Rule 502: Municipal Court Judges

(a)   Applicability. This rule applies only to municipal court judges who are not licensed to practice law in Kansas.

(1)   Municipal court judges who are also district magistrate judges are governed by Rule 501.

(2)   Municipal court judges who are licensed to practice law in Kansas but who are not district magistrate judges are governed by Rule 800 et seq.

(b)   Education Requirement. A judge must earn a minimum of 13 continuing judicial education credit hours each calendar year. Of the 13 hours, at least 2 hours must have been accredited for judicial ethics credit.

(c)   Carry-forward. A judge cannot carry forward excess continuing judicial education credit hours to the next calendar year.

(d)   Credit Calculation. A judge earns one credit hour for 50 minutes of attendance and one-half credit hour for 25 minutes of attendance at instructional activities of a continuing judicial education program accredited under this rule.

(e)   Accreditation—General Continuing Judicial Education.

(1)   Courses not applicable to the functions of a municipal court do not satisfy the education requirement under subsection (b).

(2)   The Supreme Court must approve a program for general continuing judicial education credit before a judge can use attendance at the program to satisfy the education requirement under subsection (b). The Supreme Court, through the Municipal Judges Education Committee or the judicial administrator, will designate at the time of accreditation the number of general continuing judicial education credit hours a judge can earn by attending the program.

(3)   A continuing legal education program accredited by the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Board is considered approved by the Supreme Court for general continuing judicial education credit if the program is applicable to the functions of a municipal court.

(4)   A judge must use a form approved by the Supreme Court to request accreditation of a general continuing judicial education program not sponsored by the Supreme Court or accredited by the Kansas Continuing Legal Education Board. The judge must submit the request at least 30 days before the program, and the judge cannot use attendance at the program to satisfy the education requirement under subsection (b) until the judge receives written notice of accreditation from the Supreme Court. 

(f)   Accreditation—Judicial Ethics.

(1)   The Supreme Court must approve a program for judicial ethics credit before a judge can use attendance at the program to satisfy the judicial ethics requirement under subsection (b). The Supreme Court, through the Municipal Judges Education Committee or the judicial administrator, will designate at the time of accreditation the number of judicial ethics credit hours a judge can earn by attending the program.

(2)   A judge must use a form approved by the Supreme Court to request accreditation of a judicial ethics program not sponsored by the Supreme Court. The judge must submit the request at least 30 days before the program, and the judge cannot use attendance at the program to satisfy the judicial ethics requirement under subsection (b) until the judge receives written notice of accreditation from the Supreme Court.

(g)   Teaching Credit. A judge may earn up to five credit hours for 50 minutes spent teaching an approved program. In determining the number of credit hours to award, the judicial administrator will calculate time spent in preparation and teaching.

(h)   Legislative Service. Upon a request submitted to the Office of Judicial Administration, a part-time judge as defined by the Kansas Code of Judicial Conduct who is serving in the Kansas Legislature will receive a reduction of 6.5 of the 11 general continuing judicial education hours required for the compliance period in which the judge serves in the Legislature. 

(i)   Annual Compliance Report. Each judge must submit an annual report of the judge’s compliance with this rule in the format and manner prescribed by the Supreme Court. The judge must submit the report to the judicial administrator no later than February 1 following the calendar year for which hours are being claimed.

(j)   Waiver, Extension of Time. The Supreme Court may grant a waiver of the requirements of this rule or an extension of time to complete continuing judicial education requirements because of hardship, disability, or other good cause. A judge must submit a request for waiver or extension in writing to the judicial administrator prior to February 1 following the calendar year for which the waiver or extension is sought.

(k)   Oversight. The judicial administrator will implement and administer the continuing judicial education program established by this rule and will develop any forms, subject to approval by the Supreme Court, necessary for that purpose. 

[History: New rule effective February 15, 1990; Repealed effective January 1, 2018; Rule adopted effective January 1, 2018; Am. effective December 31, 2020.]