TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Six trial-court judges in Kansas filed a lawsuit Friday against the state Legislature in hopes of forcing it to increase funding for the court system in a move certain to intensify majority Republicans ongoing frustrations with the judiciary.
The judges filed their lawsuit directly with the Kansas Supreme Court, less than two hours after its new chief justice told The Associated Press that the high courts own proposal for a 12% increase in funding was the tip of the iceberg in meeting the judiciarys needs. The Supreme Courts repeated push for additional funds led one GOP leader to question whether it could be impartial in hearing such a dispute.
The lawsuit also comes with GOP conservatives planning to push next year for amendments to the Kansas Constitution to overturn a Supreme Court decision in April protecting abortion rights and to give legislators power they do not now have to block appointments to the high court.
