TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court announced today that it has hired Heather Smith to be clerk of the appellate courts at the Judicial Center in Topeka effective June 9.
Smith will replace Carol Green, who has been clerk since 1991 and will retire June 6.
“Carol Green set an exceptionally high bar for her successor, but we believe Heather Smith is suited to the challenge,” said Chief Justice Lawton Nuss. “She has broad appellate court experience and we look forward to her leadership in the clerk’s office.”
Smith currently is deputy clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court, where she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office. She also played a key role in planning several technology projects, including emailing orders and opinions, accepting online attorney registration fees, and a public online case search.
“I’m thrilled for this opportunity to serve the appellate courts in Kansas and I am eager start my new duties,” Smith said.
In her new role, Smith will be responsible for planning and supervising administrative work related to the operation of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, including work related to appellate rules, managing court records, keeping statistical information, processing bar admission applications and certifying court reporters. She also will be responsible for conducting elections for lawyer members of the Supreme Court Nominating Commission and district judicial nominating commissions in nonpartisan judicial districts.
Prior to becoming deputy clerk in Indiana, she worked as a staff attorney for the Indiana Court of Appeals, as a hearing officer in the Indiana Department of Revenue, and legal counsel to the Union Federal Bank of Indianapolis.
Smith earned her law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and a degree in economics from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks.
The clerk of the Kansas Supreme Court is a constitutional officer who, by statute, is also clerk of the Court of Appeals.