening. Follow these guidelines to make your check-in as quick and easy as possible:

• Do not bring food or drink.

• Do not bring large bags, large purses, backpacks, computer cases, or briefcases; small handbags are permitted.

• Do not bring knives, pepper spray, firearms, or weapons.

• Do not bring electronic devices like laptop computers, handheld games, personal digital assistants, or tablets. If you must carry a cell phone, turn it off and store it out of sight while court is in session.

​Attendees are encouraged to follow Barton County Health Department public health recommendations in place at the time of the event.
 

Oral arguments livestream

If you can't attend in person, you can access a live webcast of the oral argument at www.YouTube.com/KansasSuprmeCourt. If you miss it, the recording will become part of the Supreme Court's oral argument archive.
 

Cases to be heard

The court publishes a booklet for the special session that explains the proceedings and describes the cases. Summaries of the cases to be heard, and briefs filed by the attorneys involved in the cases, follow.

Appeal No. 123,323: State of Kansas v. Rachael Hilyard

Sedgwick County: (Criminal Appeal) A jury convicted Hilyard of first-degree murder in the decapitation death of her boyfriend’s grandmother. Hilyard had a long history of mental illness. The district court sentenced Hilyard to a hard-50 life sentence. Hilyard challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support her conviction and raises other challenges to her conviction and sentence.

• Brief of Appellee

• Reply Brief of Appellant

• Brief of Appellant

Appeal No. 124,415: Mark A. Bruce v. Laura Kelly, in her official capacity as Governor of the State of Kansas; Will Lawrence, in his individual capacity as Chief of Staff to Governor Laura Kelly; and Herman T. Jones, in his official and individual capacities as Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol

U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas: (Certified Question) The case involves two questions of law certified to the Kansas Supreme Court by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Bruce contends that when his tenure as superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol was terminated, he was entitled to return to the rank he held when he was appointed superintendent. Bruce further contends that when his tenure was terminated, he was not returned to rank, but instead was forced to retire, which amounted to a constructive discharge from employment.

• Response Brief of Defendants

• Amended Opening Brief of Plaintiff Mark Bruce​