NCJ Number
162924
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 35 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1996) Pages: 10-13,38
Date Published
1996
Length
5 pages
Annotation
For the past several years, justices and judges of the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court have attempted to bring appellate courts and processes to the people in various ways.
Abstract
The Kansas Court of Appeals goes "on the circuit" in panels of three judges every 3 weeks to hear appeals much closer to the homes and offices of litigants. In addition, court personnel visit high schools to demonstrate court procedures and also work with law students. Kansas courts focus on public education because the only knowledge the public has about the appellate process often comes from news sources, and conducting hearings in schools and in other nontraditional settings represents an effective way of teaching about the appellate process. To counter mistakes made by electronic and print media, Kansas courts have initiated several community outreach programs, including the use of cameras in the courtroom and media law seminars. Another means of communicating directly with the public is a World Wide Web site on the Internet. In addition to technological innovations, Kansas courts continue to rely on such traditional educational tools as videos and publications. The ultimate goal is to educate communities about how the criminal justice system works.